*Many thanks to Rani Selvarajah, HarperCollins UK Audio, and NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.*
An interesting listen, very well read, with bit of history, adventure and romance that will appeal to fans of all these components in one. I was expecting a little serious book on the East India Company with characters more mature, however, listening to Savage Beasts was rather relaxing during a summer month. Quite predictable but with some well-concocted plot. Overall, enjoyable and recommended to young adults.

this was okay, but read very juvenile and i didn't feel connected to the characters or what happens to them at all. i can see other reader enjoying this a lot tho!

— thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the free digital ARC.

Savage Beasts is a re-imagining of the story of Medea. This time, Meena (not Medea) betrays her father, the Nawab of Bengal, and runs away with an adventurer called James Chilcott. But Meena’s initial feelings of adventure and excitement soon wear off when she realises that the man she took to be an adventurer, was just an opportunist who spends her money and betrays her in turn.

I thought it was really clever how the Greek myth was woven into Meena’s story, and showed the impact of colonialism. Great Britain doesn’t come out of this well. James’ uncle, Sir Peter Chilcott, is a powerful man in the East India Company. He’s cold, unforgiving, and sees Meena, Indians, Bengali’s, and anyone from anywhere foreign, as below him and little better than an animal.

It made for really uncomfortable reading, and made me so angry!

Meena comes across as being so young but desperate to be older. She’s determined to make a good life for herself and her child - despite how difficult James and his reprehensible family make it for her.

Honestly, by the end I firmly believed they deserved whatever was coming their way!

I listened to this on audiobook, kindly sent to me via NetGalley by HarperCollins UK Audio. The narrator, Shazia Nicholls, really was outstanding. It always amazes me how a good narrator can make all the characters sound so different - especially in this case, the men. Sir Peter came across as a sneering, superior, calculating monster, and in contrast, Meena was both young and wise - and it felt as though she was really there, speaking for herself. Shazia read with such emotion that it became entirely believable. This could well have been an historical memoir as much as a piece of fiction.

Yes, this is described as a Greek retelling, but it has been made into something all of its own. If you know the story of Medea, then you’ll see where in particular it is borrowing from that story - but this is a great story in its own right. It’s powerful, feminist and it’s about colonialism. It’s a story about family, trust and the devastation of betrayal.

Highly recommended!

This book is nothing short of spectacular. A mesmerizing tale that is both original, yet clearly the story of Medea retold through a different, yet achingly familiar setting.

It’s unbelievably amazing how the author has managed to weave an intimate knowledge of the stories surrounding Medea with the history of British colonization in India, and ending it with a twist, just as Euripides did in his iconic play.

The story is raw and real and utterly mesmerizing, both for the people who haven’t read the plays and epics this builds upon and those who have. I believe this is Selvarajah’s debut, yet she already displays such phenomenal abilities in the craft one cannot help but admire her. All from the craftsmanship that is the writing itself, to the blend of Greek text and colonial history— both of which the author clearly has studied thoroughly and has the deep understanding of that is needed in order to write this masterpiece— to the vivid characters and raw anger and friend of Meena.

I cannot recommend this book enough and devoured it in one single sitting. I eagerly await what's next for this author, because if she continues with this kind of incredibly stories, she’s well on her way to become a favorite author of mine.

I am loving all these feminist retellings of classic myths! In this one, it’s a take on Medea with Jason (and the Argonauts) in 18th century India. The English colonialists and the ruling class in India are such a great setting to play out the tensions for this dramatic retelling. I was invested from start to finish. The narration was great!
*Thanks to Harper Collins UK Audio & NetGalley for the advance audiobook for review.

I was really looking forward to this retelling as I love Greek mythology and am very interested in India's history, but I have mixed feelings about the novel. The general idea is a great one, but the writing style and plot often made me forget that it wasn't set in the 1940s or 1950s. How the characters behaved felt rather modern and unfortunately, Meena's character wasn't fleshed out. I can understand why she wanted to leave her family, but the love story was just very unbelievable. The story dragged a bit in the middle, but I still like the general idea and how some elements of the myth were modernised.
The audiobook is really amazing though. The narrator does such an amazing job and I would really recommend it.

I liked the idea of "Savage Beasts", but the way the book was written didn't really work for me. The plot dragged a lot, Meena wasn't really a compelling protagonist, and the ending was too over the top for me.

Savage Beasts is an amazingly powerful retelling of Jason and Medea told through the Britain's colonialism and the East India Company.
I loved seeing Meena's strength and how her character developed over the novel, I think her character was very inspiring and heart-breaking. I also liked the slight hints to the myth such as Meena's ability to 'heal' people. The only downside was for a retelling I usually like more myth and magic continuing in this, however for a historical fiction and feminist retelling this was amazing with a great message and I think will be a big hit for any historical fiction fans.

SAVAGE BEASTS takes the story of Jason and Medea and uses it as a vehicle to explore the brutal nature of the East India Company and British imperialism and colonialism.

I loved the way the Greek myth was used, how it was woven into the tale. Meena's plant craft used to explain the witchcraft of the myth, the way it all falls out, little things like James' ship being called the Argo. It's such a clever way of using a Greek myth as a starting place for the story to grow from.

The book is set across 18th century Calcutta, Cape of Good Hope, and England, exploring the different arms of colonialism, the tensions between the British East India Company and the Dutch East India Company, and the devastation wrought on lands and people. The different locations are brought to vivid life, as are the myriad of people found there.

The book is a tragedy (like the myth it's inspired by), and I really liked the way the book used the character of James to slowly, unflinchingly dissect the purportedly (by the British system) "noble and great" men who were so central to the expansion of British colonialism. He starts of being presented as a man of principles but that is carefully destroyed over the book, ripping down the illusion of his words to the truth of his actions and morals beneath.

Without too many spoilers, I loved the ending. It's so clever, so heart-breaking, both leading you to and away from what happens. There are things you can see coming and the author cleverly uses that to conceal other elements, using the fact that she confirms some of your expectations to subvert others.

The narrator,  Shazia Nicholls, was fabulous. She had a way of making it both sound like a myth, a tale told around a fire, passed down, while also not making it sound like a dreamy, not-part-of-our-world tale. There is such painful, brutal emotion in the tale, and that comes across so clearly.

I'm a fan of the mythological retellings. This one was a retelling of Medea from Greek mythology with some very significant changes to the storyline and setting. However, if you know the myth well, you can see the similarities and the heartbreak.

First of all, it was a beautifully written novel. The words flowed and were simply lyrical at times. Yet, it was also brutal and graphic because that is what the character's experience was and the only way to do it justice was to describe it accurately as such.

The main character, Meena is a the daughter of the Nawab of Bengal. As a princess one would think her life was one of privilege but it was actually one where she was abused frequently by her brother and father. Her life was anything but easy. All of this made her susceptible to James Chilcott, the nephew of her father's enemy. When James pursues Meena, she is flattered and quickly falls for him. The actions she takes in order to be able to escape with James will haunt her for the rest of her life but it's not something she can contemplate at that point because she's desperate.

Meena starts the story as a naive young woman and finishes it as a strong and vindictive woman who is capable of just about anything. Life teaches her that the only person she can truly rely on is herself and she acts on it.

As far as this being a Medea retelling - - the storyline was altered enough that I truly didn't make comparisons between this story and that one. So, I found it to be a good book.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: The narration was really lovely. It added to the overall atmosphere of this book and made it so much easier to absorb myself in. The narrator's voice really made me feel like I was listening to Meena. Well done. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook. I voluntarily chose to review both of them and the opinions contained within are my own.

This was such a clever retelling of Medea - I really loved the application of this story to the context of Calcutta and the East India Company - it made for such an excellent piece of historical fiction.

I loved Meena’s character, I loved the way her strength of character challenged the cultural norms of the British character - it was excellently done so that the ethos of the myth seamlessly aligned with the chronology of the setting.

The narration was engaging and I enjoyed listening to this story. I loved the voice given to Meena - it was a powerful narrative that immersed me into the story.

Would absolutely recommend to anyone who enjoys retellings, feminist fiction or historical fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this audio.

Rating this book has been the ever most difficult task for me. I hated it and I loved it and thank the author for reminding me of a part of history that the newer generations are just forgetting.

Now because I have to address a lot of parts let's start with what I did like here:

🧡The story- very compelling, hard for an Indian to put down
🧡Emotions- Surges mixed emotions of nostalgia, actual history and abandonment
🧡Ending- I totally loved the way the climax of the book was a buildup and was satisfied with its Ending too. (I wished the whole book had that kind of effect)

Coming to some grey areas that I am not so sure about:
🩶The protagonist should have taken a lot of decisions way prior in the book, which I felt were prolonged.
🩶The way the book shows a character's suffering so much at the hands of their loved ones but does so little to change her situation
🩶The proclamation that the story is inspired by #greekmythology tale of Medea - I found just a minuscule resemblance to it and I don't think it's right to stamp the book as a Medea Retelling.

Hence, after a lot of swaying, I made up my mind to stand in the middle.
Genre: #historicalfiction #india #british
Rating: 3/5 ⭐️

Will recommend this book to people looking for a take on Indian History during British colonisation. If you are expecting a lot of Greek mythology - that will be disappointing for the most part of the book.

Thank you @netgalley and @harpercollinsuk for the Digital Review copy.
This is my honest review of the ARC.

Well this is a completely different kind of mythology retelling, inspired by Medea, but taking the reader on a journey from Calcutta to London. Beautiful, moving and enraging, this is definitely a writer to watch!

This is the story of a woman pushed to her absolute limits by the men around her. Abused by her father, betrayed by her husband and treated like dirt by his uncle, it’s almost easy to understand Meena’s fate. The author has made Meena so admirable and compelling that I felt every betrayal and insult against her as if it were my own. It’s a hard read at times, violent and set in a time where women had little agency, racism was rife, and wealthy countries felt they could take whatever they wanted, even other countries. I couldn’t stomach hearing a different nation referred to as savages, simply because they were unknown and different, and it’s shameful to know that’s Britain’s past.

Definitely not an easy read, but a powerful, feminist and original one with a brilliant new perspective on an old myth.

I loved the setting of this story. Being transported to 18th century India and learning more about the devastation they faced. The descriptions of the scenery, the food and the beautifully traditional sari's were exquisite.

To begin with I felt that Meena was a little too trusting and struggled to believe in her romance with James. As the story progressed I began to admire her strength in character, especially as she faced betrayal after betrayal.

My favourite part of the story was Meena's gift with healing people and what she learnt from her Aunt. I was pleased to see that part resurface from time to time but I would have liked more of it.

A beautifully story about trust, family and devastation. I'm now intrigued by the myth of Medea.

“Zeus, do you hear how I am mocked, rejected, by this savage beast, polluted with her children’s blood?”, Euripides, ‘Medea’.

My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. Audio for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘Savage Beasts’ by Rani Selvarajah. The audiobook is narrated by Shazia Nicholls.

This impressive debut novel is a reimagining of the Greek myth of Medea. However, the author has moved the story in time and place to the Indian subcontinent during the eighteenth Century.

Calcutta, 1757. Meena is the neglected and abused daughter of the Nawab of Bengal. It is known that the East India Company, led by the fearsome Sir Peter Chilcott, is poised to make war on Bengal.

Meena enjoys disguising herself and slipping away from the palace to watch ships arriving from around the world. One day she sees a handsome stranger disembarking from a ship named the Argo. Meena is immediately taken with him, especially when she hears his demand to be presented to the Nawab. He is James Chilcott, the nephew of Sir Peter, and when he meets with the Nawab he claims that he wants to betray the company . . . for a price.

Obviously Rani Selvarajah changes aspects of the myth. There is no Golden Fleece though there is a golden treasure. Like King Aeëtes of Colchis, the Nawab is a tyrant and the story from there mirrors the classic myth. Like Medea, Meena falls in love with James and assists him. They escape from Calcutta and head to Ceylon, where they meet with Meena’s beloved aunt Kiran, who cleanses them of their sins as Circe did in the original myth.

With hopes for a new life they sail first to the Cape of Good Hope and later to England. However, by then Bengal has fallen and been plundered by the East India Company. I won’t say more to avoid spoilers though those familiar with Medea’s story will have some indication of its direction.

In her Author’s Note, Rani Selvarajah writes of her decision to retell Medea’s story against the tragic backdrop of the early days of the colonisation of India, initially by the East India Company. She highlights the attitudes of the British overlords though also reflects that Meena’s reception in England mirrors injustices that “are emblematic of a society that is brutal towards a foreign woman, whether in the mythic Age of Heroes, 5th century Athens, the rise of British colonialism, or today.”

Certainly Meena’s father, the Nawab, and her brother are nasty pieces of work and she does fall very quickly in love with James. Yet both of these aspects of the story are in keeping with the original myth, though the insta-love there was facilitated by Hera, seeking to aid Jason.

With respect to the audiobook, Shazia Nicholls is an established actor of stage and screen, who is of Pakistani and Colombian heritage. While this was my first experience of her as a narrator, I was very impressed. Her voice is rich and clear and she moved fluidly between the accents of the novel’s various characters.

Overall, I found ‘Savage Beasts’ a well crafted, imaginative retelling of this classic myth that held my attention throughout.

Highly recommended.

6.5/10

First of all, It is important to mention that Savage Beasts is the first book by Rani Selvarajah, and I am happy to see it and wish her success...

but

there are butS...

Unfortunately, without the audio version, I would have dropped this one. While I won't offer criticism, the retelling of Medea set in 18th-century India during England's attacks didn't quite capture my interest.

I have said before for a few other books, I don't enjoy a feminist retelling that the magic and gods are removed from it, it is not a myth anymore. I want magic elements and mythical characters!

As someone with this point of view, I found the plot's aspects unbelievable. It's hard for me to follow and sympathize with Meena, an abused daughter who seeks happiness from James, an Englishman stranger, and turns back to her family, flees Calcutta and... well, we know the tale of an unfaithful husband, unhappy life and madness.

The characters were unlikable, and the conversations were odd. Although there are some strong points, but were not bold enough. The only notable aspect is Aunt's big cat and the knowledge of poisons that weren't exceeded.

I may recommend this one to general fiction readers, historical fiction or multicultural readers, wasn't much mythological!

Thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio via NetGalley for giving me a chance to listen to Savage Beasts by Rani Selvarajah and Narrated by Shazia Nicholls. I have given my honest review.