Lies We Sing to the Sea

An instant New York Times bestseller—and a legendary YA debut!

This dazzling sapphic fantasy inspired by Greek mythology will captivate fans of Circe and The Song of Achilles.

Each spring, Ithaca condemns twelve maidens to the noose. This is the price vengeful Poseidon demands for the lives of Queen Penelope’s twelve maids, hanged and cast into the depths centuries ago.

But when that fate comes for Leto, death is not what she thought it would be. Instead, she wakes on a mysterious island and meets a girl with green eyes and the power to command the sea. A girl named Melantho, who says one more death can stop a thousand.

The prince of Ithaca must die—or the tides of fate will drown them all.

Sarah Underwood weaves an epic tapestry of lies, love, and tragedy, perfect for fans of Madeline Miller, Alexandra Bracken, and Renée Ahdieh.

“Gorgeous, tragic, and timeless, Lies We Sing to the Sea makes an age-old story feel new again. This is Greek tragedy at its best: sweeping in scope yet deeply intimate in characterization. This book will break your heart and you’ll be grateful for it.” - Grace D. Li, New York Times bestselling author of Portrait of a Thief

“Sarah Underwood’s classical reimagining is woven with pure magic: salt-laced myths, a plot that slowly unravels like a tapestry, and vivid characters who are destined to steal your heart. A scintillating, beautiful debut.”  - Rebecca Ross, internationally bestselling author of A River Enchanted and Sisters of Sword & Song

“Lies We Sing to the Sea is a lyrical, elegant debut bursting with imagination and heart. Underwood expertly weaves a tale about the inevitability of fate—and the love that makes us rail against it anyway. Bittersweet and wholly cathartic.”  - Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic

“A wondrous tale of love, death, and sacrifice. The vivid characters give depth and adventure to a story with roots in classic Greek mythology.” - Natasha Bowen, New York Times bestselling author of Skin of the Sea

“Overflowing with emotion and full of magic.” - Jennifer Saint, internationally bestselling author of Ariadne

"Sarah Underwood gives a brave, ferocious voice to a character who richly deserves one. Filled with knife-sharp banter, smoldering romance, and twists that will tear your heart to pieces, this is the story about one of Penelope's doomed maids that was always waiting to be told. "  - Heather Walter, author of the Malice duology

“Prepare to be utterly wrecked by this brilliant, lyrical, queer, feminist af book. Lies We Sing to the Sea grabbed my heart from the first pages and I couldn't put it down. Utterly breathtaking. I loved it.” - Jamie Pacton, author of The Vermillion Emporium

“Rich, immersive and utterly compelling. A stunning achievement from Gen Z’s answer to Madeline Miller” - Laura Steven, author of The Society for Soulless Girls