Book Review: The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri
Length: 480 Pages
Genres: High Fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

A special thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for an ARC of this novel!

"'Kill me or save me,' murmured Malini. 'But do something, Priya.'"

Trigger Warnings in this book for Violence and Gore

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri is undoubtedly a fantastical feat -- layers upon layers of exquisite worldbuilding, a cast of morally grey characters, and a magic system that is as fascinating as it is deadly, it is a sure win for those read A Song of Ice and Fire and wanted more (and might I say, better?). The first in a trilogy inspired by the epics of India, we follow several characters, with the heart of each warring faction represented by the Ahiranyi maidservant Priya and the imprisoned Parijat Princess Malini. 

Priya serves in the Mahal, the palace where the regent and his wife live in sanctity in wild and diseased Ahiranya. When Malini is sent against her will to live in the Hirana, a temple with a changing and treacherous pathway that once housed people and children with forbidden powers -- fueled by the dangerous waters that lurk beneath the temple -- until they were deemed a danger to Parijatdvipa by the Emperor and burned alive. Malini herself narrowly escaped such a fate, and is forced to live in solitude by her tyrannical brother, the Emperor Chandra. She wants nothing more than to see him gone, and her elder brother, Aditya, on the throne. She will do anything to accomplish it, including getting closer to her new maid, Priya, who has startling powers, and a history she refuses to remember. What neither expect is the complicated feelings that bloom between them.

This is a long book, and less interesting POV's sometimes made it feel even longer. Despite loving so much about it, from the history to the wonderfully scheming main characters to the gorgeous writing, I oftentimes found myself wishing it had been cut down just a little. But don't let that deter you from the amazing first book in a new series! A must-read for any fantasy fan, check this one out when you're wanting to sink deep into a mythology, a new world, and people that might just be...a little monstrous.