Guest post written by The Crimson Crown author Heather Walter
Heather Walter has been telling stories for as long as she can remember. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with both English and Information Science degrees, books are–and always will be–a definitive part of her life. As an author, Heather loves writing about what-ifs, flawed protagonists, and re-imagined history. Her favorite characters are usually villains. When not writing, you can find her reading (duh), knitting, binging TV, and planning her next travel adventure.
Given that I write fairy-tale retellings, it may surprise you to learn that I’m a bit of a skeptic where true love is concerned. As a young reader, most stories I read were about the true love between a prince and princess. Seeing as a fair number of those princesses were sleeping when they met their alleged soul-mates, I was extremely skeptical about the prospect of their happily ever after. How could a single kiss could break a curse? And why was the princess always falling for some guy? Weren’t there other kinds of love?
As an author, I’ve tried to reclaim some of these stories and allow them to represent the love that felt true to me. My upcoming novel, THE CRIMSON CROWN, is a queer reimagining of the rise of Snow White’s Evil Queen, packed with angsty sapphic romance.
But though I wrote a love story for that iconic villainess, I don’t believe romance is the only kind of true love that exists. In fact, I could argue that the wicked Queen was already in love before I found her–with herself. And while being obsessed with youth and beauty might have been the Queen’s downfall, can’t we say the same for romantic love? And just because love might look different–does that make it any less true?
In answer to that question, here some of my favorite novels that examine true love in a wholly new lens:
IMMORTAL LONGINGS by Chloe Gong
Though this is a retelling of Anthony and Cleopatra–one of the most famous love stories of all time–readers will not find fairytale romance at its murderous heart.
Chloe Gong’s adult debut follows Calla Tuoleimi, disgraced princess of San-Er, who spends her days plotting how to pick off the royal family who wronged her. Her chance arrives when San-Er’s deadly body-jumping competition is announced. If Calla wins, she’ll get her shot to kill the king and end her blood-feud. But what should be an easy victory complicates when Calla meets Anton Makusa, an ex-aristocrat who has also entered the games–for his own reasons. As the games progress, Calla and Anton form a tenuous–and steamy–alliance. But Calla knows that there can only be one winner of the competition and she must decide how far she will go–and who she will sacrifice–in order to be named the victor.
While Chloe Gong packs her pages with enough steam to fog your mirror, the love in this book is less between our lead characters and more between Calla and power itself. You’ll be rooting for that couple until the bitter end.
THE JASMINE THRONE by Tasha Suri
This Indian-inspired epic fantasy series offers more romance than Chloe Gong’s blood-soaked battle of a novel, but Tasha Suri stuffs it with just as many knives (and every one of them is aimed at readers’ hearts).
THE JASMINE THRONE is the story of Malini, a princess held captive by her power-hungry brother, and Priya, a maidservant with a magical secret. When Malini discovers Priya’s abilities, she enlists the reluctant young woman to help her depose her brother and save the empire. As the two embark on their deadly quest, their arrangement blossoms into a passion neither woman expected. But as much as they might care for each other, love itself might not be enough to hold them together.
Don’t get me wrong–Malini and Priya’s love story is swoon-worthy. But what I appreciated most about this book was that, even though Malini and Priya harbored genuine feelings for one another, their true love was for their people. And they’d do anything to defend those they love the most–even from each other.
SOLOMON’S CROWN by Natasha Siegel
If you wanted Lion in Winter to be gay, Natasha Siegel has your back. I’ve not stopped thinking about the rival princes in her gorgeously written novel since I met them.
SOLOMON’S CROWN is a historical re-imagining of twelfth-century rulers Philip, King of France, and Richard, Duke of Aquitaine. Bookish and brooding Philip is determined to use his reign to bring France back to glory. Richard is a careless party-boy who finds himself the unexpected heir to England’s throne. When Richard’s father, King Henry, makes it his personal mission to crush France, Philip and Richard form an unlikely alliance–which quickly turns to forbidden affection. But with war looming and their crowns in the line, Richard and Philip must decide whether their love is worth the cost of their thrones.
Though Siegel herself admits in the author’s note that her work is by no means historically accurate, I love the idea that this story between Richard and Philip could have been true. If it was, Natasha Siegel presents these two rulers in an entirely new light–and gives them the story they deserve.
IN A GARDEN BURNING GOLD by Rory Power
If you’ve ever wondered what Succession would look like set in a Greek mythology-inspired fantasy world, this book is it. And just like our toxic Roy clan, the love (if we’re calling it that) in Rory Power’s glittering novel is that between family.
IN A GARDEN BURNING GOLD follows Rhea, her twin brother, Lexos, and their siblings as they all scrabble for their domineering father’s approval. Gifted with god-like powers, Rhea and her siblings use their magic to harness the natural elements of their country–all while their father rules with an iron fist. But when his position begins to slip, Rhea and Lexos decide to make their own plan to seize power and control the realm for themselves. Predictably, their father isn’t going to let his empire be taken from him, and it will take all of Rhea and Lexos’s cunning to survive the fallout of their coup.
Rory Power takes sibling rivalry to literal god-tier status with this one. What I loved best about the novel was that, no matter how much they schemed, it was clear that the siblings cared for each other. Their love and loyalty were true, if complicated. But don’t worry–the story is filled with enough backstabbing and betrayals to make even the Roys’ heads spin.
