Diverse YA Fantasy Titles I Love
- Victoria
- Apr 14, 2019
- 3 min read
I've written before about how important diversity in fiction is to me. The world is definitely not as lily white (or as full of love triangles) as YA fantasy always led me to believe.
In this post, "diverse" means that either at least one of the main cast of characters is non-white, or that the author is.
Here are some great fantasy titles for YA and NA readers that I love, and hope that you will too!
1. The Reader by Traci Chee
In a world where no one can read, words have enormous power. Sefia learns this firsthand when she must find her aunt Nin - the only family she has left after her father's brutal murder - who was kidnapped by a group of people. The only clue? A mysterious mark on their clothing, which somehow matches the book that her father left in her possession when he died.
The Reader is a fun and fast-paced read. I loved the intensity of the frisson between Sefia and Archer, and also that it was never the entire focus of the narrative.
2. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
The Caliph of Khorasan, the boy-king Khalid, is a monster. Each day he takes a new bride, only to have her killed the next morning. After Shahrzhad's best friend is taken as Khalid's bride, she swears vengeance and volunteers to marry him. Somehow, Shahrzhad is able to beguile Khalid despite knowing that she's living on borrowed time and discovers to her horror that he may not be as monstrous as he seems.
The Wrath and the Dawn is a classic enemies-to-lovers love story set against a backdrop of a retelling of 1001 Nights. The angst is delicious, the magic is surprising, and the suspense will keep you wanting more.
3. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Orïsha was once a land filled with magic, but a vengeful king ordered magic destroyed and its practitioners, the maji, killed. Zélie Adebola's mother was taken from her during the magical purge, leaving Zélie without hope. After a chance meeting in the market, Zélie has the opportunity to restore magic with the help of the runaway princess... as long as the crown prince doesn't catch them first.
Children of Blood and Bone is the first fantasy novel that I have ever seen based on any kind of folklore outside of Europe or Asia. It was like the breath of fresh air that I needed after a long winter. It's action-packed and the world-building comes across as seamless and effortless. There's also a healthy pinch of angsty romance, which I love. If you love this one and want more, here's a little fun fact for you: this book was optioned by Fox as a movie before it was even published. That's the dream, right there.
4. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
I've reviewed this one before here so I won't reiterate my review, but it really is a great book. The angst! The pining! The action! Love.
5. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
The world has gone to hell, and the Reestablishment has taken over. Juliette has been imprisoned for 264 days for the murder of a small boy. She didn't mean to kill him, but that doesn't matter - her touch is poisonous, and she must be punished. Until one day, the Reestablishment decides that Juliette is of more use to them as a weapon than in a cell. But can she live with herself if she agrees? Where will she go if she can't?
I loved this. Juliette is a little loony-tunes, and it makes perfect sense. The voice is impeccable. This book follows your standard dystopian fiction formula: "one little white girl is the only one who can save the world, but first - how can she choose between these two diametrically opposed boys?" but in the best way possible. Katniss Everdeen wishes she were this awesome.
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