Treated with scorn and fear in her father's kingdom because of a formidable horoscope, 16-year-old Maya commits herself to her education only to land in an arranged marriage that culminates in her sudden elevation to the throne, a situation that is threatened by dark secrets and Otherworldly magic.
Ohhhhh this one is so difficult to review. This was so intensely hyped and I see why. It's beautiful. But that's also where I had difficulty. The plot is incredibly intriguing and well-done, but everything is so wrapped up in metaphors and flowery descriptors that I was confused. Mainly once she gets to Akaran. This place is already full of magic which tends to not always be.....logical? Or, I should say that it's magic so it's always a bit mystical. But throw in all this over-the-top ornateness where everything is so enclosed in metaphors and it became a really confusing, albeit beautifully sounding, mess. Throw in the fact that I wasn't really into the characters and this was going to be 2-stars. But the plot-line and the ending with the addition of new characters helps immensely. Had her time in Akaran (about half the book) been clarified, I definitely would've rated this higher. However, there's no doubt that Chokshi is a gifted writer. Full review to come.
