Tokuda-Hall, Maggie - The Siren, the Song and the Spy

A diverse resistance fights against a tyrannical empire in this story about freedom, identity, and decolonization. The tide turns when the Pirate Supreme sinks a fleet of Imperial warships. Alliances form across the empire, but trust is scarce. Genevieve, washed ashore on a mysterious island, grapples with her own identity. Meanwhile, the pirate-spy Alfie wrestles with conflicting loyalties. As the Sea weakens and sirens are hunted, unlikely heroes emerge to forge a new world.

In this second vibrant fantasy from Maggie Tokuda-Hall, companion to her best-selling debut, The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea, a diverse resistance force fights to topple an empire in a story about freedom, identity, and decolonization.

By sinking a fleet of Imperial Warships, the Pirate Supreme and their resistance fighters have struck a massive blow against the Emperor. Now allies from across the empire are readying themselves, hoping against hope to bring about the end of the conquerors’ rule and the rebirth of the Sea. But trust and truth are hard to come by in this complex world of mermaids, spies, warriors, and aristocrats. Who will Genevieve—lavishly dressed but washed up, half-dead, on the Wariuta island shore—turn out to be? Is warrior Koa’s kindness toward her admirable, or is his sister Kaia’s sharp suspicion wiser? And back in the capital, will pirate-spy Alfie really betray the Imperials who have shown him affection, especially when a duplicitous senator reveals xe would like nothing better?

Meanwhile, the Sea is losing more and more of herself as her daughters continue to be brutally hunted, and the Empire continues to expand through profits made from their blood. The threads of time, a web of schemes, shifting loyalties, and blossoming identities converge in Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s remarkable companion to The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea, as unlikely young allies work to forge a new and better world.

LGBT Themes:

• Potential for same-sex relationships (alliances and loyalties are complex, leaving room for interpretation)
• Gender identity exploration (depending on Genevieve's journey of self-discovery)

Relevant Tags:

• Young adult fantasy, LGBTQ+, decolonization, resistance, pirates, mermaids, self-discovery, found family

Book Details:

• Title: The Siren, the Song and the Spy
• Author: Maggie Tokuda-Hall
• Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
• Pages: 384
• Publisher: Walker Books
• Release Date: February 1, 2024