Kritika H. Rao

Kritika H. Rao is an internationally bestselling speculative and children’s fiction author, who has lived in India, Australia, Canada, and The Sultanate of Oman. Whether writing for younger audiences or adults, Kritika’s stories are influenced by her lived experiences, and explore themes of self vs. the world, identity, and the nature of consciousness. THE SURVIVING SKY, Kritika's debut novel, received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal, and was an Amazon Editor’s pick for Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2023. BookRiot called it “One of the best science fiction books of 2023”. Kirkus raved about her children's work SHIVI'S FIRST LEAP calling it "Peppy encouragement for intrepid youngsters who find themselves in over their heads". THE LEGEND OF MENEKA, her Hindu-mythology inspired romantasy, became an instant Sunday Times Bestseller, and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Most recently, Kritika was awarded the prestigious Canada Council for the Arts Grant for a new speculative literary work about marginalized writers, the magic of storytelling, and the publishing process. When she is not writing, Kritika enjoys making lists. She drops in and out of social media; you might catch her on Instagram @KritikaHRao.