Laurie Forest

Laurie Forest is the author of The Black Witch Chronicles, a young-adult fantasy series that began with the widely discussed 2017 debut The Black Witch and continued through The Iron Flower, The Shadow Wand, The Demon Tide, and The Dryad Storm, alongside the prequels Wandfasted and Light Mage. The Black Witch's release sparked wide discussion in YA publishing circles over its depiction of a prejudiced protagonist's slow change of heart, with Forest describing the ensuing debate as "a worthwhile discussion" about diversity in the genre. The series' multi-book run traces its protagonist's development against a magical world built around inherited bigotry and a gradual reckoning with it, making it one of the more debated entries in YA fantasy of its era.