New Delhi, April 22 -- Protagonism is best left to teens and the insane. It may well explain the enduring popularity of the young adult dystopian fantasy, a genre teemed with tales of fairies, dragons, magicians, witches, and all manner of fantastical ousted beings going on intrepid adventures. Entering this already saturated space is Petra Lord's Queen of Faces.

Set in Caimor, where magic is real, the novel reimagines the rich as people who can buy and trade bodies, dubbed 'chassis', like clothes. They can change appearances, even outrun illnesses. Upon a cursory glance, the story follows teenagers competing for a coveted spot in the esteemed and elite magic school, Paragon, where only a select few magic-wielding humans (mages) are allo...