I saw "morally grey lesbians" as a common descriptor for this book. Lesbians sure, but I'm not sure how morally grey they were. Priya has strong values and cares very much for her people, it's just that her faith is one that is harsh on its followers. Malini decides that she will "become monstrous" but it's my opinion that if you consciously try to become monstrous that you know the difference between right and wrong. It's the people who don't care one way or the other that you really have to watch out for. Malini means that she wants to be able to make decisions coldly instead of making decisions that will keep people from getting hurt. But if you are planning a civil war to overthrow your truly monstrous brother (who enjoys watching women getting burned alive, for one thing) then you have to know that people will be hurt and killed. But the fact of the matter is that with a ruler like him people will be hurt and killed either way and your choice to fight him will hopefully save lives in the long run. I don't think that it's monstrous to fight for yourself and your people's safety- hopefully that doesn't mean that I'm a monster myself.

Anyway, after Malini refuses to be burned for her brother and is imprisoned in one of the vassal countries of her brother's empire to waste away until she either dies or agrees to burn, she and Priya meet. Priya is a woman who was born and raised in the ruined temple on top of a steep and deadly climb called the Hirana. Malini is imprisoned in the Hirana and eventually contrives to make Priya her maid, since Priya has been raised as a servant in the ruling regent's house ever since her temple was taken by the empire.

Eventually these two become allies. Priya has a temple brother who has decided that the time is right to try to retake their country from the empire through violence and terrorism. Malini wants to help her older brother, who has renounced his claim to the throne, retake the throne from their monstrous sibling who is the current emperor. There's an alliance that makes sense here. And Priya and Malini are also fascinated by each other. They are each women who love women and that is not acceptable in Malini's empire, although in Priya's country it isn't such a big deal.

Although there's a lot of plotting that happens, the bulk of the story is about the inner thoughts and feelings of these two women. One of Tasha Suri's great strengths is in drawing vivid and unique characters and in this book she's on top of her game. She also has a flair for lush settings and dramatic moments.

Although Suri does good descriptions, I actually felt like I wanted more detail in a lot of the setting. I was never quite sure how to picture the Hirana, for example, although I'm sure that Suri has a precise idea of how it looks. Priya and her temple brethren sometimes immerse themselves in something called the sangam and I was never sure what that was. Nor was I sure exactly what the deathless waters were, or the Keeper's Path.

This is a big book and it is slow paced. I was okay with this because I liked the character work that the author was doing and I liked reading how relationships between characters slowly developed and changed. There is definitely action too. I didn't exactly feel like the book dragged but it did feel like slow going sometimes.

After reading the book I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to read the next one but after writing this review I'm more inclined to continue with the series because there's a lot of good here!

'The Jasmine Throne' by Tasha Suri is a fantasy novel inspired by the epics of India.

Told from multiple perspectives, this novel primarily follows an imprisoned princess named Malini and her maidservant Priya. The story follows them through the tragedies of their histories to the overthrow of governments. Priya has a dangerous secret and once Malini knows, will she try to exploit it?

It took a while for this to feel much like a fantasy novel, but I enjoyed this story. There are also a whole lot of characters, but the cast is handled deftly and I felt able to keep things sorted out.

“Truth and lies were both tools, to be used when most necessary.”

I absolutely loved this book. I haven't read any of Tasha Suri's books before but I can confidently say this will be the first of many. The Jasmine Throne introduces us to the stories of Priya and Malani, two women set on making changes to the fate of their nations which are under very patriarchal societies. It usually takes me time to be invested in a character's story, but Suri's prose and the way she presents her characters had me captivated.

This book also has a full cast with POVs from secondary characters. Multiple POVs are typically a hit or miss for me, but they were so well done in The Jasmine Throne and added much to the story and depth of Priya and Malani's motivations. If you love unapologetic and grey characters with internal conflicts and decisions that will keep you guessing, this one's for you.

Rich in South Asian representation, badass women, schemes, exploration of colonization and religious fanaticism, environment-based magic, complicated familial relationships, and a slow burn forbidden sapphic love - all of this made The Jasmine Throne such an enjoyable read for me. Highly recommend it!

Thanks to the team at Orbit for sending me an eARC for review! All opinions are my own.

The novel follows many machinations back and forth between the two, but there is even more going on out there in the world. We see pretty much all the angles of the political system of the empire. There is Bhumika, former temple child now married to the regent with her own network. We meet the leader of the rebellion, as he tries to rally those rot riven and oppressed a like. We even see allies of Malini’s, in their work to restore her position and depose her repressive brother. And I loved it. The scope, though large, is never confusing. The voices of each person is distinct and the work is done so gradually the character forms in your eyes. World building as well is fairly expanded, though I feel the second book is going to work a lot more on that.

This is the kind of voice in fantasy I love to see, but this can be a dark book in places. So do heed the triggers. I do think fans of Kushiel’s Legacy, previously mentioned Locked Tomb or fellow trifecta member The Unbroken will really bond well with this book.

Thank you to Orbit Books for the review copy! The Jasmine Throne and it’s sequel, The Oleander Sword, are both out now

A fantastic opener to a thrilling series, THE JASMINE THRONE is a story that doesn't flinch away from the brutalities of colonialism, featuring morally-grey sapphics! It is everything I could want in a book.

The Jasmine Throne has the same lush worldbuilding and lyrical prose as The Empire Sand, but with even more compelling characters. While the pacing was a bit slower than The Empire of Sand, I thought it worked really well in this story, which I found to be more complex and earns a slower pace. I adored Priya and Malini from the first pages and loved following them through the story. Watching their relationship develop was so rewarding, and I can't wait to continue their story in The Oleander Sword!

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Suri did an exceptional job with the first installment of this sweeping epic. I typically balk at the idea of more than two POVs, but the author made each POV voice – even supporting ones – engaging. The author made the world come alive seamlessly, without the clumsy narrative exposition that less seasoned authors tend to stumble into. Her worldbuilding is in the intricate, carefully selected, and well-timed slips of information that paint her India-inspired fantasy in parallel with the story that is always pushing forwards.

Malini and Priya, our two heroines, do have a soaring romance, but each character is an individual motivated by forces beyond solely their love for one another – forces that exist before and persist after their relationship.

The book was so good I made a personal purchase of it myself.

If you’re craving an epic, lush, beautifully written sapphic fantasy in the same vein as Priory of the Orange Tree, this book should be a no-brainer.

Thank you to Nazia at Orbit Books for allowing me to review this wonderful book!

This is a tale of empires and kingdoms, of revolt and dissent, of pride vs unjust anger. It illustrates the anger of what people will do when they are oppressed, and it evokes the themes of power and love being mixed in a cluster of politics that is seriously at the heart of this book. There are so many story arcs within each character’s chapter that the story moves progressively fast-forward. There’s a spiritual level to this story that requires a bit of a deep interpretation because it is worth it. What made me the proudest, was the fact that this book called to my roots as someone that is from an Indian background. From little details such as ‘onion sabzi’ and the illustrative details of the homes, the cities, the names, everything about it made me happy. Even the names roti and paratha brought a smile to my face. Many Indians grow up in their households eating their mother’s cooked food (though it is not always the case, it can differ) and it brought back memories of that. But enough about what it brought in terms of my personal feelings.

You have to understand that the plot can not be simply unveiled in one go. It’s a massive book, and I think some areas could have been trimmed down or not needed. Moving onwards, the Parijatdvipan Empire is a massive empire, ruling over many places, subjects, and lords you name it. Its oppressive rule over the Ahiranyans from banning their culture, preventing them from doing things that they would do is driving them to the edge of revolt. Add other neighbors such as the Saketans and others. Emperor Chandra, who is considered to be a despotic Emperor is the worst of the worst. In his belief, what he does is right, and doesn’t see what is wrong in this area. In a way, it reminded me of the Demon King Kamsa of Mathura, in a tale that may or may not be familiar to lovers of Hindu mythology, when he discovered that Krishna was the seventh born son of Devaki and her husband Vasudeva, and that child would kill him, Kamsa did something unspeakable, much like Herod in the Bible had done. Of course, Chandra doesn’t do this, but he does something even more unspeakable.

This novel is certainly and heavily in my opinion, inspired not just by the Mahabharata or Ramayana, but by other Indian tales as well, perhaps even from the richest area of Indian literature which is the Ancient Tamil Literature, the Sangam Era of the Chola Empire. I did not expect this novel to be a recreation or staying true to the Hindu Mythos, because studying Hindusim in itself requires understanding hundreds of folklore tales passed down through generations, and it is a very old religion. To understand Hinduism itself, well the very beginning is just the tip of the iceberg. Hindusim is like a massively multiplayer MMORPG with hundreds of Gods, folklore, and clans to choose from if you look at it from a gamer’s perspective. But why am I saying all of this? Because this novel is unique in its creation its own cultures, own creatures such as the Yaksa, the introduction of new temple faiths, etc. There must also be Buddhist/Jainism influence in it as well. I have no doubt that Tasha Suri did her research, and it shows.

In the end, it’s a tale of love too. I thought I would be able to summarise all of the novels, finding the hidden nuances here and there, but I just can’t. It’s so good that I felt for Rukh, I felt for Rao, I felt for Vikram, even if I felt that his character didn’t have the best of arcs. With Bhumika, I was a bit iffy but I understood her motivations. Malini and Priya have great chemistry for certain. Though I was a bit unclear about the Gods, and maybe the second book will show more of this world. It’s a massive book, but now I can confidently say that as a book blogger, it’s great to read some fantasy set in the rich world of mythical tales and just it’s great to see an Indian-inspired fantasy novel. I can’t wait to read book 2, and I want more of my Desi Brethren to go out there, write their own novels based on Indian culture and showcase it to the world.

We have a culture that spans thousands of years of stories to be told from. If not, then when? India has given the world yoga, food, culture, and music. Now it’s time we Desi Folk, the creative bunch, gave our stories to the world. This novel made me so proud that I discussed it with my family, and the story is very similar in a way to Baahubali, which is an Indian Epic Fantasy film released in 2015 directed by Rajamouli S.S. I’d very much compare it with RRR which if you haven’t watched it on Netflix, you need to watch it as the Russo Brothers really enjoyed it. When I compare these epic Indian films to the story, I find some events that are similar. If there is a film or TV series being adapted for this trilogy, then I’d love Rajamouli to direct it. Or even Netflix makes a series to direct it. It’s that good.

This is a fantastic novel and a 10/10 from me.

Originally didn’t give feedback because I DNF, but it’s hurting my feedback ratio, so I will say this books was slow and I realized I don’t care about people who play as servants when they’re the main character. The world seemed interesting though. I also never rate books I DNF but this makes me.

I can't even put into words the beauty and amazingness that is this book. Tasha Suri is a MASTER at her craft. This gorgeous book makes me want to read ALL the fantasy romance, and I can't wait for the next volume in this trilogy! The world building is incredible, a lush empire based on Indian and South Asian culture.

I could have done without those somewhat unnecessary men's POV chapters though, to be honest.

I was extremely hesitant to start this book and mostly because of its size. I don't know about you, but when it comes to big books I'm so intimidated by its size that I will put it off again and again. With The Oleander Sword coming out in a couple of months, I knew that it was finally time to pick up The Jasmine Throne. I braced myself for the long haul with my cups of tea and my sharpened pencil, but as I started to read this book, I found myself devouring more and more with each reading session. And suddenly, my anxiety about this story subsided. I was feeling in my element. I felt like I could conquer this book no problem, which is what you want to feel when you're reading something over 500 pages long.

It moves in a way where you forget how many pages are in the book and focus on the story itself, which is good because who wants to read something where you can actually feel the length of the book more than the story within the pages. She has surprises behind every corner and once you figured out the premise of the book, once you start understanding what this book is about, then you start to see the complex web Tasha Suri is weaving. Which is why I'm finding it difficult to write this review. There's very little you can share without giving away too much of the plot, but know that this story is about a group of people who are looking to free themselves from the tyranny of a psychotic Emperor. And while each character has their own reasons for fighting with the rebellion, they all have one common goal.

The story follows many different characters. In fact, there's an entire list of characters at the end of the book because so many are introduced. There were multiple perspectives, which I worried would be difficult to keep track of, but then you see how these perspective played out in the story and how they all interconnect to create the thematic tapestry of the book. But the two main characters are Malini and Priya. Right away, you see what happens to Malini. She's an exiled princess who didn't do her duty as such and her tyrannical brother sends her to an old temple that burned down many years ago. It's a reminder of her duty as a burning princess that she must sacrifice herself in order for the rest of the world to survive. Then you meet Priya, who is a house servant in the main mahal where the temple exist. While she recalls very little about her past, she knows that she survived the fires of the temple burning.

The characters were extremely interesting in the story. Because there were so many perspectives, you see their individual motivations. You can read what they were trying to accomplish and what was moving them towards rebellion, and you realize that their aims are all the same. They all wanted freedom in some form; freedom of oppression, freedom from gender-based beliefs, freedom from strict religious beliefs, freedom from their prisons, their ailments, their strife. The world is chaotic with multiple perspectives and multiple issues all taking place at the same time, and they all carefully make their way towards each other like flies to the flame. I think this was the most impressive part of the story and how Tasha Suri was able to bring these characters together in such an expert way.

I think if I could find flaw in this story it would be within the magic system. I don't want to give too much away, but I found myself wanting to learn more about the temple burning, the yaksa, the rot, and other components used throughout the story that built into the system. It was all intriguing, but I think because we're getting the story from the few survivors of the temple fire that we lose a lot of the history behind it. It would have made for a much more robust worldbuilding, but it wasn't so bad to make the book extremely flawed.

While it's the first book in a series, it also wraps up very well. I've read first books in a series where it was setting you up for the second book and have read books within a series that are filler for the next book. This stands on its own laying the groundwork for the much bigger plot that will eventually take place in the forthcoming novels. I feel like I know these characters now. I feel like the time was taken to create them, finesse them to the people they were supposed to be, and now the next book will launch them into the fates their supposed to meet.

Overall, it was such an incredible tale that may not grab you by the throat with its action and adventure, but it builds like a slow ember into a blazing fire and will keep you reading to the very end. I'm very excited to read the next book and continue this series.

Enemies to lovers? I would say yes. Also sapphic and about the antiheroes in this world. I like that the characters stay morally grey, their soft spot is each other, and the world building! So good. Can't wait to read the next one

This novel tells the story of a princess who is banished to her temple to atone for her mistakes. This was a gorgeously written novel. The writing is very lyrical. The story moves at a slow pace but is character driven. I like how the novel blends in India’s history and mythology into the story. The story is full of romance and political intrigue! I recommend this fans of City of Brass, A Crown of Feathers, and The Tigress Empress!

Not the book for me. This is my 3rd try trying to read this book and I have to admit it’s not for me as a reader. It might work for fans who enjoy younger adult fantasy. I found the world building intriguing and the plot was fine to start, but then I lost interest.

8.0 / 10 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2022/05/24/the-jasmine-throne-by-tasha-suri-review/

It may have taken me a bit to get lost in the Jasmine Throne, but once I did I was well and truly gone. The world passed by while Priya and Malini and Akosh weaved their webs and sang their stories, and the tide of the Deathless Waters carried me away.

The Jasmine Throne is truly a story built for and driven by its characters. So much so that the setting took quite a while to permeate the story. It took me the longest time to discover just what the Hirana was, how it related to the plot, or just why it was so dangerous. It just seemed that the plot had taken a backseat to its characters. At least for a time. I really only noticed the setting when Rao’s POV rolled around. I don’t know whether that was because he’s a weaker character than Priya or Malini or Ashok (which he is), or because his chapters are just more oriented toward the setting than others.

Once the everything gets set up and the story (particularly that between Priya and Malini) gets interesting, there’s not much else to steal the focus away from them. This means that though it’s quite hard to put down, the characters that aren’t the big four—of Priya, Malini, Ashok, and Bhumika—seem to detract from the plot rather than add anything to it. It’s not that I don’t care about their input, it’s just… they distract from what’s going on. I realize that their contribution pays some dividends in the end, but I’d argue that it’s not enough to justify the albeit slight distraction they provide.

I guess it’s a good thing that these characters don’t get a ton of time in the spotlight. Priya has more chapters to her name than everyone else (excluding Malini) combined. And with the these two pretty much controlling the story… well, it turns out quite nicely.

TL;DR

The Jasmine Throne is very much a story driven by its characters. Though some of the bit characters (other, less involved POVs) are immediately forgettable, the main characters (Priya, Malini, Ashok, and Bhumika) make up for them easily enough. And since these control around three-quarters of the book… let’s just say they more than make up for it. In classic fantasy form, it takes its time setting the scene, introducing its world—not to mention the characters therein—before getting down to the plot, the romance, and the world at large. And to be fair, this works quite well. While it took me a little to get into the tale, once I did it was a lovely time. Even the romance, which is usually not my favorite. All in all, the Jasmine Throne proves an entertaining start to a new series! One I’ll be more than happy to continue.

A bit of a slow burn for me, but by the halfway point I couldn’t put it down. I absolutely loved Malini and Priya, both individually and together. I think my only major gripe was multiple POVs presented. Regardless, an amazing first entry to a promising series.

i first went into this book with high expectations, and this book met and went above all of them. if you enjoy epic fantasy, do yourself a favor and pick this book us. Lush, queer, and imaginative, Suri will tell you a story you cannot walk away from even if you tried.

Tasha Suri can do no wrong. This was geniuniely one of the best starts to a series I have ever read, and I am anxiously awaiting its sequels. The romance between Priya and Malina was lovely and seeing a sapphic relationship in adult fantasy is always a treat. The writing style was so beautiful that I fell right into this book. The Rot was such a different take on disease than I've ever read, and it made it that much more tragic and lovely to read. The world felt wildly real and totally absorbed me. So good.

Lush and beautiful writing. Stunning worldbuilding. Beautifully realistic descriptions of trauma memory loss. Can't wait for Book 2.

DNF @ 30%

This book from the premise sounded like a dream. I've been craving a good South Asian fantasy and this was that plus a sapphic romance. I tried reading this book a couple of times, but I think the sheer number of characters that we were following overwhelmed me. It also read like the first book in a fantasy series because it was a lot of set-up, background on the characters, and their motives. Even though I've decided to DNF this book at the moment, I might try picking it up again in the future, maybe when I have more time and attention to dedicate to it. Hopefully, by then my reading experience and review will be better.