by Natasha Ngan
Girls of Paper and Fire is the first book of this series by Natasha Ngan. The story discusses a world where the world is broken into three caste (classes). The upper class (moon), middle class (steel), and lower class (paper). The upper class have these different powers and are also known as demons. The book tells the story of Lei, a paper girl who gets taken from her home and forced to be a paper girl for the king. In other terms, she was forced to be a sex slave just because her eyes were intriguing to look at. While spending time at the palace learning to be an “obedient” paper girl, Lei does the unexpected and refuses to have sex with the king. While serving out her punishment Wren (another paper girl) comes to take care of Lei and they realize they have an emotional connection. Once out of confinement, Lei and Wren start building their relationship and realize that they love each other. Together Lei and Wren plot to assassinate the king and bring rights to all in the paper caste. In the end, the assassination attempt goes a little array when we learn on the last page of the book that the king is not dead.
Amber H