Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:
In the ancient Indian kingdom of Kasmira, stories don’t begin with “once upon a time.”
Instead, Kasmiris start a woman’s story with those who came before her: her parents, grandparents, ancestors. For fourteen-year-old Reya Kandhari, her story always starts the same: with the fabled line of Bookweavers, tracing centuries back to the lost Yogis—the mythical guardians of Kasmiri culture who created the world itself. As a result, Reya’s entire life has been shaped by words. Words of mystique and mythology. Words of magic that allow her father, the Bookweaver, to bring his stories to life. Words of power that make him the target of tyrants who will stop at nothing to destroy magic in Kasmira.
Living in disguise as a peasant in the fields, Reya’s sole focus is protecting the Bookweaver’s secret. But when her father is taken, Reya must flee deep into the jungle, alone with her best friend Nina and one ancient book. Grappling with Reya’s newfound magic, the two girls find themselves in the center of a war of liberation where magic reigns unchecked, and destiny takes a dark turn. As the stakes get higher, Reya realizes that her father’s legacy contains more power than she ever imagined. For Reya Kandhari is more than just a fugitive—she is a symbol of revolution. And that makes her a threat.
Sarah's Review:
I was hesitant about this book at first because the first ten pages or so had me confused and unsure of what was going on. I am not sure if this is because it is the first book I read on my laptop, and I wasn't comprehending the information as well as I normally would while getting used to a new set up. I don't want to discredit the book however, because it was amazing. After the first ten pages the story clicked for me and picked up rapidly. I read this book in one sitting which is no easy feat considering I have two little girls running around. This book was really special because it gave us a story infused with Indian culture and influence. I love reading about other countries and cultures, so getting to do that in a fantasy based novel was really unique for me. I love the food, and scenery the author described. Kannan also did an amazing job tackling the dark theme of oppression in a vibrant and hopeful way. Nina and Reya are two amazing female leads. If not for anything else getting to see their friendship and sacrifice is reason alone to read this book. The girls are together when Reya thinks this quote, "I could teach a thousand girls like Nina to read- a magic more potent than anything a Mage could summon." This quote stuck with me the entire novel, and will stick with for awhile. One last thing that really stuck out to me is that THERE WERE NO EDITING ERRORS. I have read a lot of books where I find grammar issues, or problems that make me think the book wasn't edited that well. This may not bother everybody, but these mistakes usually jump out of the page at me. So, it was really nice reading a book and not seeing any errors. So bravo to the author, and the team of editors for this book. Great Job! I will be recommending this book!
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