The Name Ziya

English language

Published June 18, 2025 by Tor Books.

ISFDB ID:
3489646

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(1 review)

A girl reckons with what she must lose–and who she has become–in order to be accepted at the empire’s most prestigious university.

2 editions

How losing part of your name may be a matter of life and death

A girl from a rural area gets the chance to go to a prestigious university. But to pay the price of admission, she has to give up part of her magical name, physically cut out from her body. Left with only a portion, Ziya (as she is now known) must navigate her studies and friendships with other students from different parts of society. Losing part of your name may affect your studies, as the magic may confer advantages (like numerical skill) that are now lost. And for some students, the stress of losing their names may be too much.

An interesting tale of losing and finding yourself as you navigate a life of studying.