Marghazar Trials

"He sunk his teeth into her heart and she let him." As crown princess of Marghazar, Durkhanai Miangul will do anything to protect her people and her land. When her grandfather, the Badshah, is blamed for a deadly assault on the summit of neighboring leaders, the tribes call for his head. To assuage cries for war, the Badshah opens Marghazar's gates to foreigners for the first time in centuries, in a sign of good faith. His family has three months to prove their innocence, or they will all have war. As Durkhanai races to solve who really orchestrated the attack, ambassadors from the neighboring tribal districts arrive at court, each with their own intentions for negotiations, each with their own plans for advantage. When a mysterious illness spreads through the villages and the imperialists push hard on her borders, Durkhanai must dig deep to become more than just a beloved princess-she must become a queen. To distract Durkhanai from it all is Asfandyar Afridi, the wry ambassador who tells her outright he is a spy, yet acts as though he is her friend-or maybe even something more.

"He sunk his teeth into her heart and she let him." As crown princess of Marghazar, Durkhanai Miangul will do anything to protect her people and her land. When her grandfather, the Badshah, is blamed for a deadly assault on the summit of neighboring leaders, the tribes call for his head. To assuage cries for war, the Badshah opens Marghazar's gates to foreigners for the first time in centuries, in a sign of good faith. His family has three months to prove their innocence, or they will all have war. As Durkhanai races to solve who really orchestrated the attack, ambassadors from the neighboring tribal districts arrive at court, each with their own intentions for negotiations, each with their own plans for advantage. When a mysterious illness spreads through the villages and the imperialists push hard on her borders, Durkhanai must dig deep to become more than just a beloved princess-she must become a queen. To distract Durkhanai from it all is Asfandyar Afridi, the wry ambassador who tells her outright he is a spy, yet acts as though he is her friend-or maybe even something more. Short Summary: A Pakistan-inspired fantasy, retelling the story of "The Lady or the Tiger?", in which a fiercely loyal princess tries to prove her grandfather's innocence in an attack on neighboring leaders, while she navigates forbidden love and court intrigues alongside the handsome ambassador determined to prove her wrong. "Unreservedly recommended for middle school, high school, and community library YA Fiction collections . . ." -Midwest Book Review "Qureshi sets up a world in which readers can easily lose themselves . . . this is a notable debut with an original point of view and a riveting plot." -Kirkus Reviews "Aamna Qureshi writes of a world steeped in rich culture and tumultuous politics with an expert hand. The Lady or The Lion is a gorgeous read." -Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights "Debut author Qureshi nails spinning new life into an old tale with a meticulous world grounded in vivid scenery and beautifully [enhanced] with Urdu, Punjabi, and Islamic words. VERDICT A clever twist on a classic tale, this is one to purchase for library shelves as readers will be eager to know what happens next." -School Library Journal Perfect for fans of These Violent Delights and The Wrath and the Dawn, this scintillating debut retells "The Lady or the Tiger?" against a Pakistan-inspired world of forbidden love and court intrigues.

She made her decision. Now she has to live with it. Durkhanai Miangul sealed her lover's fate when she sent him through a door where either a lady or a lion awaited him. But her decision was only the beginning of her troubles. Durkhanai worries that she might not be the queen her people need or deserve when conflict threatens her kingdom. Her presumed-dead father comes back with a vengeance and wishes she join him in his cause. But her family's denial of his revenge forces Durkhanai to take matters into her own hands and she must decide whether to follow the traditions of her forefathers or forge a new path on her own. Aamna Qureshi is a Pakistani, Muslim American who adores words. She grew up on Long Island, New York, in a very loud household, surrounded by English (for school), Urdu (for conversation), and Punjabi (for emotion). Much of her childhood was spent being grounded for reading past her bed-time, writing stories in the backs of her notebooks, and being scolded by teachers for passing chapters under the tables. Through her writing, she wishes to inspire a love for the beautiful country and rich culture that informed much of her identity. She attended Stony Brook University, where she received a Bachelors of Science in Applied Math and Statistics that taught her to solve problems, to think outside the box, and to recognize nuance, all things that come in handy when drafting a novel. When she's not writing, she loves to travel to new places where she can explore different cultures or to Pakistan where she can revitalize her roots. She also loves baking complicated desserts, drinking fancy teas and coffees, watching sappy rom-coms, and going for walks about the estate (her backyard). She currently lives in New York. Look for her on IG @aamna_qureshi and Twitter @aamnaqureshi_. Short Summary: The sequel to The Lady or the Lion continues the Pakistan-inspired fantasy tale of forbidden love and political intrigue, wherein Princess Durkhanai, caught between opposite sides of a war, must choose between love and family, happiness and the crown, and forge her own path in the process. "The sequel to The Lady or the Lion (2021) delivers drama, romance, and adventure . . . The diversity and inclusivity of the first entry are continued and extended here . . . Living up to the success of its predecessor, a fitting end to a saga of royal intrigue." -Kirkus Reviews In this sequel to The Lady or the Lion, Durkhanai grapples with the consequences of choosing her lover's fate. But with war looming and her father's vengeance threatening to engulf her, the fate of her kingdom once again lies in her hands.