Where does a firstborn girl fit in a world dominated by men?
When Tiadone was born, her parents had two choices: leave their daughter
outside the community to die in the wilds, or raise her as male and
force her to suppress all feminine traits. Now, as the first female
living as male in her village, Tiadone must prove her father didn't make
a mistake by letting her live.
As her male initiation approaches, Tiadone knows every eye on the
community is on her, and desperately wishes to belong and finally be
accepted. But at every step, traditional feminine gifts and traits
emerge, and the bird she's been twined with is seen as a sign of the
devil.
Worse, as Tiadone completes her rites she finds she is drawn to her male
best friend in ways that are very much in line with the female gender.
Confused and desperate, Tiadone tries to become what she must be while
dealing with what she indeed has become: a young woman who may be able
to stand up to her despotic rulers and uncover her real purpose in life.
"A fantasy that reads like a lost history tome and deftly examines
issues of gender. An engrossing story with welcome depths" - Kirkus
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