The Game of Oaths
A YA dark fantasy featuring a magical circus and deadly games - perfect for readers who love books with dangerous alliances, found family and a main character intent on revenge
Binding: Paperback
Imprint: Walker
Age 14+
Fantasy & Magical Realism
The high-stakes of The Hunger Games. The rich magical setting of Caraval. The ensemble cast of Six of Crows.
Power, revenge and sisterhood combine in this heart-pounding YA fantasy debut, set in a magical circus in Belle Époque Paris.
Trapeze artist Falan Sunkara is a performer in Paris's famous magical circus, le Cirque des Ombres. Le Cirque is ruled by Jean-Pierre, ringmaster and Enchanteur, one of the few magicians in the city legally allowed to use magic for entertainment. But the glamour of the circus is just another illusion. Each year, twelve members must compete in the Game of Oaths, a brutal tournament watched by the city's elite. Only one will survive.
Last year, Falan's sister was one of the unlucky eleven. This year, Falan is out for revenge.
"This intricately built and darkly sumptuous story of vengeance and liberation will appeal to fans of Roshani Chokshi’s The Gilded Wolves." Publishers Weekly
"Riveting. Breathtaking. The sharp thrill of a deadly game mixed with the alluring spectacle of dark magic." D. L. Taylor, author of The Beasts We Bury
"Will appeal to fans of Squid Game and The Hunger Games." Kirkus Reviews
"Captivating and brutal." Ann Sei Lin, author of Rebel Skies
"Like walking a tightrope - except you never want to reach the end.” Brooke Archer, author of Hearts Still Beating
Perfect for fans of:
Deadly tournaments
Sinister magical circuses
Vengeful main characters
Found family
Diverse ensemble casts
Slow-burn romance
Creators
S. C. Bandreddi hails from Northern California, where she grew up scribbling stories deep into the night and hasn’t stopped since. When she’s not writing, she’s usually puzzling, gaming or at an arcade trying to win as many plushies as she can. The Game of Oaths is her debut novel.
Reviews
Bandreddi’s debut, which features a diverse cast, is an impressive addition to its genre, enlivened with miraculous thrills and savagely unpredictable twists that will keep readers guessing. The author explores themes of allyship, survival, and colonization in this work that will appeal to fans of Squid Game and The Hunger Games. Utterly captivating.
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
This intricately built and darkly sumptuous story of vengeance and liberation will appeal to fans of Roshani Chokshi’s The Gilded Wolves.
Publishers Weekly
Bandreddi writes with flair and style, engaging readers with equal parts dialogue, action, and reflection. The pacing moves readers along the journey evenly, leaving open questions that get answered as the plot progresses. . . . With an intriguing premise and beautifully written, this book is perfect for a teen library.
School Library Journal
The Game of Oaths is a captivating and brutal tale of magic and revenge that will leave you entranced, enchanted, and unable to do anything but turn the next page. Absolutely brimming with heart.
Ann Sei Lin, author of Rebel Skies
Riveting. Breathtaking. The sharp thrill of a deadly game mixed with the alluring spectacle of dark magic, and a cast of characters so fiercely vivid they had me in a choke hold from the first page.
D. L. Taylor, author of The Beasts We Bury
