The Peacock Throne: Volume 1
Zeba Shahnaz
Nov 2026 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Soneela Nankani
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About this audiobook
In this lush, South Asian-inspired epic fantasy, a young woman must uncover her secret past to free her kingdom from terrible colonial forces—if the Throne doesn’t kill her first.
“A stunning jewel of a book . . . South Asian history and magic intertwine in this lush, slow-burn young adult fantasy, rich with sweet mangoes and tinkling pahzebs.”—Tanvi Berwah, author of Monsters Born and Made
She was the last Damadi princess. She had to be.
Seventeen-year-old Eshaal Bibi is just another orphan. At least, that’s the story her family has always told her—that her parents were among the many killed during the fall of the Azzamin empire. But what if that isn’t entirely true? What if the dreams Eshaal had while struck by a magical malady—the ones where she is a princess, the last heir to the Peacock Throne, and the would-be savior of Azzamin—are real?
Eshaal becomes possessed by the idea, but her pursuit of the truth quickly draws the attention of colonial authorities. To save herself, Eshaal is forced to flee and marry the heir of a secret loyalist family, the handsome and infuriating Imran Mirza. But with a possible princess in his sights and revolution on the horizon, Eshaal’s new husband will let nothing stop him from taking back their country—not even the simmering tension between them.
With her enemies circling, Eshaal will be put to the test, the fate of Azzamin itself in the balance. And whether she’s a princess or just a pretender, Eshaal knows one thing to be true: Nothing is more powerful—or deadlier—than belief.
“A stunning jewel of a book . . . South Asian history and magic intertwine in this lush, slow-burn young adult fantasy, rich with sweet mangoes and tinkling pahzebs.”—Tanvi Berwah, author of Monsters Born and Made
She was the last Damadi princess. She had to be.
Seventeen-year-old Eshaal Bibi is just another orphan. At least, that’s the story her family has always told her—that her parents were among the many killed during the fall of the Azzamin empire. But what if that isn’t entirely true? What if the dreams Eshaal had while struck by a magical malady—the ones where she is a princess, the last heir to the Peacock Throne, and the would-be savior of Azzamin—are real?
Eshaal becomes possessed by the idea, but her pursuit of the truth quickly draws the attention of colonial authorities. To save herself, Eshaal is forced to flee and marry the heir of a secret loyalist family, the handsome and infuriating Imran Mirza. But with a possible princess in his sights and revolution on the horizon, Eshaal’s new husband will let nothing stop him from taking back their country—not even the simmering tension between them.
With her enemies circling, Eshaal will be put to the test, the fate of Azzamin itself in the balance. And whether she’s a princess or just a pretender, Eshaal knows one thing to be true: Nothing is more powerful—or deadlier—than belief.
In this lush, South Asian-inspired epic fantasy, a young woman must uncover her secret past to free her kingdom from terrible colonial forces—if the Throne doesn’t kill her first.
“A stunning jewel of a book . . . South Asian history and magic intertwine in this lush, slow-burn young adult fanta...
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About the author
Zeba Shahnaz writes fantasy full of political intrigue, twisted romance, and a healthy dose of existential angst. A proud Pakistani American, she translated her love of storytelling into a graduate degree analyzing national identity, culture, and cinema in South Asia. She grew up in New Jersey and now lives in Washington, DC. She is the author of Midnight Strikes and The Peacock Throne.
Zeba Shahnaz writes fantasy full of political intrigue, twisted romance, and a healthy dose of existential angst. A proud Pakistani American, she translated her love of storytelling into a graduate degree analyzing national identity, culture, and cinema in South Asia. She grew up in New Jersey an...
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