~ "You shouldn't be so rude to women holding knives... it isn't wise"~
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SYNOPSIS: Imprisoned by her dictator brother, Malini spends her days in isolation in the Hirana: an ancient temple that was once the source of powerful magic - but is now little more than a decaying ruin.
Priya is a maidservant, one of several who make the treacherous journey to the top of the Hirana every night to attend Malini's chambers. She is happy to be an anonymous drudge, as long as it keeps anyone from guessing the dangerous secret she hides. But when Malini accidentally bears witness to Priya's true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled . . .
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BOOK REVIEW
Genre: Fantasy
Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Writing Style: 5/5
Personal Enjoyment: 5/5
Overall Rating: 19/20
This has been one of my anticipated reads every since I found out about it. And it did not disappoint! The intensity of the prologue alone made me realise this wasn't going to be an ordinary read. We are then introduced to Priya, a maidservant on her way to market and we are immediately thrust into a world full of poverty, political strife and a mysterious disease. The author has such a knack of vividly bringing to life a rich vibrant world with simple, elegant prose.
One thing of note; this book has quite a few POVs and it took me awhile to get to know them all and their place in the story, however the chapters are fairly short so it did not impact the pacing of the story and so it was easier to follow than other books I have read with multiple POVs. But having said all that I really appreciated having the POVs of Priya and Malini, it really helped to be in their heads and understand what their motivations were.
Without giving too much away I found how the disease manifested in people fascinating and especially how it tied into the land and the magic system of this world.
The politics added an interesting layer of complexity to the story, and I thought it really elevated the story as a whole. It is an exploration of how dominant powers can obliterate a country's culture, beliefs and religion while absorbing it into their empire. I was particularly drawn to how women were portrayed in this setting, what kind of voice they are given/ denied depending on the power plays taking place.
This is an epic fantasy, with just the right amount of politics and a fascinating magic system with a beautiful slow burn sapphic romance. I would highly recommend.