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A review by emilynied
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
In The Jasmine Throne, Suri crafts a beautiful world and characters using beautiful storytelling techniques and writing. Her writing style is truly, truly beautiful to read. The lush worldbuilding jumps off the pages of the book and the characters are so easy to imagine and discover.
In a world inspired by the history and "epics" of India, captive princes Malini, who refused to sacrificially burn on the pyre for her traitorous brother, is brought to the recently captured and colonized Ahiranyi province in the outskirts of the Parijatdvipan Empire. She spends her days in isolation locked up in a quite comfortable Hirana temple, which acts as her metaphorical cage. The Hirana was also once the source of the mystical "deathless waters," which acts as a pretty abstract matter until it develops into so, so much more later on.
Priya is a maidservant, serving the regent's wife, Bhumika. In the beginning of the book, she makes the journey to the top of the Hirana every night to clean Malini's chambers. When an accident causes her to reveal her "true nature" to Malini, the two become intertwined. The plot unravels from here, and is so unpredictable and surprising. Each page reveals a new aspect of this fantasy world and I really loved not knowing much going into it.
Much of this book revolves around the politics of this fantasy empire, which changes our two main characters as they become more entangled with their own fates and the future of the empire. In a world of rigorous gender roles and strict cultural norms (most of which were retracted in Ahiranyi after its colonization), they must navigate conformity while struggling with their conflicting hearts. They are also supported by a wide cast of side characters that build up the world even more - we get three other regular POVs - with Ashok, Rao and Bhumika. I saw another reviewer complement the vast differences in the three main female POVs - kind, secretive Priya, temperamental Malini and level-headed and protector Bhumika). It showcased the assortment of female roles very well. Due to the robust world building and the pretty large number of POVs, it did take a bit to get into the book, but once I did, I was hooked.
I adored the romance between Malini and Priya and I would call it a slow burn...HOWEVER. I think I would have preferred a lot more of those *small moments* that eventually build up to a budding romance. I understood their strong connection, for sure, but there wasn't enough queues to pick up on a romance, rather than just a very strong female friendship (besides the fact that in Priya's POV, she lusts for Malini right away). I'm a sucker for a slow burn with tension, and I did feel like that was lacking just a little.
In a world inspired by the history and "epics" of India, captive princes Malini, who refused to sacrificially burn on the pyre for her traitorous brother, is brought to the recently captured and colonized Ahiranyi province in the outskirts of the Parijatdvipan Empire. She spends her days in isolation locked up in a quite comfortable Hirana temple, which acts as her metaphorical cage. The Hirana was also once the source of the mystical "deathless waters," which acts as a pretty abstract matter until it develops into so, so much more later on.
Priya is a maidservant, serving the regent's wife, Bhumika. In the beginning of the book, she makes the journey to the top of the Hirana every night to clean Malini's chambers. When an accident causes her to reveal her "true nature" to Malini, the two become intertwined. The plot unravels from here, and is so unpredictable and surprising. Each page reveals a new aspect of this fantasy world and I really loved not knowing much going into it.
Much of this book revolves around the politics of this fantasy empire, which changes our two main characters as they become more entangled with their own fates and the future of the empire. In a world of rigorous gender roles and strict cultural norms (most of which were retracted in Ahiranyi after its colonization), they must navigate conformity while struggling with their conflicting hearts. They are also supported by a wide cast of side characters that build up the world even more - we get three other regular POVs - with Ashok, Rao and Bhumika. I saw another reviewer complement the vast differences in the three main female POVs - kind, secretive Priya, temperamental Malini and level-headed and protector Bhumika). It showcased the assortment of female roles very well. Due to the robust world building and the pretty large number of POVs, it did take a bit to get into the book, but once I did, I was hooked.