We're celebrating the launch of our latest release, The Company of Birds by award-winning author Nerine Dorman!
As we approach publication day, we sat down with Nerine to ask her a bit about this epic fantasy. Here's how the conversation went:
Mirari: Our heroine, Liese ten Haven, is thrust into a dangerous conspiracy after learning about her forbidden magical legacy. What aspects of her character do you think make her a reluctant hero, and how does her journey challenge her personal growth?
Nerine: We all get cosy – especially when we have a career and a life going. Which means we have much to lose. Liese’s at her most comfortable when she’s at her books, with all her needs met at the academy, and the last thing she ever imagined was that her all-too-predictable routine would be disrupted. She’s always lived other people’s adventures vicariously – through her beloved stories. So, to find herself tossed neck deep into one of these epics is a vastly unsettling experience. It doesn’t help that what she discovers is downright dangerous, and there’s no one to guide her – at least not overtly. Not only must she start to stick her neck out in terms of navigating the often-Machiavellian politics of her fellow academics, but she’s put in a spot where she needs to start practising her progressive values in an increasingly authoritarian city-state instead of preaching them.
M: The Atroyan nation plays a crucial role in the story. How does Liese's connection to the Atroyan people (specifically through Malagai and Ulana) shape her decisions?
N: Liese unashamedly starts by to a degree exotifying Malagai – after all, he’s an attractive man, maybe about a decade younger than her. She’s just come out of an acrimonious divorce, so she’s at first flattered by the man’s attentions. Her father raised her to be progressive compared to her fellow countrymen, so she’s all too aware of how her people treat the Atroyans and the unfairness of the social disparities they face. She feels a burden of guilt, also, for how the history between their two nations has played out, how colonialism has distorted their cultures. Yet she doesn’t know how to fix things until she’s tasked with caring for Ulana – a young Atroyan child who’s been kidnapped by shadowy forces within the academy. She has an opportunity to help fix things – but nothing has prepared this childless woman for what it might mean to have motherhood handed to her at a time when she is ill equipped to deal with it. This is very much a story of how Liese explores what it means to right historical wrongs and do right by a people her ancestors have systemically disenfranchised. Looking at the story now, I realise it’s somewhat prescient for how things are developing in the world today.
M: Certain kinds of magic in your novel come with high stakes. Can you elaborate on the rules or limitations of magic in the world you’ve created for The Company of Birds, and how they influence the characters?
N: I put a lot of work into the magic system, but I’ll admit that I was influenced by the Kabalistic system starting with fire as being the primary outpouring of magic – at the root of all, lies fire. All else is a lesser manifestation in different spheres that include mind, force, matter. And not everyone is able to manipulate these types of magic – so the moment someone shows an inkling of talent, one of the academies will snap them up and train them. The magi have a hierarchical system akin to a university, and technically they operate in support of the assorted city-states. However, forces within the academies do try to get involved in politics – which is where the trouble comes in. We wouldn’t want a bunch of powerful magi to rule the world, now, would we? While they do their best to root out and/or control their occasional fire mages, the magi have for years been working behind the scenes, pulling on strings there, nudging decisionmakers in the ribs there. Liese has the potential to upset all of this if her powers remain unfettered. Especially since it was a fire mage who nearly destroyed the known world several centuries ago.
M: With political unrest and a civil war on the horizon, what themes of power, loyalty, and sacrifice do you hope readers will take away from the story?
N: I realise in hindsight that even though The Company of Birds was written at some point in the mid 2010s, it’s even more relevant today, for many of the issues that we face. How do we undo centuries of injustices? How do we fight cruelty? How can we move forward as a society that is forever changed by the effects of colonialism? How can one person matter? I’d like to hope that readers will be inspired by this to see the importance of bridge-building and community. Throughout this story, characters collaborate, help each other, often at great peril, to overcome a greater evil. You might not necessarily be the one changing the world, but sometimes a small act of generosity at the right time can help others do the big work.
M: The Company of Birds blends personal conflict and larger political turmoil. How do you balance intimate character moments with the broader world-building in your writing?
N: It’s all about flow. Characters tend to experience a narrow band of the world at any given moment – so it helps to have an idea of what’s happening ‘out there’ so to speak and to figure out how much of the world events will seep through. Obviously, in a cloistered academy, there is a large degree of separation from the outside world. People are often out of touch with what’s on the ground, and this is reflected in how they respond and reason about what’s happening around them. So, think about it this way, your character is in a quiet room, but they can hear the rumble of a massive waterfall outside the window. From time to time, they might stick their head out the window to see what’s going on. And likely get soaked.
M: And a bonus question: who is your favourite character, and why?
N: Oh goodness, this is like asking a parent who their favourite child is. This story started with Malagai. He’s somewhat of a tragic figure, driven by necessity to walk on the outskirts of society. To achieve his aims, he must play many roles, some of which leave a bitter taste in his mouth. He is a practitioner of spirit magic, and he can allow his spirit to fly with his owl companion’s wings. I will admit I was partially inspired by Jareth the Goblin King and Etienne Navarre. IYKYK. I may also be slightly obsessed with birds.
The Company of Birds is launching nationwide late February, and will be available at all good bookstores.
For media enquires, send a mail to hello@miraripress.com.
You can buy the book from us directly, here.
The ebook is available for pre-order here, and will deliver to your device on 28 February.