Tor pre-empts Maddie Martinez’s ‘dazzling’ sapphic fantasy debut

Tor has acquiredThe Maiden and Her Monster, the “dazzling” début novel from Maddie Martinez, plus a further standalone fantasy.

Editorial assistant Grace Barber at Tor UK and senior editor Stephanie Stein at Tor US pre-empted world English rights from Victoria Marini at High Line Literary. Tor UK and Tor US will publish simultaneously in autumn 2025.

The Maiden and Her Monster is described as a sapphic fantasy, which reimagines the Jewish myth of the golem. The book is recommended for fans of Katherine Arden, Naomi Novik and Ava Reid.

Its synopsis reads: “When a young woman is forced to venture into a cursed forest to capture the monster hunting the girls of her village, she discovers a disgraced golem ready to confess, but only if she agrees to help fulfil an ancient promise first – a bargain that unravels a much more dangerous threat to her people, and forces her to face growing feelings for the very creature she was taught to fear.”

Martinez said: “This story has lived inside me since before I could shape it into words. Though this novel is second world, it is deeply inspired by the Jewish tales I grew up hearing, and my own family history of fleeing pogroms in Europe.

“The Maiden and Her Monster was my attempt to preserve a hidden history, and explore the danger and resiliency of stories and faith. At its core, this is also a story of two unlikely allies – Malka and Nimrah – both deprived of their agency and burdened with responsibility, finding solace and strength in each other when the world attempts to break them. I’m deeply thrilled to be working with the Tor team on both sides of the Atlantic to bring this book to readers!”

Barber said: “A cursed forest, an exiled golem and an unlikely alliance – I fell in love with The Maiden and Her Monster from the very first page. This is a gorgeously dark, evocative and healing tale rooted in history and myth, and readers are bound to be enchanted by maiden Malka and golem Nimrah. Maddie is such an exciting new talent and I am so honoured to be publishing her début on the Tor UK list next year.”

Marini added: “Impossible bargains, forbidden romance, haunted forests – this checked all my boxes, and I read it through in one sitting, stunned to find that Maddie Martinez wrote the impossible; an aching romantic gothic that is at once a satisfying and propulsive fantasy and a a keen examination of corruption, faith, and identity.”