Queens of Moirai by Rhiannon Hargadon

An engrossing work of dark fantasy, Queens of Moirai by Rhiannon Hargadon is a wildly imaginative novel marked by the strong presence of gods, fate, and magic, drawn in part from Greek mythology.

Both grandly mythic and down to earth, the novel tells the story of Morena, descendent of the death-ruler Atropos, and her struggle to reunite the three Fates in order to bring balance and justice to the kingdom of Moirai. The three fates include Lachesis, who spins the thread of life, Clotho, who measures it, and Atropos, whose task is to cut it, and they have always ruled Moirai together, but not since the three Fates’ war, which has brought unimaginable destruction into the world.

As Atropos’ granddaughter, Morena knows she is one day destined to take her place, but with her father Melchior dead, and her mother Malinda far gone into madness, she is kept prisoner in her castle living a life of deprivations and cruel servitude. However, one day the arrival of Prince Elijah of House Lachesis changes Morena’s life; finally free to learn and to love, Morena must now figure out how to fight her mother and restore peace to Moirai.

Hargadon weaves mythology and fantasy staples into a lyrically rich and well-composed narrative that reflects on the conflict between joy and pain, death and life, destruction and creation, without ever turning the novel into mere allegory. The novel truly benefits from Hargadon’s deep understanding of mythic fiction, keeping a relatable balance between the fantastic and Morena’s everyday desires and ambition. An original spin on dark, epic fantasy, this is a thrilling, sometimes disturbing, but moving novel, which is a fantastic read for anyone looking to branch beyond the traditional confines of fantasy.