Book review: Girls of Paper and Fire trilogy by Natasha Ngan

Back in 2019, I flew out to London and went to YALC for the first time. And of course, I bought a lot of books. As many as my carry-on luggage allowed, at least. One of those books that I picked up was Girls of Paper and Fire. I’d read about it online, and I’m not sure if I didn’t pay enough attention, but it wasn’t until I held a copy in my hands that I realized this was an LGBTQ+ book. I just had to buy it. It took a while to get around to read it, though, and it took even longer to get my hands on Books 2 and 3. A couple of months ago, I finally finished the trilogy, and I’m eager to share my thoughts.

The story & themes

“Girls of Paper and Fire” is the first book in a trilogy of young adult fantasy novels written by Natasha Ngan. The story is set in the kingdom of Ikhara, where eight Paper Girls are chosen each year to serve the oppressive Demon King. Lei, the protagonist, is unexpectedly taken from her family and thrust into this dark world. As she navigates the perilous court politics, she forms a forbidden romance with another Paper Girl, Wren.

All three books in the trilogy explore themes of empowerment, identity, and freedom. They also deal with issues of rape and abuse, something that might trigger some readers. However, Ngan took great care to warn readers and approach these issues with sensibility. This may be a fantasy novel, but Ngan did a wonderful job weaving real-life issues into the story, making Lei and Wren all more relatable.

The good & the bad

Something that I liked in particular is the way Ngan portrayed Lei and Wren’s love. The conflict that arises doesn’t stem from the fact that they’re both girls; it’s because they’re both Paper Girls. Paper Girls aren’t allowed to fall in love and have relationships outside their duties. And when the Demon King finds out that two of his girls have fallen in love with each other, that’s where the real conflict starts.

“We might be Paper Girls, easily torn and written upon. The very title we’re given suggests that we are blank, waiting to be filled. But what the Demon King and his court do not understand is that paper is flammable.”

What I didn’t like, or rather what I wished there was more of, was Wren’s personal story. The first two books focus heavily on Lei’s point-of-view, and it isn’t until Book 3 that Wren really gets her chance to shine. Her character is incredibly intriguing (though I won’t say why because that’s a huge spoiler for Book 1) and I wish I’d gotten to read more from her perspective.

I’ve consumed a lot of media (books, shows, movies) that focus or feature fantastic queer characters. To name a few: Alec and Magnus (Shadowhunter series), Nick & Charlie (Heartstopper), Wille & Simon (Young Royals), Simon & Baz (Simon Snow series), Jesper & Wylan (Six of Crows duology), etc. And as much as it fills me with joy and pride that we have these characters, I wish there were more popular books and shows that focused on girls. Books like Girls of Paper and Fire.