It’s a shame Maia wasn’t born as a boy. She has the makings of one of the best tailors in all of A’landi — she spins silk into the finest thread, weaves gossamer cloth that almost floats in its delicacy, and embroiders scenes that seem to dance with life — but as a girl, she is destined not for greatness as a tailor, but for marriage. However, when her elderly father is summoned to the palace to compete against eleven other tailors for the position of imperial tailor, Maia assumes the identity of her brother Keton and travels to the palace in her father’s stead. This could be her chance to not only provide a fulfilling life for her family, but also achieve her longtime dream of becoming a tailor. Yet, her final task is one she could never have even dreamed of. She is tasked with creating three impossible dresses — one made from the laughter of the sun, another from the tears of the moon, and the last from the blood of the stars.
How could I not fall in love with this book? It was packed with fairytale elements and influences from Eastern mythology, yet it was also something entirely of its own. The writing hooked me in from the very beginning, and never let go. The characters were definitely standard cookie-cutter fantasy characters — strong, stubborn heroine, devilishly handsome trickster, and so on — but I loved them all the same and mourned the ending. Overall, this was a delight to read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy.