Content levels
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
In the Age of the Mazonians women rule through magic—and men suffer what they must. Magical creations only last for a single day (magical food is great for dieting), but that is quite long enough for casting a giant wet blanket (if you're feeling kind) over a would be rampaging male—or a block of granite (if you're not). No uppity males in Mazonia indeed! But then as now some people rise above what they've been taught. One such is Xylina; somehow she has always understood that being of the wrong gender, or even lacking magical power, is no reason for stripping a human being of dignity. How ironic, then, that the Queen has ordained in order to avoid execution Xylina must use her magic to publicly conquer the most glorious male Mazonia has ever seen—and how doubly so that together he and Xylina will transform their world.
Is If I Pay Thee Not in Gold appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 16 and up.
Parents should know this book explores a matriarchal society where men are enslaved and oppressed, with themes of gender-based subjugation, forced conquest, and potentially problematic power dynamics between the female protagonist and male slave. The premise involves reversing traditional gender oppression.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, moderate sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include slavery, captivity, and gender-based oppression (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Teens interested in exploring alternative societies and gender dynamics will find a unique world where women wield magic and control, and how two people challenge that system.