Ravishing is a darkly hypnotic novel that peels back the seductive veneer of the beauty industry to expose its corrosive power over identity and self-worth. Through the intertwined lives of Kashmira and Nikhil, two Indian American siblings, the story offers a searing critique of technology-driven beauty culture and its insidious effects on the body and mind.

Kashmira’s journey is particularly gut-wrenching. Haunted by her resemblance to the father who abandoned her, she becomes obsessed with Evolvoir—a beauty tech product that allows users to alter their facial features. What begins as an alluring escape from her grief spirals into a dangerous dependency, blurring the line between self-improvement and self-erasure. The novel handles her descent with unsettling precision, capturing the raw vulnerability of a young woman willing to rewrite her face to dull her pain.

Meanwhile, Nikhil’s narrative offers a chilling glimpse into the corporate machine behind Evolvoir. His initial optimism about the company’s potential is quickly tainted by the moral rot beneath its glossy exterior. As reports of severe side effects emerge, Nikhil is forced to confront the human cost of the company’s unchecked ambition, leading to a tense and heartbreaking reckoning.

What makes Ravishing so powerful is its fearless portrayal of the psychological and physical violence inflicted by the beauty industry. The prose is sharp and atmospheric, weaving a surreal and often disorienting tone that mirrors Kashmira’s unraveling reality. The novel doesn’t just examine external transformation—it lays bare the emotional disfigurement that comes with losing oneself in pursuing perfection.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Insidious and twisted, this is a stunning debut that offers a clever, biting critique on the perils of the beauty industry.

Focused on siblings Kashmira and Nikhil, it offers a dual perspective on the growing beauty brand Evolvoir and the emerging controversies associated with it.

What if you could change your face without surgery? That's what Evolvoir promises with its cream, something that Kashmira falls prey to in a desperate bid to disassociate herself from her estranged father. On the other side, Nikhil is newly recruited to be a part of Evolvoir and promotes it heavily, only to find it has unexpected consequences.

I thought this was a brilliant novel, written with an elegant argument, and I found it reminiscent of Uglies by Scott Westerfield with the added pressure of growing up as an Indian-American. It's the kind of book that will stay with you, long after reading.

This book. Just wow. WOW. it's such a great story, The characters, cultural mix. I thought this book really made a statement. I am still absorbing it and will probably update my review again with more thoughts, but for now, just know - this is a must read!

"Pretty can’t take the place of real."

A truly brilliant exploration of the beauty industry and social media as well as racial identity and chronic illness. 'Ravishing' is well-written, blunt, and well-paced while not getting caught up in flowery language or over-explaining its points. One of the things I appreciated about the book was how it wasn't a perfect, happy tie-up but neither was it tragic. It felt realistic and compassionate to the characters and others who have struggled with self-image and illness. 'Ravishing ;is true sci-fi realism. I could honestly see everything in this book happening in the near future which speaks for the book's well-timed commentary.

If the blurb interests you, please pick this novel up. In addition, I think 'Ravishing' would be a good reading choice for a book club or for a parent of a teenager concerned about how social media and beauty myths are affecting their child.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

A sharp and unsettling critique of the beauty industry’s cult-like hold on youth, and homogeneity, Ravishing is a novel that lingers long after the final page. Eshani Surya weaves a dark, surreal story of identity, technology, and the cost of transformation, exposing how deeply beauty standards can shape and break a person’s sense of self.

Kashmira’s father abandoned their family and distanced her from their Indian heritage, forbidding her from even making Indian friends. Instead of keeping her away, his rejection fuels her obsession with what she was denied. When Evolvoir, a revolutionary new beauty product that can physically alter a person’s features, hits the market, Kashmira sees it as a way to erase the parts of herself that remind her of him and does whatever it takes to get her hands on it.

Her estranged brother, Nikhil, approaches Evolvoir from the corporate side, convinced that changing one’s face could offer an escape to those who cannot afford mental health care. Instead of seeing it as a temporary fix, he views it as a radical form of self-determination, a way for the underprivileged to reclaim control over how they are seen.

But as secrets emerge about Evolvoir’s true effects, the siblings are forced to question everything: Who controls beauty? Who decides whose face is acceptable? And what happens when a person no longer recognizes themselves?

Surya’s prose is razor-sharp, peeling back the glossy promises of the beauty industry to reveal its predatory core. This isn’t just a story about self-image, it’s about power, capitalism, and the way beauty tech exploits vulnerability.
Disturbing, thought-provoking, and impossible to put down, Ravishing is a modern horror story wrapped in the seductive language of self-improvement. A must-read for anyone fascinated by the intersection of beauty, technology, and control.

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