Beneath the Burning Wave

"One of the most unique books you'll read this year" Buzzfeed

"A strikingly different trilogy opener" Kirkus Reviews

Twins destined to bring about devastation. . .

Since the beginning of Mu there has been a prophecy. Twins born of fire and water will lay waste to the island. For the sake of Mu's inhabitants, no twins can survive. Or else a catastrophe of volcano and tsunami will annihilate them all.

Kaori and Kairi are forbidden twins, two halves of a whole, the first to survive on the ancient island of Mu. One was born of fire, the other of water.

As the twins are pulled in opposing directions, and hatred reaches a boiling point between the two, many will die in the crossfire.

Will Kaori and Kairi unwittingly enact the prophecy and destroy the island of Mu or can one twin stop the other from bringing about destruction. . . ?

The Mu Chronicles is a visionary YA fantasy trilogy exploring the origin of gender and desire in an epic queer fusion of Japanese folklore and Egyptian mythology.

What readers are saying:

"An interesting and original debut which left me begging for more" Caleb, NetGalley reader review

"An ambitious take on an epic YA fantasy series exploring gender fluidity ... a political commentary ... If you're looking for an atypical YA read, this might be the one for you" Clara, NetGalley reader review

"This is a really unique YA fantasy novel. I just loved what it was trying to do. Whilst it might not be for everyone I do think it's worth a go for the unique style ... there's a certain beauty to the story and the way it's constructed" Gabrielle, NetGalley reader review

"This storyline was very interesting and flowed nicely, I will definitely recommend reading this book!" Michelle, NetGalley reader review

"The use of neopronouns is lovely to see and was not at all hard to process" Luca, NetGalley reader review

"I really enjoyed the twins story ... both fascinating characters I was willing to find their own strength and courage in such a world" Wendy, NetGalley reader review

The book Beneath the Burning Wave by Jennifer Hayashi Danns is a riveting historical fiction that delves into the myths and legends of ancient civilizations. This award-winning and best-selling book, which explores LGBTQ+ themes, has been both long-listed and short-listed for numerous prizes, making it a must-read for both teenage and adult readers.

For fans of Alexis Hall (10 Things That Never Happened), Chikodili Emelumadu (Best of British Fantasy 2019), Beth Cartwright (Feathertide), Michael Grothaus (Beautiful Shining People), and Katharine Corr (Queen of Gods).

HarperCollins 2022