«A prequel that introduces the founding sisters of the all-female Red Abbey... their interwoven stories, told with unflinching clarity, rise to a vengeful climax with the glow of the red moon, and will stay with the reader long after the book is closed»

Guardian

«An unforgettable feminist epic, shot through with hypnotic dark charm»

The Bookseller

«Epic in its scope, intimate in its observation: if Maresi felt like encountering a rare and blazing talent, Naondel is here to brand the certainty under your skin. An origin story of sorts, in Naondel Turtschaninoff pushes us further into the darkness, shining a light on the best and the worst of human nature»

Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of 'The Girl of Ink and Stars'

«I cannot recommend this book enough, whether you've read Maresi or not. If you enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale or Only Ever Yours then you'll love this. It's tragic and painful and hopeful and empowering and I just loved it»

Maia and a Little Moore (blog)

«Interesting, engaging and unpredictable»

SCOOP

«Reading it, I felt empowered. I felt proud to be a woman, and of who I am»

Once Upon a Bookcase (blog)

«A great read for teens and adults alike... the lives of so many women described in this book is heart breaking and yet ultimately empowering. Either one of these books could have been book one, both brilliant yet different»

Independent Book Reviews

«This novel absolutely blew me away, tore my heart out and rebuilt me. It was far more than I ever expected, even though my expectations were high»

Little Huxtales (blog)

«I just had to read on and on»

Bookwitch (blog)

«5 Words: Power, control, feminism, survival, magic»

Tea Party Princess (blog)

«Exquisite... I could talk forever about how much I love Maria Turtschaninoff's writing»

Ink Drops Books (blog)

«Brutal and beautiful, Maresi walks the knife edge so thrillingly I read it in one sitting. Embued with myth, wonder, and told with a dazzling, compelling ferocity. I can hardly wait for the next instalment»

Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Girl of Ink and Stars

«Bears comparison with the best of Ursula K. Le Guin»

Helsingin Sanomat

«Maresi stands out for its startling originality, and for the frightening plausibility of the dangerous world it creates»

Rebecca Hawkes, Telegraph

«Combines a flavour of The Handmaid's Tale with bursts of excitement reminiscent of Harry Potter's magic duels»

Observer

«Beautifully written... Maresi has a touch of Katniss about her, and although the target market is different, female lovers of dystopian fantasy adventures will enjoy the journey»

The School Librarian

«This feminist novel will be devoured by girls, as dark secrets and eerie happenings make for a marvellous and memorable read»

The Bay

«Maresi is rich, powerful vision - thrilling, harrowing and exhilarating by turns. It conjures up a startlingly well-fashioned world that's different to ours, yet disturbingly familiar. It grips like a vice and enchants like a distant song. It's tale-telling as strong, complex and admirable as its heroine»

Jonathan Stroud, author of The Amulet of Samarkand

«A haunting fable»

Suzy Feay, Financial Times

«Should appeal to fans of Ursula Le Guin... A lucid, layered, deeply engaging story»

Metro

«Full of courage. Dark, brave and so gripping you will read it in one sitting»

Laura Dockrill

«A beautifully painted, fantastical setting like no other; this story will resonate with me for a long time»

Ben Alderson, booktuber

«Atmospheric, immersive and definitely original, Maresi has a quiet urgent magic that makes her story powerful, poignant and memorable»

For Books' Sake

«A poignant, slow-burning fantasy»

Taran Matharu, author of the Summoner fantasy series

«Absolutely incredible, wonderfully mesmerising and a complete delight...I will definitely read whatever Turtschaninoff writes in future. Maresi completely captured my heart along with my imagination, and I'm not sure I want it back»

Once Upon a Bookcase

«A few times in a life time, a book comes along that wraps you completely in its world and its characters. Wildly imaginative and vivd and filled with wonders... this book makes me proud to be a woman»

Casey Daveron, booktuber (Casey Ann Books)

«Maresi is a tale of sisterhood, survival and fighting against the odds that will capture the hearts of both teen and adult feminists alike and will leave you feeling extremely empowered... I think it's a very special book and one that deserves lots and lots of attention»

Lucy Powrie, booktuber (Queen of Contemporary)

«Maresi is an incredible book... if you like Louise O'Neill's Only Ever Yours, you'll love this. Fantastically original... [and] a very important read»

Amber Kirk-Ford, booktuber (The Mile Long Bookshelf)

«This dark, deceptively simple story is a great addition to the growing feminist fantasy genre»

Scotsman