About the Author

Victoria Carbol is the author of A Great and Powerful Tyranny, a Young Adult sapphic reimagining of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. She was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, and has a BA in medieval history and an MA in Theology. She is also a musician known for creating cinematic theme songs for her favorite novels and a founding member of the global book soundtrack phenomenon, Bookish Songs Collective. When not lost in the fantastic, you can find her sipping a hot beverage with her real-life found family or traipsing the woods with her small-but-mighty terrier, Bones.

A Great and Powerful Tyranny

Perfect for fans of Holly Black’s The Cruel Prince, this dark, queer reimagining of the classic Wizard of Oz tale centers a slow-burn, sapphic enemies to lovers romance in an electrifying portal fantasy.

The first book in the Song of the Ghost Queen duology from debut author Victoria Carbol.

Falling into a world of magic and oppression, Kansas-born Thia joins three cursed companions in a quest to free them and send herself home.

Orphaned from a young age, Thia has spent her life trying to live up to her mother’s legacy as a doctor. She’s on track to become a promising medical student, yet she feels like she was meant for something else. The life she thought she knew comes crashing down one stormy Kansas day when Thia inadvertently uncovers clues that reveal her grandma has been lying to her: Her mother was never a doctor; she was a scholar of the supernatural, and all she left behind was a strange mirror that Thia’s grandma is convinced is dangerous.

Angry with her grandma for her deception, Thia leaves in a rage and accidentally falls through the mirror, killing a witch and crashing into a terrifying land ruled by the cruel and powerful Mage King.

Joined by a heartless girl, a cowardly academic, and a boy who cannot remember his past, Thia seeks out the Mage King, the only man powerful enough to send her home and grant her companions’ desires. In their quest, Thia discovers her mother was a part of the rebellion to overthrow the Mage King, and she must reckon with her mother’s real legacy. With each new truth revealed, it becomes harder to ignore the undeniable connection between Thia and the cursed, heartless girl, and even harder to decide where, in the end, Thia ultimately belongs.

Read Now

Praise for A Great and powerful Tyranny

  • "A spellbinding and inclusive portal fantasy that offers a gritty, modern reimagining of classic tropes."

    — School Library Journal, Starred Review

  • "I could not stop reading this thrilling, powerful tale and found myself gasping at every new twist and turn. Not just a retelling―a reimagining Gelphie stans will treasure forever as a modern part of the canon."

    — Taylor Grothe, author of Lethal Kiss and Hollow

  • "A hopeful tale of belonging and legacy, where finding the strength to fight for yourself and those you love is its own kind of magic."

    — Pascale Lacelle, New York Times bestselling author of Curious Tides

  • "In Carbol’s debut, a dark riff on The Wizard of Oz [...] [a] hierarchy of witches, sorcerers, and mages and the intricate politics of the six Houses of Eldris add to the story’s complexity, and a simmering queer romance forms a welcome subplot."

    — Kirkus Reviews

  • "Fast-paced and full of juicy conflict, this tale is a great pick for fans of Maguire’s Wicked and Black’s The Folk of the Air series."

    — Booklist

  • “Forget everything you thought you knew about Oz. A Great and Powerful Tyranny drags you down a twisted yellow brick road and into a world of brutal magic and truly terrifying foes. With a cast of unforgettable characters and sky-high stakes, Carbol spins a modern fairy tale that will keep you guessing until the final page.”

    — Andrea Hannah, author of The Wildest Things and Where Darkness Blooms

A Great and Powerful Tyranny: Original Literary Soundtrack

Listen along with Bookish Songs Collective’s
A Great and Powerful Tyranny (Original Literary Soundtrack)

Original music inspired by the characters and events of A Great and Powerful Tyranny by Victoria Carbol

Taylor Ash, Lindsay Dills – “A Great and Powerful Tyranny” (Main Theme)

Giorg¡a – “Way Home” (Thia Theme)

Kaya Hass – “Heartless” (Oskaren Theme)

Alex Heart – “Remember Me” (Dessfar Theme)

Gio Navas – “For My Ghosts” (Thran Theme)

Victoria Carbol, Taylor Ash – “Song of Impartation” (from the pages of A Great and Powerful Tyranny)

Kendra Dantes, Ellyse Moir, Nino Tosco – “Love Is Pain” (Thia & Oskaren Theme)

The Saga – “Isle of Bones” (Chapters 41 – 44 Theme)

Tessa Barcelo – “Something Wicked” (Solanthe Theme)

Victoria Carbol – “Find Me” (Epilogue)

Listen Now