Witch Daughter - by Tanaz Bhathena (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

In her adult debut, award-winning author Tanaz Bhathena expertly weaves a tale of love and loss in ancient Persia with her take on the timeless tragedy of Tahmineh, a temptress, a witch, a victim, or, perhaps, a woman trying her hardest to protect her loved ones.

"A beautifully rendered mixture of magic and the Middle East." --Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of My Sister's Keeper

Rumors of witchcraft follow Princess Tahmineh like a storm cloud, making it impossible for her to secure herself a marriage or any kind of future. With her father, the king's, health in question, it becomes shockingly clear how desperate her situation will soon become in his absence. If she doesn't act now, she will quickly find herself destitute and desperate.

Tahmineh seeks out a prophecy, from which she learns she will fall in love with a warrior of great renown named Rostam and bear him a son. However, she is warned this match is a dangerous one for her. Heedless of the warnings, Tahmineh boldly orchestrates a meeting with Rostam and the two develop a close friendship and ultimately fall in love and marry. At the peak of her joy, Tahmineh gives birth to Sohrab, Rostam's son.

All too soon, Tahmineh learns the tragic second part of the prophecy. Father and son will meet as enemies in battle and one will die at the hand of the other. What follows is a mother's desperate attempt to undo the threads of fate and try to protect her son at all costs.

"A bold love story." --Lauren Kate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fallen series

"An aching, timeless, and lush tale." --Samantha Sotto Yambao, New York Times bestselling author of The Elsewhere Express

Review Quotes

"A captivating and tragic tale of love and motherhood set in ancient Persia."--Kirkus Reviews

"A fascinating retelling and expansion of Persian folklore, Bhathena's adult debut is for readers who love a bit of magic in their historical fiction, or for those who adore a female character finally stepping out of the hero's shadow to tell her own story, warts and all, such as in Madeline Miller's Circe (2018) or Louisa Morgan's The Faerie Morgana (2025)."--Booklist

"Bhathena's mesmerizing novel explores the complexity of a woman and mother who is determined to use cunning and power to protect her family against destiny."--Library Journal

"Tanaz Bhathena's meticulously crafted Witch Daughter is rich in detail and mythic in cadence, while rendering its larger-than-life characters into deeply relatable human beings. Bhathena beautifully captures the ferocious beauty of a mother's love. The world needs more stories that give voice to the oft-villainized women of great literature."--Megan Bannen, USA Today Bestselling Author of The Undermining of Twyla and Frank and The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam

"Verdict: This is Art. Put it in the Louvre."--The Nora Theory Blog

"An enchanting tale about the immeasurable strength of motherhood and the tragic inevitability of fate. Bhathena has crafted a heartfelt testament to Persian mythology and history that will stick with readers long after the story ends."--O.O. Sangoyomi, author of Masquerade

"A brilliant retelling of an ancient Persian epic, Witch Daughter is a haunting portrait of a powerful seductress, mother, and daeva: Tahmineh is a heroine for our time."--Mary McMyne, author of The Book of Gothel and A Rose by Any Other Name

"An intimate portrayal of a sweeping epic that's as gorgeous as it is heart-wrenching. Witch Daughter soars to new heights, reminding us all about the ingenuity and bravery of the women who often get lost within the pages of their own stories. Bhathena's adult debut is nothing short of a masterpiece."--Maddie Martinez, USA Today bestselling author of The Maiden and Her Monster

"Bhathena brings to life a story that is as beautifully tragic as it is bewitching. Witch Daughter is an aching, timeless, and lush tale that you will have to force yourself to look away from to blink back tears."--Samantha Sotto Yambao, New York Times bestselling author of The Elsewhere Express

"Witch Daughter is an epic ride through legendary Persia, one where royals, immortals, and warriors clash upon the battlefield and off. Amidst the magic and intrigue, Tahmineh, the misunderstood but indomitable princess, stands tall, proving that a mother who would sacrifice her own heart to save her son might be the bravest hero of all."--Lauren J. A. Bear, author of Medusa's Sisters and Mother of Rome

"With Witch Daughter, Bhathena offers readers an absolutely fascinating glimpse into Tamineh, a princess trapped both by circumstance and by prophecy yet unwilling to be bound by either. Like the daevas lurking within its pages, this skillful reimagining of a classical Zoroastrian myth will sink its foreclaws into you."--Shveta Thakrar, author of the Andre Norton Nebula Award finalist Star Daughter

"Tanaz Bhathena's Witch Daughter weaves a tale as gloriously epic as its inspiration--Ferdowsi's Shahnameh--and casts a whole new spell through storytelling so sweeping and emotional that it feels like witchcraft."--Abdi Nazemian, Stonewall Award-Winning author of Like A Love Story and Only This Beautiful Moment

"A beautifully rendered mixture of magic and the Middle East that explores the cost of knowing one's fate--and the payment exacted when one tries to alter it."--Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Sumptuous and surprising, Witch Daughter is a bold love story and a proper journey into a fascinating and exotic world. Bhathena's writing held me in a trance."--Lauren Kate, #1 New York Times bestselling author

About the Author

Tanaz Bhathena is an award-winning Zoroastrian author of contemporary and fantasy fiction. Her books include Of Light and Shadow, Hunted by the Sky, which won the White Pine Award and the Bapsi Sidhwa Literary Prize, and The Beauty of the Moment, which won the Nautilus Gold Award for Young Adult Fiction. Her acclaimed debut, A Girl Like That, was named a Best Book of the Year by numerous outlets including The Globe and Mail, Seventeen, and The Times of India. Her short stories have appeared in various publications including The Hindu, Blackbird, Witness, and Room. Born in India and raised in Saudi Arabia and Canada, Tanaz lives in Mississauga, Ontario, with her family.