Sons of Day and Night

About the Book

Book: Sons of Day & Night

Author: Mariposa Aristeo

Genre: YA Fantasy – Retelling of The Prince and the Pauper

Release Date: November 18, 2025

Not even death can tell them apart.

In the wild and lush kingdom of Twinsbane, everyone has a look-alike, and each twin is cursed to die when their double breathes their last. When an ancient plague arises, the kingdom’s only hope is to sever these deadly ties. Yet King Daccias refuses to relinquish the cure, a legendary potion called the Separator.

Waruu, an orphan determined to break these ties, discovers he’s the king’s doppelgänger. He’s certain that if he can switch places, he can save the kingdom. But if anyone learns his true identity, he’ll lose everything—including the people he’s desperately trying to protect.

King Daccias wants nothing more than for his subjects to cease threatening to behead him if he doesn’t hand over the Separator. Intent on catching those opposing him, he finds himself ensnared in his own trap. If he doesn’t break loose, the kingdom will rest in the hands of an insolent boy who knows nothing about the truth behind the events unfolding around him.

To save their kingdom, both Waruu and Daccias must face their greatest enemy—each other.

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My Thoughts

As a retelling of the Prince and the Pauper, this is another fun YA fantasy to add to your shelves. And as a twin myself, I enjoyed the twist on twins. A world where everone has a twin is fun to imagine. I found the plot to be unique and well thought out and the play on light vs dark interesting as well. Both the main characters and the quirky side characters were fun and intersting and (mostly) likeable with understandable motivations and some questioning of who is the good guy and who is the bad guy. I enjoyed this book and will be sharing it with my kids.

I did recieve a complimentary e-copy to enjoy. All thoughts above are my own honest opinion.

About the Author

Mariposa Aristeo is a writer of fantastical adventures filled with heart, humor, hope, and sometimes dinosaurs. But, most importantly, she’s a creative who seeks to glorify God on every page of her life. Besides writing snarky characters who sass everybody, Mariposa loves bringing stories to life in full color as an illustrator. She also enjoys inspiring other creatives as the Public Relations Director at Story Embers and the Social Media Manager at the Young Writer’s Workshop.

More from Mariposa

How could I refuse to write a retelling of The Prince & the Pauper?

(Kudos to all the zillennial girls who get that reference.)

Ever since I watched the Barbie rendition of this classic tale when I was just a little girl, this story has been on my heart. As I grew older, other more adventurous tales influenced me, such as Dreamwork’s How to Train Your Dragon, Jennifer Nielsen’s The False Prince, Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, and more recently, Star Wars’ The Bad Batch.

But no matter the story, one aspect stayed the same—finding people just like me in the unlikeliest of places.

Growing up, I had a different childhood than most. I was pretty isolated with little to no friends, and not much extended family. It wasn’t until my twenties that I met the people who would later become my true family. They weren’t blood relations, and we didn’t interact in person until years later (yay for internet friends!). We are different in all the best ways but the same in the ways that matter and weird in the way that makes life interesting.

The Prince & the Pauper is a story about many things. Empathy, compassion, and learning what it’s like to live in another person’s shoes. When I set out to write Sons of Day & Night, I wanted to pay homage to this underrated tale while deepening the bond between the two very different (but also very alike) heroes. It’s not just a story about switched identities, it’s a story about the family we find even when our world is falling apart.

When my mom passed away from cancer in 2022, I felt like my world truly was falling to pieces. Besides losing a parent, I also lost what little I had of a normal family. But my found family came together to be there for me and be the family I never had.

We don’t share the same genetics, but they are every bit as much my brothers and sisters. As Stitch once said, “This is my family. I found it all on my own.”

Fast forward a few years, and I now live within 60 miles of my found family and see them almost every week. It’s funny to think how a few internet strangers became such a huge part of my life, but sometimes God sends us family in the places we least expect it.

And my hope is that Sons of Day & Night will remind you that there’s always someone out there just like you.