—Gregory Maguire, bestselling author of . Shunned by her village for her unusual fainting spells and black eyes, young Haelewise's only solace lies in her mother's stories of witches, magic wolf-skins, and ancient mist-cloaked towers. When her mother dies, she sets off through the woods for the mysterious tower of fable: Gothel. There, Haelewise discovers a haven, a safe refuge for women like her and for those who have lost their way in the harsh world of men. A place where magic lives and where fairy tales of her mother's stories have more truth than she'd ever imagined. "A sweeping, sharp story of how history twists into fairy tales and back again." —Hannah Whitten, bestselling author "Sparkles with the intermingled magic of gods and goddesses, seers and wise women." —Louisa Morgan, author of "A sprawling epic, full of magic, love, and heartbreak." — (starred review)