THE LOST QUEEN
Coming May 6, 2025
A heroine like no other, ancient magic unleashed, a fated epic battle–the first book in an enchanting YA fantasy duology inspired by Vietnamese lore, weaving magic, sisterhood, and self-discovery.
Jolie Lam, a high school sophomore in San Jose, is known for two things: her bizarre freakout at last year’s swim meet and her fortuneteller grandfather with visions of dragons and earthquakes. Friendless and ostracized, Jolie's life takes a dramatic turn for the better when she saves the school's it-girl, Huong Pham, during a haunting vision of her own. Taken under Huong's wing, Jolie's world transforms, in more ways than one.
As Jolie and Huong's bond deepens, they unlock long lost powers: telepathic abilities, fluency in Vietnamese, and eerie premonitions. This leads them to a shocking revelation: they have ties to legendary queens and goddesses of ancient Vietnam. While a thrilling discovery, it also sets them on a perilous journey.
The girls must navigate dreams and portals to piece together their past lives and reclaim their immortal elements before their ancient enemies strike again. But all is not what it seems, and Jolie must determine friend from foe, truth from lie, and ultimately right from wrong in this battle for all she loves and the fate of the world.
Praise for The Lost Queen
“Blending true Vietnamese history and folklore with an enchanting dose of magic and mystery, The Lost Queen is a contemporary fantasy that is not to be missed! Aimee Phan has woven a wonderfully inventive and beautifully heartfelt story that centers family, friendship and legacy—one that will leave readers entranced.” — Amber Chen, author of Of Jade and Dragons and the forthcoming The Blood Phoenix
"Lyrical, magical, and haunting, with a compelling protagonist full of determination and heart, THE LOST QUEEN had me from the first line. Phan is an astounding new talent." — Marie Lu, author of the Legend series, the Young Elites series, and the Warcross series
“Filled with potent beauty and exhilarating magic and myth, The Lost Queen is a fearlessly told epic tale with a gleaming modern edge. Aimee Phan brings an enthralling legend to brilliant life, exposes and explores the tangled bonds of sisterhood, and does it all with the mesmerizing power of her sharply honed prose. I am now impatiently awaiting the sequel.” —Nova Ren Suma, New York Times bestselling author of The Walls Around Us and Wake the Wild Creatures
“Inspired by Vietnamese folklore, culture and history, The Lost Queen is full of spells and magic, wonders and adventures. A captivating new book from one of my favorite authors, Aimee Phan.” —Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, global best-selling author of The Mountains Sing and Dust Child
Dear Reader,
Like many kids growing up, I longed for magical powers. This yearning didn’t stop when I became a teenager, when life felt even more out of my control. That is why the legend of the Trung Sisters (known as Hai Ba Trung in Vietnam) always fascinated me. They were two warrior queens who rebelled against the Chinese in 40 AD, uniting tribes and villages to found the country of Vietnam. Their army was famously comprised of female generals and soldiers, battling the patriarchal domination of the Han Empire.
The stories I read about them were always short, like their reign, which lasted only three years. After being driven out by the Han generals, the sisters apparently drowned themselves in the Hat-Giang River. Despite this tragedy, their legacy flourished, and they are considered Vietnam’s national heroines with statues, temples and festivals dedicated to their memory.
But I always wondered if that was the true end of that story. What if the sisters hadn’t drowned? What if they survived?
When I was a teenager, I often felt powerless and vulnerable. I couldn’t control what people thought of me, and I was afraid to speak up because I didn’t think anyone wanted to hear what I had to say. I didn’t believe in myself. I see this happening with my own daughter and friends who are facing both personal and global obstacles that seek to silence their voices and perspectives.
In The Lost Queen, I created a fantasy that I wanted to read as a teenager, centering someone who looked like me and could be as strong and brave as I wished to be. I wanted to infuse the spirit, courage and of course magical powers in a girl that her peers would regrettably overlook and underestimate. The character of Jolie is an outcast because of her unusual visions and her grandfather’s reputation as an eccentric fortuneteller. Her life changes when she saves a popular classmate from near drowning, and the two girls realize they are the spiritual reincarnations of the famous Trung Sisters, who are still considered powerful symbols of Vietnamese freedom and resistance.
As Jolie begins to recover the memories of her past lives, and the magical powers that come with them, she discovers the mythic dangers circling around her, her family and her friends, she realizes she is much stronger than she once thought. And while her immortal powers certainly help her battle the world’s threats, her greatest trait is trusting and believing in herself. I hope readers will be inspired by Jolie’s journey, and discover the inner immortal queen that is in all of us.