On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks with Nafiza Azad all about her brand new book The Wild Ones, “A thrilling, feminist fantasy about a group of teenage girls endowed with special powers who must band together to save the life of the boy whose magic saved them all.”
The summary…
We are the Wild Ones, and we will not be silenced.
We are girls who have tasted the worst this world can offer. Our story begins with Paheli, who was once betrayed by her mother, sold to a man in exchange for a favor. When Paheli escaped, she ran headlong into Taraana—a boy with stars in his eyes, a boy as battered as she was. He tossed Paheli a box of stars before disappearing. With the stars, Paheli gained access to the Between, a place of pure magic and mystery.
Now, Paheli collects girls like us, and we use our magic to travel the world, helping to save other girls from our pain, our scars. When Taraana reappears, he asks for our help. Dangerous magical forces are chasing him, and they will destroy him to get his powers. We will do everything to save him—if we can.
For if Taraana is no longer safe and free, neither are the Wild Ones. And that…is a fate that we refuse to accept. Ever again.
The Wild Ones is many things. It’s definitely an alarming and disarming alternating stream of consciousness/plot-based fantasy full of magic and wonder. But it’s also a very personal story to Nafiza who in own words has been there, tasted the helplessness, the darkness, the frustration, and the anger. Nafiza has revealed a pathway to healing not only for her large cast of Wild Ones, but us as well.
Steve and Nafiza talk about how Peter Pan inspired parts of this story, her experience recording for the audiobook, pirating books, The Wild Ones of course, and much, much more.
The Wild Ones is out now, click HERE to order a copy today!
Cover art by Alex Cabal.
About the Author:
Nafiza Azad is a self-identified island girl. She has hurricanes in her blood and dreams of a time she can exist solely on mangoes and pineapple. Born in Lautoka, Fiji, she currently resides in British Columbia, Canada where she reads too many books, watches too many K-dramas, and writes stories about girls taking over the world. Her debut YA fantasy was the Morris Award–nominated The Candle and the Flame. The Wild Ones is her second novel.
