Empress & Aniya

Although Empress & Aniya seem to have only their school in common, the truth is it is less than that. While Aniya’s family is wealthy and comfortable and her mother is friends with the headmistress, Empress has had to enable her scholarship place alone. What’s more her home is not the sort of place you’d take anyone home to; it’s not even safe for her.

As Aniya’s friends seek to isolate Empress through seizing upon her poverty and difference, Aniya is different. What’s more, as she stands up to them and then judgmental teachers, she is keen to befriend Empress. It’s not long before the pair are doing homework together at Aniya’s home, and eating dinner too.

Yet upon their shared sixteenth birthday, things come to a head. The girls are fast friends, with Aniya joking they’re so close as to be near twins, that maybe they should fool about with a spell to see through the other’s eyes. However, they don’t expect the spell to work. What’s more, they don’t expect that it will lead to Aniya experiencing Empress’s world for real, a world that is dangerous and in need of real help. Is Aniya the one to call this out? Then again, what does it mean for Empress? Finally, how will this trading places be resolved?

There are serious social issues and considerations of society and opportunity in Candice Carty-Williams’ first book for YA readers. While it is a gentle, pink covered novella of friendship, Empress & Aniya offers contemporary, meaningful, hard-hitting themes that make us think, feel and (maybe) act.