An impressive debut novel about the dark pitfalls of the beauty industry and its effects on the consumer, told through two protagonists who are both siblings.

Fresh from their parents messy divorce and daddy issues, Kashmira, a young indian-american teen is introduced to the innovative and life changing skincare cream, nulook and renulook by her former best friend, Roshni and with the help of the cream, her face literally transforms to something that she desires, anything to block out her dad's features on her. However, beauty is pain and she will experience the consequences of her actions and this is where the deuteragonist, Nikhil, who is her estranged brother and an employee of the company that creates this product will come into play.

Pace of this story is medium, not too fast but not too slow either and the characters are diverse. There's characters development especially on the two main protagonists.

Really recommended this book if you are looking for the horrors of the skincare or beauty culture as well as complicated family trauma.

the best way i can describe this is as a mix of the substance, black mirror and a coming-of-age novel. i had a good time with this! interesting family and relationship dynamics wrapped up in an almost dystopian cosmetic advancement that has its effects on more than just the surface level.

3.5 rounded up to 4

This is listed as a contemporary/lit-fic but I would say that this reads more like a YA novel. YA is something I normally don't read but I really enjoyed this book.

Ravishing is the debut author or Eshani Surya and I have to say I'm very surprised to see that this is her debut. Surya is very engaging with her writing and is able to provide a very unique and compelling read very reminiscent of Black Mirror. (Really reminded me of the Nosedive episode)

Surya also plays with so many themes such as the beauty industry, mental illness, family trauma, generational trauma, coming of age, and the struggle of embracing culture or assimilating into Western ideals. Cultivating into a commentary on how the next generation is coming into a world obsessed with obtaining a certain beauty standard, regardless of the cost.

I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this, and I'm excited to see where the author goes next.

I read this in a span of 24 hours. Ravishing is stunning. And a DEBUT at that? Surya promises to be a literary talent. Surya peels back our obsession with beauty in such a unique way - how beauty can tell a story of the trauma we hold and how our desperate need to unwind that can unwind ourselves as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Ravashing is set to publish in Nov. 2025.

Ravishing is such a gorgeous, intense read—I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The stories dig deep into themes like desire, identity, and how we move through the world in our bodies. Surya’s writing is sharp but also really intimate, like she’s letting you in on something secret. It’s one of those books that sticks with you long after you’re done.

The teenage angst of wanting to change how you look, coupled with the summer of changing adolescence and hormones is perfectly captured in Karishma's teenage experience. Conversely, her older brother Nihkil is also torn between wanting to make a name for himself and doing what is right as a human. The juxtaposition of these two siblings on different sides of the same coin brings the complexity and isolation that is both the epitome and struggle of being the children of immigrant parents. For anyone who has ever struggled with feeling confident in how they look or being torn to do what's right, this is the book for you!

I really enjoy book that deal with beauty industry and the dark side of it, so when I saw this was about face altering cream I thought it would be straight up my alley. In a sense it was but it also left me wanting more. The story was interesting but I found the writing style didn't really make me wanna pick up the book and I felt like the story could have been streamlined more.

Overall a positive reading experience and I'm interested to see what the author comes up with in the future.

A thoughtful portrayl of the chokehold the beauty industry has on so many young people. Read like more of a YA novel as we follow the teenage protagonist through her struggle with her body image, and ultimately against the beauty tech company that has harmed her.

This was a brilliant book, especially now, with all the impact of social media and plastic surgery, that also had the time the complicated family dynamics of the protagonist.
It somehow reminded me of the movie "The Substance", with this idea of sacrificing who you really are to get what you consider your ideal face.
The writing was good, and I enjoyed both the point of views, as well as the chapters feeling like news excerpts.

I would definitely recommend this book, and had a great time reading it!

Ravishing is a bold and thought-provoking debut that explores the dark side of the beauty industry through the lens of two Indian American siblings entangled in a manipulative beauty tech company. As teenage Kashmira becomes addicted to a product that allows her to alter her features and erase the pain of her past, her brother Nikhil faces the ethical dilemmas of working within a company whose product is causing harm. With visceral storytelling and a poignant coming-of-age narrative, Ravishing offers a searing critique of body image, corporate greed, and the complex relationship we have with our own identities.

I want to thank NetGalley for sending me a ARC for me to review.

I do agree with a lot of reviewers here that I enjoyed how the book delves into how the beauty industry can affect society, and I enjoyed how got the two perspectives from outside the company and inside.

However, I did find myself finding myself not drawn to it as much as I thought I would, though wonderfully written.

3.5/5 for me.

This is a really strong debut that focuses on a brother and sister, one who dives deep into a startup that focuses on beauty technology, and his younger sister who's dealing with their father abandoning the family and the normal teenage fears, and starts using the product the brother is working on. Yes, it focuses a lot on the horrors of the corporate startup culture and what it's willing to do to the people who buy it, and what girls are told as they're growing up. But there's a unique angle in that Surya also looks hard at the grief of seeing someone who abandoned you so clearly reflected in your own features, and is honest about why she buys into what the company offers. Great debut and a name I'll be keeping an eye on.

There is so much to say about this novel, which tackles so many issues which feel pertinent — especially to those of us who feel 'othered' by western society and dominate culture. It reads much like a Black Mirror episode in many ways, which made it a personally compelling read.

Kashmira and Nikhail are siblings with whom we venture into this story — the sister who wants nothing more than the love and acceptance of her father, willing to go to extremes to transform herself into someone seemingly worthy of the things she so desperately wants. Then there is the brother who wants to change the world through the perceived empowerment of those who use Evolvoir, all the while remaining estranged from his sister, and her own needs.

The novel not only explores the ideas of self-image and the way society impacts that, but also power dynamics in many forms, as well as the true cost of 'beauty'. This was a fantastic novel that I could not stop reading, and plan to revisit in the near future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this ARC.

I had so much fun reading this. I expected something similar to Ling Ling Huang’s Natural Beauty and an exploration of race and the beauty industry but this was different.

Rather than looking at white washing and European beauty standards, this book looks at trauma, erasure of cultural identity by your parents, neglect and abandonment, and the pain of seeing someone who’s hurt you in your reflection. I loved seeing Kashmira use Evolvoir’s products to feel comfortable engaging in her culture rather than using them to erase it like you might expect in a book like this.

I do feel that the timeline for this book just being a summer is too short. Things happen incredibly fast and character development seems to happen overnight rather than throughout the story. I also found Nikhil’s character to not quite be believable, but will enjoyed following along with him through the story.

The concept of this book is amazing. I would recommend to anyone looking for a book with commentary on beauty, age, self-concept, or self-image.

I struggled with the writing at times. The pacing seemed uneven -- at times I flew through the text and at other times it dragged on and on. The main plot is promising, and there are many subplots of dense material. By the end, it felt like the book was doing too much.

I kept thinking it might be cool to hint to the other big themes and write a completely different book bringing each of those issues to the forefront.

3.5/5

The premise and storyline of this book was unique and something I want to explore more in future reads. The book felt very much like black mirror x the substance vibes which I found to be super interesting and enjoyed.

The idea of a beauty product that can change your face to a completely different one is a really intriguing concept and one that feels like it could become a reality soon.

What I liked about this book is that we saw two different perspectives of the product and company, one from the consumer side through Kashmira and one from the corporate side through Nikhial.

I found Kashmira’s perspective to be the most interesting including her desperation to erase her features and her willingness to sacrifice almost anything to achieve this. It also serves as important commentary on issues faced in society like the obsession and fixation with changing parts of yourself and the extremities people go to achieve their “perfect look”.

In some parts, the story was quite slow and dragged on a little bit. The book also covered alot of heavy topics like generational trauma, assimilation, struggles with identifying with culture, family trauma and issues, self image issues, difficulty with relationships, corporate greed and predatory companies. Although they are all important topics, I think the wide range of topics covered made it difficult to give appropriate attention and thought to each topic.

Thank you netgalley/grove atlantic/roxane gay books for the arc!

I DNF'd the book. The writing style just wasn't for me. It's hard for me to get into a book that starts off so ambiguously. You're reading about characters that aren't named. I don't like starting out feeling so confused.

3.5 stars.

This was an interesting story. I really like the premise and themes (and this book covers a lot - self-image/identity, the beauty/tech industry, race, family, embracing culture versus assimilating, chronic illness, grief, generational trauma, self-acceptance, friendship, coming of age, and more). I struggled a little with the beginning, but really enjoyed the end.

In terms of the beginning, I was having trouble fulling immersing myself/connecting with the story. I think I wanted more on Vinod. Right away, we're introduced to the fact that he has left the family and filed for divorce, and that Kashmira struggles when she looks in the mirror and sees his face. Instead of having this told to us right off the bat, I wanted to see it play out - maybe a few scenes at the start that lead up to when he abandons the family, a few moments examining the family ties, rather than just spelling it out. I felt distant from this conflict at first because I felt distant from what really went down in the family.

Over the course of the story, there are flashbacks that fill in some of the gaps, and I appreciated those. However, I still think having a few scenes in the present moment, rather than looking back, would have decreased the distance that I felt.

I really enjoyed the sections of the book that focused on chronic illness. The depictions of the character's mental and physical state were vivid, resonant, and impactful. I also enjoyed the character growth of several characters that happened in this section. I loved seeing them grieve and grow together, making a place for their changing selves in a changing world.

I also liked that we got to see two sides of Evolvoir - the consumer side, through Kashmira's point of view, and the behind-the-scenes side, through Nikhil's point of view. It was also interesting to see how they both grappled with their relationship to their father in different ways.

Overall, Ravishing is a compelling read, although it took awhile to draw me in. I would recommend to people who want to read a Black Mirror-esque take on the beauty industry, stories that closely examine chronic illness, or stories that take a close look at personal identity in the midst of familial, cultural, and societal expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Ravishing” offers a bold and incisive critique of the beauty industry’s almost cult-like obsession with youth and conformity. Eshani Surya intricately weaves a dark and surreal tapestry that delves into the labyrinthine complexities of identity, the pervasive and often invasive influence of technology, and the heavy, unrelenting toll of transformation on the human spirit. The narrative evokes a vivid portrayal of how brutal beauty standards can contort one’s very essence, leaving indelible scars on both body and soul.

At the heart of this narrative is Kashmira, whose tumultuous journey is ignited by deep-seated feelings of abandonment linked to her father’s emotional distance. His rejection looms over her like a vast chasm, severing her connection to the vibrant tapestry of their Indian heritage and abruptly cutting her off from the rich cultural ties that once shaped her identity. Rather than extinguishing her spirit, this rejection acts as a catalyst, igniting a fervent obsession with the very things she has always been denied. When the enigmatic Evolvoir—a revolutionary and almost mythical beauty elixir that promises to reshape one’s physical appearance—bursts onto the market, Kashmira seizes the opportunity. She views it as a desperate attempt to obliterate the haunting shadows of her past, embarking on a relentless quest to claim this transformative elixir, blissfully unaware of the profound consequences that her fervent desires might entail.

In stark contrast, her estranged brother Nikhil perceives Evolvoir through a different lens. For him, the elixir symbolizes empowerment, a lifeline for those imprisoned by a society that often neglects mental health resources. He envisions the alteration of one’s appearance not merely as a superficial remedy but as a significant act of self-determination—an empowering journey for the marginalized to reclaim their visual narratives in a culture that so often renders them invisible.

As unsettling revelations about the true effects of Evolvoir unfold like dark petals, the siblings are plunged into a harrowing moral and existential reckoning. They are compelled to confront profound questions: Who truly holds the power over beauty? Who has the authority to dictate which faces are considered worthy or acceptable? What existential crises emerge when individuals face a reflection so foreign that they can no longer recognize their own essence? Surya’s incisive prose strips away the glossy veneer of the beauty industry, laying bare its predatory and opportunistic core.

This narrative transcends mere self-image. It skillfully navigates themes of power dynamics, capitalist exploitation, and the disquieting implications of advancements in beauty technology. Disturbing yet invigorating, “Ravishing” unfolds as a compelling contemporary horror story, draped in the beguiling yet haunting language of self-improvement. It emerges as essential reading for anyone captivated by the intricate interplay of beauty, technology, and the ceaseless quest for autonomy in an ever-evolving cultural landscape.

Ravishing, by Eshani Surya, is the story of two siblings and their struggles to deal with a difficult father and how his edicts on separation from their cultural identity affected the sibling's identity politics and relationships with others.

Seventeen year old Kashmira sees herself as the spitting image of her father and cannot escape from his recent abandonment when she looks in the mirror. A friend introduces her to a new product called Evolvir that changes the shape of her face and she jumps at the chance to use it. At the same time her brother Nikhil is working for the company that produces the product and he sees it as a form of therapy to heal traumatic wounds. Since the siblings are not currently on speaking terms the fallout on both sides is hidden and intensely detrimental as Kashmira becomes ill and Nikhil hits turmoil at work.

Wow, this is one of those books that I simultaneously wanted to devour, and at the same time, I didn't want it to end. The story here was in many ways different from my lived experience, but I still found so much that I identified with. Such a well written, unique story that explores that complex relationships we have with our families and how it impacts our sense of self, not to mention an in depth look at beauty standards, mental health and how online culture impacts the individual. The heart of the novel explores cultural identity and how dissonance within us impacts our sense of who we are, where we belong, and our relationship with our bodies, through wellness and sickness alike.

The writing on pain, illness, hospitalizations and healing not being linear was so relatable to me as someone who has endured chronic pain and chronic illness since I was a teen. At times I thought the book could be called Ravaging instead of Ravishing with its to how illness affects our outlooks vs our inner struggles. A wonderfully written, beautifully told story. Five stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.