She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia makes the ultimate sacrifice and poses as a boy to take his place. “All the cutthroat competition of a runway fashion reality show and the thrilling exploits of an epic quest.' - The Washington Post And don’t miss Elizabeth Lim’s new novel, the instant New York Times bestseller, Six Crimson Cranes! Did you find Lady Sarnai to be sympathetic, or were her actions and behaviour unreasonable?Ĩ.Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping fantasy about a teenage girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars. Raised as her brothers’ equal, Lady Sarnai was still nevertheless confined to the same expectations as Maia, that “a girl isn’t fit to be anything more than a prize”. Were you fooled by Emperor Khanujin’s magical charisma? Either way, what made him so convincing or not convincing?ħ. Did you find her as compelling as Edan did? Why or why not?Ħ. In spite of his status as an Enchanter and his bondage to the Emperor, Edan finds himself falling in love with Maia. Were you surprised by the truth about Edan’s nature? Did these reveals change how you thought about Edan and/or his relationship with Maia?ĥ. Did Lim paint a vivid picture of the fashion for you, and did you enjoy the Project Runway aspect of the story?Ĥ. Thanks to Maia’s prowess with the needle (and those scissors), the book is filled with detailed descriptions of the beautiful garments she creates. Which aspect of the world struck you as the most unique or the most interesting?ģ. Elizabeth Lim spins (hey-o!) a world based on a diverse mix of influences, including Chinese folklore and European fairy tales. Maia is initially hesitant to use her enchanted scissors, insistent that she succeed (or fail) on her own merits alone. If you could have one enchanted item to help you better perform any task, what would it be? (Remember that it wouldn’t actually perform the task for you, but you’d just be really good at it.) Questionsġ.

If you’ve already read the book, feel free to add any other discussion questions of your own in the comments! Icebreaker Hello, February - and hello, new FYA Book Club selection! Elizabeth Lim’s Spin the Dawn is an immersive fantasy about a girl who disguises herself as her brother in order to become the greatest tailor in a very patriarchal society.Ĭheck out the discussion questions below! (Slight spoilers ahead.)

Spin the dawn series order