An unforgettable, New York Times bestselling fantasy adventure for fans of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES, SHADOW AND BONE and THE GILDED ONES. Soon to be a major Netflix movie.

'The hunt for your next YA fantasy book trilogy obsession has ended' Entertainment Weekly

'The next big thing in YA fantasy . . . Dazzling' Kirkus

'A fast-paced, rip-roaring ride . . . A masterpiece of magic' - Namina Forna, New York Times bestselling author of The Gilded Ones

Magic doesn't exist in the broken city of Lkossa anymore, especially for girls like sixteen-year-old Koffi. Indentured to the notorious Night Zoo, she cares for its fearsome mythical creatures to pay off her family's debts. But when they are threatened by the Zoo's cruel master, Koffi unleashes a power she doesn't fully understand.

As the son of a decorated hero, Ekon destined to become an elite warrior. Until a fire at the Night Zoo upends his future and, on the brink of his final rite of passage, Ekon is cast out - his reputation left in tatters.

For Koffi and Ekon, the outlook is bleak - unless they can capture the Shetani, the vicious monster that plagues their city. As Koffi and Ekon enter the Greater Jungle, a world steeped in wild magic and danger, the tentative alliance between them is tested to the extreme.

The hunt begins - but are they the hunters or the hunted?

An extraordinary adventure inspired by Pan-African mythology, from exciting debut author Ayana Gray.