Aarti & the Blue Gods

From the author of the Costa Award-winning Asha & the Spirit Bird and Tamarind & the Star of Ishta comes a atmospheric, magical adventure with a stunning twist … Aarti has lived on the island with Aunt for as long as she can remember. Like the weather, Aunt rules her world with rare warmth.

Aarti’s only comforts are a book of Indian myths full of blue gods, a fox’s friendship, and a toy rabbit she finds in a locked room. Then, she learns Aunt has been feeding her lies. Fate intervenes when a half-drowned boy washes up on the beach.

With his help, Aarti hopes to remember who she really is … and perhaps find a way home. * A mesmerising third novel from Costa-winning and Waterstones- shortlisted Jasbinder Bilan, one of the most exciting writers of middle-grade fiction.

* Themes of identity, faith and belonging with a stunning twist in an evocative and remote island setting. Praise for Jasbinder Bilan’s novels:’I absolutely adored it … an achingly beautiful story’ SITA BRAHMACHARI’Atmospheric, dreamy, charged with wonder and menace, loss, sorrow and delight’ TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT’A lush, gorgeous setting in a novel as vivid and original as her Costa-winning debut.’ THE GUARDIAN ‘Beautifully written, richly atmospheric and touchingly spiritual, this brief novel sparkles like a polished gem’ DAILY MAIL