Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Mild violence in captivating Beauty and the Beast retelling.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In A FORGERY OF FATE, Truyan forges artworks to keep her family from starving, but when her mother incurs a gambling debt, the money she makes isn't nearly enough. Before a ruthless gang comes to take Tru's younger sister away, she hastily fashions a new artwork that incorporates her ability to tell the future through art. Before she can sell it, the scroll takes flight in the wind and lands in the garden of a man the town calls the Demon Prince. She doesn't know if the encounter is blessed or cursed when this mysterious masked man offers to save her family in exchange for the use of her magical talent and a marriage contract.
Is It Any Good?
In this enchanting fairy tale retelling, Beauty is an art forger with the Sight and Beast is half-man, half-dragon. A Forgery of Fate whisks readers to the magic underwater realm of the ruthless Dragon King. It's fantastic to see author Elizabeth Lim return to Ai'Long, home of the serpentine dragons of East Asian folklore. Fans who read The Dragon's Promise already know how cool it is. (Though, thanks to the Dragon King, Elang's castle is in ruins, and a visit to the mermaid realm proves much more glamorous.) Even the setup for this journey is compelling, though longer than necessary. Unlike Belle from the original, Truyan has a gambling mother and two sisters to save from ruin and a ruthless gang. The stakes are even higher when Elang's marriage offer includes help with finding her father, who was lost at sea.
The last third also feels long and is sometimes confusing, especially concerning rules around Elang's curse and immortality. But still, the impossible romance blooms in a sweet way, and Truyan's impossible artistic task builds nail-biting excitement. A Forgery of Fate is a stand-alone novel, but let's hope it's not the last visit to this captivating fairy tale world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the ways A Forgery of Fate reminds them of Beauty and the Beast, and what's different. Does Truyan show the same courage and empathy that Belle does? How does East Asian folklore enhance the story?
Why do you think Tru's favorite expression is "Fortune finds those who leap"? Where does it come from? How does it speak to perseverance and resilience?
If you had the Sight and could paint the future, would you want to paint it? Or would you rather be surprised by what life brings you?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic , Fairy Tales ) , Adventures , Arts , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Animals ( Ocean Creatures )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity , Empathy , Perseverance
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Knopf Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : June 3, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 480
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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