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The Girl with the Fierce Eyes by Sophia Vahdati x-book

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The Girl with the Fierce Eyes

Publisher
HarperCollins Publishers
Publish Date
17 July 2025
Run Time
11 hours 26 minutes
Format
x-book®
$13.95

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What to expect

'Full of magic, love triangles, political intrigue, betrayaI… I devoured this novel' ★★★★★

Red Queen meets Divergent in this fast-paced dystopian fantasy debut—packed with love triangles, betrayal, and a heroine who must risk everything to survive.

In the Empire of Shariza, eye colour determines everything. Wealth, status and even magical powers.

To the rest of the world, Jantsia’s blue eyes mark her as Azure – the lowest of the oculary castes, destined for servitude.

But she is hiding the truth. Jantsia is really a forbidden mix of two castes, forced to live a lie and clinging to one simple rule to stay alive: be invisible.

With whispers of rebellion spreading through the empire and discontent growing, Jantsia reckons with her place in a society that would see her dead. Can she harness her untapped powers to join the fight and seize her freedom? Or will her long-kept secret finally be her undoing?

Daughter of Light has some potential content warnings, including sexual grooming (past), sibling/infant death (past), racism and discrimination, threatened torture and death, and characters in peril. Readers who may be sensitive to these elements, please take note.

Previously published as THE GIRL WITH THE FIERCE EYES

Readers LOVE Jantsia's story 💙

'Explosive world-building, gripping characters, and razor-sharp stakes – this dystopian gem is an unforgettable blend of tension and heart' Morgan Shamy, best-selling author of The Stricken

'Stamps a blazing mark with its thrilling pace, fascinating magic system, and powerful exploration of self-discovery. Vahdati's richly imagined debut is a book as fierce as its title.' Kiera Azar, author of Thorn Season

'Shines with a richly-imagined world, gritty settings, and characters who leap off the page. This fantasy tackles issues that are sharply relevant to our world today. Sophia Vahdati is an author to watch!’ Elly Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest King's Daughter

'Brilliantly imagined and full of life, […] a wonderful read.’ Helen Glynn Jones, author of The Last Raven

‘An emotional story about belonging, rebellion, and identity contrasted by deception, secrets, and lies.’ K. N. Milde, author of Those Who Survive

'Wow wow wow, this book was INCREDIBLE. I already know this is going to be one of my top reads of the year.’ ★★★★★

'Wow. The ending. That did surprise me. I do hope there is more to come.’ ★★★★★

’The magic and caste system was fantastic. The idea that your place in the hierarchy is dependent on your eye colour and corresponding power was so well done.’ ★★★★★

'Immersive, empowering, and insightful.’ ★★★★★

‘This was a really well built world with hover bikes, a criminal underworld and a rebellion. The perfect introduction to the dystopian genre.’ ★★★★★

’Sophia Vahdati did an amazing job creating a world that has magic, political intrigue and betrayal. I loved this book and can’t wait for book 2!!’ ★★★★

Critics Review

  • PRAISE FOR SOPHIA VAHDATI:
  • 'The Girl with the Fierce Eyes is a beautifully written tale of coming of age in a society where your fate has already been decided. What really sets this book apart is how it manages to be both an excellent surface-level story and have a pertinent (and damning) message. Many books achieve one or the other, but it is a very delicate balance to achieve both.’ Alethea Lyons, author of The Seer of York series
  • 'A gripping story of a girl’s fight to discover and unpeel the layers of her identity, in a world where her very existence is a crime. Vahdati expertly weaves this tale of duty and loyalty, asking the ever-pertinent questions about the true nature of power.' Gabriela Houston, author of The Bone Roots
  • 'Brilliantly imagined and full of life, The Girl With The Fierce Eyes explores a world where eye colour defines status, but not spirit. A wonderful read.' Helen Glynn Jones, author of The Last Raven
See more reviews
  • 'An emotional story about belonging, rebellion, and identity contrasted by deception, secrets, and lies. I enjoyed getting to dive into the diverse and conflicting narratives of Jantsia, Daezen and Soba, seeing all the ways they were different and yet so similar. Each one gives a reflection of the complexities that come with family, friendship and love in the face of class, oppression, and self-rejection.’ K. N. Milde, author of Those Who Survive

User Reviews

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Details

Author
Sophia Vahdati
Narrator
Freddy Carter, Precious Mustapha, Roshaan Riyahi-Boni
Duration
11 hours 26 minutes
Release Date
17 July 2025
ISBN
9780008743864
Format
x-book®
Publisher
HarperCollins Publishers
Genre
Dystopian and utopian fiction, Fantasy romance / Romantic fantasy, Fantasy, Dark fantasy, Urban fantasy, Romance, Romance: fantasy and paranormal

Synopsis

'Full of magic, love triangles, political intrigue, betrayaI… I devoured this novel' ★★★★★ Red Queen meets Divergent in this fast-paced dystopian fantasy debut—packed with love triangles, betrayal, and a heroine who must risk everything to survive. In the Empire of Shariza, eye colour determines everything. Wealth, status and even magical powers. To the rest of the world, Jantsia’s blue eyes mark her as Azure – the lowest of the oculary castes, destined for servitude. But she is hiding the truth. Jantsia is really a forbidden mix of two castes, forced to live a lie and clinging to one simple rule to stay alive: be invisible. With whispers of rebellion spreading through the empire and discontent growing, Jantsia reckons with her place in a society that would see her dead. Can she harness her untapped powers to join the fight and seize her freedom? Or will her long-kept secret finally be her undoing? Daughter of Light has some potential content warnings, including sexual grooming (past), sibling/infant death (past), racism and discrimination, threatened torture and death, and characters in peril. Readers who may be sensitive to these elements, please take note. Previously published as THE GIRL WITH THE FIERCE EYES Readers LOVE Jantsia's story 💙 'Explosive world-building, gripping characters, and razor-sharp stakes – this dystopian gem is an unforgettable blend of tension and heart' Morgan Shamy, best-selling author of The Stricken 'Stamps a blazing mark with its thrilling pace, fascinating magic system, and powerful exploration of self-discovery. Vahdati's richly imagined debut is a book as fierce as its title.' Kiera Azar, author of Thorn Season 'Shines with a richly-imagined world, gritty settings, and characters who leap off the page. This fantasy tackles issues that are sharply relevant to our world today. Sophia Vahdati is an author to watch!’ Elly Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest King's Daughter 'Brilliantly imagined and full of life, […] a wonderful read.’ Helen Glynn Jones, author of The Last Raven ‘An emotional story about belonging, rebellion, and identity contrasted by deception, secrets, and lies.’ K. N. Milde, author of Those Who Survive 'Wow wow wow, this book was INCREDIBLE. I already know this is going to be one of my top reads of the year.’ ★★★★★ 'Wow. The ending. That did surprise me. I do hope there is more to come.’ ★★★★★ ’The magic and caste system was fantastic. The idea that your place in the hierarchy is dependent on your eye colour and corresponding power was so well done.’ ★★★★★ 'Immersive, empowering, and insightful.’ ★★★★★ ‘This was a really well built world with hover bikes, a criminal underworld and a rebellion. The perfect introduction to the dystopian genre.’ ★★★★★ ’Sophia Vahdati did an amazing job creating a world that has magic, political intrigue and betrayal. I loved this book and can’t wait for book 2!!’ ★★★★

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