by Jane Yolen
First published 1988
Jenna lives in a world where ancient traditions govern every aspect of life. Her people have followed the same customs for generations, bound by rituals and beliefs that seem as permanent as stone. But strange forces begin to stir, unleashing magical events that shake the foundations of everything her culture holds sacred. These supernatural disruptions grow more intense and frequent, challenging the very fabric of her society. As the old ways crumble around her, Jenna witnesses the death of one civilization and the painful birth of another. The magical chaos that destroys her ancestral world also plants the seeds for new myths and legends. She must navigate this transformation as her people struggle to understand what they are becoming. The story follows this cultural metamorphosis through Jenna's eyes, showing how catastrophic change can both end and begin entire ways of life.
Genres: fiction, mythology, fantasy, magical-realism
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, world-in-peril
Setting: Africa
Period: Ancient
244 pages · Hardcover · Tor Books