First published 2026
Princess Tahmineh has a reputation she never asked for. In ancient Persia, rumors of witchcraft cling to her, blocking every path to marriage and security. When her father the king falls ill, the future sharpens into something frightening. Without a husband or allies, she will be left with nothing. Tahmineh consults a prophecy. It tells her she will love a legendary warrior named Rostam and bear his son. It also warns her the match will bring her danger. She ignores the warning. She arranges a meeting with Rostam herself, and what begins as friendship becomes love, then marriage. At the height of her happiness, she gives birth to a boy named Sohrab. Then the second half of the prophecy arrives. Rostam and Sohrab will one day face each other on a battlefield, and one will kill the other. From that moment, Tahmineh has one purpose: stop it. This is her story, told in Tanaz Bhathena's adult debut, drawing on the tragedy at the heart of the Persian epic the Shahnameh. It is a story about what a mother does when fate has already made up its mind.
Genres: literary-fiction, fantasy, adult, adult-fiction, epic-fantasy, historical-fantasy
Vibes: dark, emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking, tragic
Tropes: doomed-love, maternal-sacrifice, prophecy-fulfillment, star-crossed-lovers
Setting: Ancient Persia
Period: Ancient Persia
320 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central
Content warnings: death, violence, war