Reviewed by shannonmiz on
This is a wholly unique and gorgeously written book. The writing and the world building are quite captivating, and I was rooting for Maya from the first page. This is a world where women simply don't matter in their own right, but Maya doesn't particularly subscribe to that school of thought. So when she is willing to make hard choices, even when she isn't sure if they're the right ones, it's incredibly powerful. She made mistakes, she was scared, but ultimately she kept learning, kept trying, and isn't that really the most that can be asked of anyone?
The diversity and the cultural mythology from which this book was based on is magnificent! Indian and Greek mythology combine with original storytelling to create a lovely story that feels completely fresh. I loved the character of Maya, like I mentioned, and I loved many of the secondary characters that we meet along the way. While I didn't dislike Amar, I do wish he was a bit more developed as a character, outside of his affection for Maya. I did enjoy their relationship though, it was clear that they cared deeply for each other.
The story started off very strong, and I was definitely intrigued. There was a bit of a lull in the middle for me, where I was almost a bit overwhelmed with the world building, and still unsure of Maya and Amar's relationship. But the second half of the book really picked up, and introduced a lot of twists and some fabulous characters, and I became invested in the story again.
Bottom Line: The phenomenal writing and vivid world creation makes this unique story one to read. I will absolutely be reading more in the future from this author, including the planned companion novel set in this world, and am quite excited to see what she comes up with next!
**Copy provided by publisher for review
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 15 April, 2016: Finished reading
- 15 April, 2016: Reviewed