Once again, I have done as told by the Interwebs, but failed to record which website recommended it. This was either Vulture or Pajiba, I’d wager. What an excellent recommendation. It should be required reading for my whole family (but they never do as they’re told).
We meet Deka in the Gilded Ones on the day of her purity test – when all of-age girls are bled to make sure they bleed red, not gold. If this sounds like some solid gold bullshit to you, you’re not alone. When Deka’s ceremony is interrupted by creepy dangerous clawed Deathshrieks, who kill half the village, she screams for them to stop… and they do.
Because: misogyny, they don’t throw a parade for Deka, but instead decide to execute her for being a demon. Charming. In fact, her Dad and her village love interest lead the way. This country is RIPE for some revolution, my friends. What a heartbreaking experience (she’s essentially unkillable, and regenerates over and over).
Eventually, Deka is rescued and recruited to the Emperor’s Army against Deathshrieks. Turns out, Alaki like Deka have inborn strength and skills, and also only have one true death/way to actually be killed.
Of course, this whole world is based on your usual Big Lie – that there is only one (male, of course) God, and that Deathshrieks are evil. Turns out, Deka is the Chosen One who can help wake the Female Gods, and Sort. Shit. Out.
The second book in the series, The Merciless Ones, is all about being careful what you wish for – and about how ill-advised it is to blindly believe in authority or a higher power.
Deka and her friends (found families, everywhere!) are happily ensconced in the laps of their gods, but need to head out and find some sort of McGuffin on a quest. There are some weird inconsistencies all around, but Deka is 100% Team Goddess, and puts them out of her head until they can no longer be ignored.
This is another journey through finding your strength through independence (another theme for me this year), and rejecting what the establishment tells you is to be taken on faith. An inspiring series, you should 100% seek it out.
