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The Girl with the Fierce Eyes

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The Girl with the Fierce Eyes

By: Sophia Vahdati
Narrated by: Freddy Carter, Precious Mustapha, Roshaan Riyahi-Boni
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About this listen

'Full of magic, love triangles, political intrigue, betrayaI… I devoured this novel' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Red Queen meets Divergent in this fast-paced YA fantasy romance debut—packed with love triangles, betrayal, and a heroine who must risk everything to survive.

Your eyes decide your destiny

Jantsia’s secret will kill her…

In the Empire of Shariza, eye colour determines wealth, status and even access to magical powers. Jantsia's blue eyes mark her as Azure, the lowest of the four oculary castes. Destined for servitude.

But no one – not even the boy who owns her heart – knows the truth. Jantsia is a dual-oc, a forbidden mix of two castes, condemned to death if discovered. To survive, she clings to one rule: stay invisible, stay alive.

Or will the truth save them all?

Yet whispers of rebellion are growing, and cracks are forming in the very foundations of their society. Could it be that the fiery untapped power burning inside Jantsia is a gift rather than a curse?

But who to trust when different means death?

The Girl with the Fierce Eyes has some potential content warnings, including sexual grooming (past), sibling/infant death (past), racism and discrimination, threatened torture and death, and characters in peril. Readers who may be sensitive to these elements, please take note.

Readers LOVE The Girl with the Fierce Eyes 💙

'Explosive world-building, gripping characters, and razor-sharp stakes – this dystopian gem is an unforgettable blend of tension and heart' Morgan Shamy, best-selling author of The Stricken

'The Girl with the Fierce Eyes stamps a blazing mark with its thrilling pace, fascinating magic system, and powerful exploration of self-discovery. Vahdati's richly imagined debut is a book as fierce as its title.' Kiera Azar, author of Thorn Season

'The Girl With the Fierce Eyes shines with a richly-imagined world, gritty settings, and characters who leap off the page. This fantasy tackles issues that are sharply relevant to our world today. Sophia Vahdati is an author to watch!’ Elly Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest King's Daughter

'Brilliantly imagined and full of life, […] a wonderful read.’ Helen Glynn Jones, author of The Last Raven

‘An emotional story about belonging, rebellion, and identity contrasted by deception, secrets, and lies.’ K. N. Milde, author of Those Who Survive

'Wow wow wow, this book was INCREDIBLE. I already know this is going to be one of my top reads of the year and it's only June.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Wow. The ending. That did surprise me. I do hope there is more to come.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

’The magic and caste system was fantastic. The idea that your place in the hierarchy is dependent on your eye colour and corresponding power was so well done.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Immersive, empowering, and insightful.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This was a really well built world with hover bikes, a criminal underworld and a rebellion. The perfect introduction to the dystopian genre for teens and a great fun read for everyone else.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'This debut YA romantasy was well written and and the romance was sweet.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a great YA book, packed with action, wholesome youngsters and a very distinct magic system.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sophia Vahdati did an amazing job creating a world that has magic, political intrigue and betrayal. I loved this

©2025 Sophia Vahdati (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers
Fantasy Romance Science Fiction & Fantasy Heartfelt

Critic reviews

PRAISE FOR SOPHIA VAHDATI:

'The Girl with the Fierce Eyes is a beautifully written tale of coming of age in a society where your fate has already been decided. What really sets this book apart is how it manages to be both an excellent surface-level story and have a pertinent (and damning) message. Many books achieve one or the other, but it is a very delicate balance to achieve both.’ Alethea Lyons, author of The Seer of York series

'A gripping story of a girl’s fight to discover and unpeel the layers of her identity, in a world where her very existence is a crime. Vahdati expertly weaves this tale of duty and loyalty, asking the ever-pertinent questions about the true nature of power.' Gabriela Houston, author of The Bone Roots

'Brilliantly imagined and full of life, The Girl With The Fierce Eyes explores a world where eye colour defines status, but not spirit. A wonderful read.' Helen Glynn Jones, author of The Last Raven

'An emotional story about belonging, rebellion, and identity contrasted by deception, secrets, and lies. I enjoyed getting to dive into the diverse and conflicting narratives of Jantsia, Daezen and Soba, seeing all the ways they were different and yet so similar. Each one gives a reflection of the complexities that come with family, friendship and love in the face of class, oppression, and self-rejection.’ K. N. Milde, author of Those Who Survive

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I really enjoyed this refreshing YA dystopian Debut book by Sophia Vahdati. The magic system using occulary powers is very inventive & it explores themes of prejudice & society unrest in an interesting way. I loved the narration – all three narrators brought interesting characterisation to the words: Roshaan Riyahi-Bono brings a wonderful vulnerability to the character of Jantsia and illegal ‘dual-occ’ who is living a lie; Precious Mustapha is assured throughout as Soba - the undercover detective; and Freddie Carter exudes attitude & charisma for Daezen, a talented young man faced with a dismal future unless he can press for change. An absolutely blooming good read/listen that I’m recommending to everyone! Can’t wait for the next one.

A YA perfect for fans of Dystopian Sci/Fantasy

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The Girl with the Fierce Eyes accurately captures the current geopolitical tensions around the globe. It makes a mockery of divisions due race and colour by replacing skin colour with eye colour. A compeling story which you can't let go as soon as you get to know all the main characters.

Highly recommended -Touching the zeitgeist

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some books just don't grab you. this was one of those where I found myself skipping through. left unfinished

not for me

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