Gail Carson Levine

Gail Carson Levine writes fantasy and historical fiction for young readers, frequently revisiting traditional stories from the viewpoint of girls who question the roles assigned to them. Sparrows in the Wind reimagines the Trojan War through Cassandra, the Trojan princess cursed so that no one believes her prophecies, and Rin, an Amazon princess seeking her own place in the conflict. Quill Tree Books released this mythological novel in 2022. By joining prophecy with friendship, the book shifts attention from the familiar male warriors toward two young women trying to alter a future shaped by gods, families, and war. Levine’s first children’s novel, Ella Enchanted, received a Newbery Honor, and later works include Fairest, Ever, The Two Princesses of Bamarre, and books about the craft of writing. Her career is marked by a sustained interest in how old tales can be changed without losing their imaginative force. Sparrows in the Wind carries that method into Greek mythology, balancing adventure with questions about fate, credibility, and female agency.