In Girls of Paper and Fire, Natasha Ngan introduced us to the land of Ikhara where one’s place in society is determined by the degree of animal characteristics they carry (demons good or evil in Ngan’s story but, rather, people who are part human and part animal). Those of the Paper caste are fully human and those in the Steel caste have a few animal characteristics, such as doe ears or scales instead of flesh. Those in the Moon caste are the most successful and complete integrations of human and animal.

Lei and Wren are among the Paper girls chosen to become the Demon King’s concubines. Lei is taken from her home and family and forced into service. Wren, Lei later discovers, while hating every moment of her servitude, has been intentionally placed among the Paper Girls by her father, the crowing jewel in his plot to assassinate the Demon King (whom I’d refer to by name at this point but he doesn’t have one).

Lord Hanno hopes that, by destroying the court, he’ll destroy the system keeping humans in perpetual servitude to the demon castes (Steel and Moon) and begin Ikhara anew with a level playing field. Lei and Wren fall in love, taking each other into confidences, and Lei decides to take decisive action and join the conspiracy. When Wren is called away at the last minute, Lei takes her place as assassin, kills the king, and escapes to safety and a new life.

Or so she thinks.

In Girls of Storm and Shadow, Lord Hanno charges the girls and their friends with a new task: recruiting the bird, lizard, and cat clans to the rebellion. Travel the world as free women with a cause to be the change he sees.

For Lei, however, stepping into freedom isn’t as easy as anticipated. She suffers from nightmares and flashbacks, always hypervigilant, always afraid that the king’s threat (“I’ve found you”) will come to pass. Matters are further complicated as she comes to see that Wren, to whom she has given her heart, has a dark side, a part of her soul willing to do anything to please her father, carry out her destiny, and win the war – willing to sacrifice anything, or anyone, to achieve her goals.

Both Girls of Paper and Fire and Girls of Storm and Shadow are YA novels, but that doesn’t mean they’re easy, fluffy reads. There are moments of tenderness – sweet moments – but there are also realistic depictions of sexual assault and violence, of slavery, of war. Of PTSD and the inclination to self-medicate with alcohol and drugs because talking about what happened, reliving it, is so painful the mind seeks any possible alternative, any available escape.

There is so much beauty in Natasha Ngan’s world, and so much that is cruel and disturbing and troubling. At first, the latter is a bit shocking; we don’t expect there to be so much reality in our fantasy. As you continue to read, however, you start to question the dichotomy and realize there isn’t one. You confront the abhorrent in Lei’s world while hiding from, or willfully ignoring it, in our own. Those who have experienced sexual assault and everything that follows are loathe to relive it, and those who haven’t don’t want to consider that such a heinous crime was perpetuated on someone they love or even that they, themselves, were a perpetrator.

The most important things about Ngan’s novels aren’t the vivid and vital characters, the quest narrative, or the magical world in which it all takes place, though those are all well executed and important to the story. And they are good stories. The most important thing about Girls of Paper and Fire and Girls of Storm and Shadow is that they force readers to ask questions about the world we live in, to challenge the shame cast upon victims of sexual assault that prevents them from reporting – the idea that they have to prove they were hurt. That there are so few recovery resources, so little help. So little kindness.

I’d urge you to read Ngan’s novels before you hand them over to your teenagers. Make sure they’re ready for the subject matter. Prepare yourself for questions and maybe revelations you weren’t expecting. Make sure they know you’re willing to listen – really listen to what they have to say. To accept their experiences. To get them help if they need it.

This isn’t an easy topic, but it’s such an important one, especially for tweens and teens struggling to find their way in the world. Make sure they know they’re not in this fight alone.