Whenever I read Tasha Suri’s writing, I feel like I’m hanging out with a friend who loves fantasy books for all the same reasons I do. She always approaches classic tropes with thoughtfulness and intention and adds something new to the conversation. I loved the worldbuilding in this novel, and the concept of a place where stories are tangible things that take over people’s minds and bodies was a fascinating concept. I really liked what she did with it.

I found this book to be much less complex than The Jasmine Throne; the villains were cartoonishly evil, which makes sense for the purpose of this story, but I missed the broad scope and ambiguous morality of Suri’s other works. That being said, I think this would be a great entry point for anyone who wants to read her writing.

Overall it was good! It took me a long time to read but I don’t mind spending a long a time with a fantasy novel. I’m glad I read it.

I have to say I’m surprised by the volume of negative reviews on this book; I was personally very impressed by it and I think it will be on my mind for a long time. The complaints that most people seem to have revolve around the main character and her lack of growth, but I found it to be a realistic portrayal of how slow and painful it is to unpack a lifetime of trauma, and how you can repeatedly come up against the edge of confronting it, only to do a 180 and run back to your unhealthy coping mechanisms. I also understand the complaints about how bisexuality is portrayed, but I would also argue that it isn’t a representation of bisexuality - it’s a representation of a complicated individual. I will also note that this book takes place in the 90s and early 2000s, and the way we talk about queerness has changed a lot in the last 20-30 years.

Didn’t mean to make my review a defense of the book, and I totally understand that it won’t be for everyone, but I found it to be a beautifully and excruciatingly honest novel. I did find the ending a little abrupt and would have liked more, but I suppose the unresolved feeling was the whole point.