Book Review (YA): Queen of Faces: Deluxe Edition by Petra Lord
Publish Date: February 3, 2026
Rating: 10 out of 10
Spice Level: 0.25 out of 5
Cover Grade: A+
Audiobook Narration: Excellent Performances by Dylan Reilly Fitzpatrick, E. A. Castillo & Nicky Endres
Synopsis
Queen of Faces is a young adult dark fantasy thriller. Anabelle Gage’s desperation takes center stage as her male body literally rots away while the wealthy elite of Caimor swap designer bodies like seasonal fashions. After failing to gain admission to the prestigious Paragon Academy, her last hope for a new, healthy form, Ana attempts to steal one and gets caught by the headmaster himself. Faced with execution or becoming his personal assassin in the brewing conflict between the powerful upper class and the rebels led by the mysterious Black Wraith, Ana reluctantly chooses survival. Her journey thrusts her into a dangerous alliance with a ragtag group of outlaws, where loyalties blur, and the line between hero and villain becomes increasingly difficult to discern.
Strengths
Perfectly addictive from beginning to end. The characters feature deep, transformative arcs that feel earned and cathartic. This is an effortless read; an absolute standout with an unforgettable story. Thought-provoking themes on identity and transformation, particularly the fight for bodily autonomy, gender identity, and forced self-discovery. Powerful explorations of trans experiences, gender dysphoria, privilege, colonialism, racism, and the ethics of survival amid oppression and rebellion, all while the lush, vivid setting sweeps you away. It leaves you wanting the next book.
Weakness
None for me.
Verdict
Loved! This was such a powerful story. It’s soul vs. body, and I am here for it. A perfect epic fantasy, magical dystopian. I need the next book, like now. (10/10)
Tropes
Enemies to Friends, Found Family, Enemies to “It’s Complicated,” Slow Burn, Dark Academia, Dystopian Fantasy, Body Swapping, Mercenary Protagonist, Queer Normative World, Morally Grey Characters, Illusion Magic System, Identity Exploration, and Rebellion.
Trigger Warnings
Body Disfigurement and Injury, Graphic Violence, Body Theft, Classism, Terminal Illness, Ableism, Genocide, War, Colonisation, Child Abuse and Child Death, Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Bullying, Death, Suicidal Thoughts, Gender Dysphoria, Misgendering, Deadnaming, Abandonment, and Death of a Parent.
Thank you to Petra Lord, Macmillan Audio, and Libro.fm. I received advance review copies for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Order Your Copy
Aber Stoat Books (print)
Bookshop.org (eBook)
Libro.fm (audiobook) 🎧
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Queen of Faces is her debut novel.
From the Publisher:
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company / Macmillan Audio
ISBN: 9781250362971 (print)/ 9781250432407 (audiobook)
432 pages / 16 hours 27 minutes
Narrator(s): Dylan Reilly Fitzpatrick, E. A. Castillo & Nicky Endres
Target Age Group: 14 to 18
Young Adult Fiction | Fantasy | Dark Fantasy
Young Adult Fiction | War & Military
Young Adult Fiction | LGBTQ+ | Transgender
Young Adult Fiction | Action & Adventure | Survival Stories
Young Adult Fiction | Dystopian
Description:
A desperate girl at a cutthroat magical academy faces a choice between life and death: become an assassin for the enchanted elite or watch her decaying body draw its last breath.
Anabelle Gage is trapped in a male body, and it’s rotting from the inside out. But Ana can’t afford to escape it, even as the wealthiest in Caimor buy and discard expensive designer bodies without a thought. When she fails to gain admittance to the prestigious Paragon Academy — and access to the healthy new forms the school provides its students — her final hope implodes. Now without options, Ana must use her illusion magic to try to steal a healthy chassis--before her own kills her.
But Ana is caught by none other than the headmaster of Paragon Academy, who poses a brutal ultimatum: face execution for her crime or become a mercenary at his command. Revolt brews in Caimor’s smog-choked underworld, and the wealthy and powerful will stop at nothing to take down the rebels and the infamous dark witch at their helm, the Black Wraith.
With no choice but to accept, Ana will steal, fight, and kill her way to salvation. But her survival depends on a dangerous band of renegades: an impulsive assassin, a brooding bombmaker, and an alluring exile who might just spell her ruin. As Ana is drawn into a tangled web of secrets, the line between villain and hero shatters--and Ana must decide which side is worth dying for. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Brandon Sanderson, Lev Grossman, and R.F. Kuang.
Author Bio:
Petra Lord is a biracial trans author. She has a BFA in TV Writing from New York University, which she uses to recommend TV shows to her parents and predict the endings of movies. She’s currently based in Los Angeles, where she feeds her dual addictions to hot pot and Korean barbecue and sustains herself off videos of her cat. Queen of Faces is her debut novel. Follow her on Instagram.
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