by Amanda Lees.

Amanda Lees parents met in the Borneo jungle where her Glaswegian-born mother had set up a hospital and her father was an Oxford-educated Gurkha officer. Goddess of Gotham was written as a tribute to her late mother, and to reflect Lee’s own exotic upbringing, exploring her love of the world and it’s different cultures.

The first in a trilogy, Goddess of Gotham is the story of Kumari, a thirteen year-old girl who is a goddess-in-training and lives in a hidden kingdom in the mountains. Despite being a goddess, her life is full of restrictions and instructions and she becomes disillusioned with her preordained role in the universe. All of this changes when her mother, the goddess, is killed and Kumari attempts to resurrect her and find the truth. But Kumari has not yet mastered her magical powers, least of all resurrection, and suddenly finds herself in the strange and fantastic world of modern day New York.

The city is no place for children, and she quickly finds herself placed in a foster home, attending state education and falling in love with a cute boy. The mortal realm is not so bad and she thinks she could get used to living here with her new friends and family. But there is a downside – she must leave her new-found life behind, or she will become mortal and never be able to return to her kingdom. But she does not know where her kingdom is, or even where New York is. Time is running out. Soon, she will lose all her powers and become mortal and she will never find the truth of who killed her mother. And who are the men that keep trying to capture her. Who do they work for, and how do they know who she is?

Inspired and steeped heavily in Nepalese and Hindu belief, Kumari, Goddess of Gotham is a riveting read that blends the magical and fantastic with the real-world. Often times a dark and thrilling adventure, Kumari is also a brightly coloured and light-hearted story. The characters are well-written and are believable and relateable, the story is original and gripping from the first page.

The first book in a trilogy, and also Amanda Lees debut novel, Goddess of Gotham is an emotional and exciting read for Young Adults or Adults alike. 8/10