Foz Meadows’ duology is a refreshing fantasy adventure. On Earth, Saffron Coulter is dealing with continued sexual harrassment at her high school in Australia. She’s given words of encouragement from a woman who says she is interviewing for a teaching position. However, when Saffron goes to thank her, she finds the woman stepping through a tear in reality. Saffron follows her without thinking and suddenly must deal with the fact that there are other worlds and peoples and that she has traveled to one of them, one with a political upheaval that her unwitting guide is part of.

The duology is best read together, with the second volume building on and enhancing the first’s more self-contained story. Meadows seamlessly includes representation for different sexualities, abilities and races while unfolding worlds and intrigues that will keep the reader hooked.