Nameless Queen

Gr 9 Up–Seventeen-year-old Coin lives in Seriden, a place segregated into three social classes: Royals, Legals, and Nameless. Coin is Nameless, the lowest of the low in society. They scrounge for food and steal whatever they need to survive. Seriden’s ruler King Fallow dies, leaving the opportunity for a new heir to the throne. Heirs are chosen based on the specific name the King declares. This transfer of power is signified by the royal magic, which stamps the heir with the royal symbol. Coin finds herself with the symbol, which leads her to discover her true lineage, navigate the responsibility of being Queen, and attempt to bring the divided social classes together. Coin cares not just about who she is and why the crown was bestowed upon her; she also cares about the Nameless and what the future holds for them, especially since many Nameless are mysteriously disappearing. This story is evenly paced and Coin’s growth relies heavily on how she can help a social class that has been oppressed for so long.