The Destiny of Minou Moonshine

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I now teach a full creative writing module based on the short story, with writing exercises on aspects of craft and a workshop semester. The students produce wonderfully original stories, often influenced by their scientific or medical studies. They all agree that creative writing has a positive effect on their main degree, as well as on the university experience generally. An awesome alt-India middle grade book, with adventure and emotional twists, tied together with friendships and the family we find, and an incredible heroine in Minou, who fights for freedom and Queendom!'—Roopa Farooki, author of A DOUBLE DETECTIVES MEDICAL MYSTERY: THE CURE FOR A CRIME

and a goddess, the Dark Lady, who guides Minou to her destiny. I cannot wait for young readers to meet her." An awesome alt-India middle grade book, with adventure and emotional twists, tied together with friendships and the family we find, and an incredible heroine in Minou, who fights for freedom and Queendom!' - Roopa Farooki, author of A Double Detectives Medical Mystery: The Cure for a Crime When fierce orphan girl Minou Moonshine's life is unexpectedly shattered, she joins the ragtag band of rebels, the Green Orchids, who are plotting to overthrow the General. Armed with a secret and a map, Minou sets off with her friends and a mechanical elephant, through the lush jungles of Indica, in search of the Dark Lady, a diamond and her destiny. About This Edition ISBN: Armed with a secret and a map, Minou sets off with her friends and a mechanical elephant, through the lush jungles of Indica, in search of the Dark Lady, a diamond and her destiny.Could you say a bit more about the creative writing teaching that you do with science undergraduates? I’d published short fiction in Wasafiri and Bellevue Literary Review, and was first invited as a guest lecturer. Aimed at children aged 9-12 years,the story follows fierce orphan Minou as she sets off with a secret, a map and a mechanical elephant, through the lush landscape of Indica, in search of her destiny. When fierce orphan girl Minou Moonshine's life is unexpectedly shattered, she joins the ragtag band of rebels, the Green Orchids, who are plotting to overthrow the General. When a terrible tragedy occurs, Minou is swept up in a thrilling adventure involving airships, mechanical elephants and ferocious crocodiles.

Masterful, a wonderfully original fantasy adventure that feels like a timeless classic. A brilliant new voice in the world of children's fiction.' - Anthony McGowan, winner of the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal for Lark

LoveReading4Kids Says

The Destiny of Minou Moonshine’ is a captivating and atmospheric read, perfect for fans of Nizrana Farook and Radiya Hafiza’s ‘Rumaysa’. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m sure it will be popular in the library.

Minou, or ‘Sparrow’ as she is known to her friends, has lived on a dilapidated houseboat with her adopted Grandmother since the day she was found abandoned as a baby during the monsoon, thirteen years earlier. Their home, the former Queendom of Moonlally is suffering under the oppressive rule of a tyrannical General, but a rebel force called The Green Orchid are fighting for freedom and to restore the power of the goddess called the ‘Dark Lady’. The Destiny of Minou Moonshine is published by Head of Zeus/Bloomsbury in July and tells of Minou Moonshine’s quest to overthrow the General and restore the queendom. Armed with a secret, a map, and a mechanical elephant, Minou and her rebel friends must travel through the lush jungles and blue hills of Indica (an alternate colonial India) to discover her destiny. The story of a queendom set in an alternate colonial India, blending Frances Hardinge with Kipling's Kim. A debut rich in fantasy, friendship and faith, and an original steampunk adventure that sparkles with storytelling magic. Gita grew up reading stories that took her to faraway lands. The closest she came was on family holidays to India, where old palaces, ice-capped mountains, monkeys and elephants were part of everyday life.Currently I’m writing a second novel for young readers, due to be published in 2024. The book is set in the same fictional world of Indica as The Destiny of Minou Moonshine, but with a new lead character and an island setting. I’m also hoping to return to poetry and work on my third manuscript later in the year.

This story is set in an alternative, steampunk version of India called ‘Indica’– a vivid world, full of colour and magic. Gita Ralleigh builds a vivid world bursting with jeopardy in this beautifully lyrical debut. So many unexpected twists to love, including the mechanicals. Minou is a great hero - kind-hearted, brave, and full of fire.' - Jasbinder Bilan, Costa prize-winning author of Aasha and the Spirit Bird

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A story of rebels and queens fighting for freedom, and one girl's quest to find out who she really is. A mesmerising middle-grade Indian adventure. With the focus on faith, fate and fighting for what is right, Minou’s journey has the feel of a traditional mythical story with everyone getting their just desserts at the end. With forbidden goddesses, a lost queen and a mechanical elephant, this is a gently unfolding, rich narrative full of fantasy and wonder, which champions the power of girls and women to manage their own destinies." Minou lives in a very different version of India which is ruled by the General and where worship of the goddess, The Dark Lady is forbidden. She is use to her life with Dima, her adopted grandmother until one day everything changes. Dima is murdered but Minou has little time to grieve when she joins the rebel group the Green Orchids who are trying to overthrow the General but then finds herself in the walls of the General’s Palace. Minou’s life is about to change forever. Following on from her two poetry books, CLCC lecturer Gita Ralleigh has written her first children's novel, The Destiny of Minou Moonshine. The story of a Queendom set in an alternate colonial India, blending Frances Hardinge with Kipling'sKim. A debut rich in fantasy, friendship and faith, and an original adventure that sparkles with storytelling magic. About the Book