This book suffered from a lack of clear direction. I couldn’t find anything to hold on to because I didn’t feel rooted in the story

A dream-like, whimsy, beautiful story about sisterhood, imagination, exploration and finding purpose. Great for fans of 'The Starless Sea' and 'Piranessi'.

Mad Sisters of Esi is a psychedelic dream of a novel in which style occasionally outpaces substance. As an academic myself, I really enjoy the narrative framing, which jumps between the perspective of two mysterious sisters and an archivist piecing together details of their life and legacy. I generally being thrown into stories with minimal context: however, this is only successful if elaborated on with strong world-building. Mad Sisters of Esi often leans so strongly into the abstract that it loses comprehensibility. I honestly feel that this story could have worked with one part devoted to exploring the interior worlds of the Whale, and a second part devoted entirely to the archivist's perspective. Though her insights provided valuable context. it would have been more straightforward to have the stories separate rather than switching back and forth. .

Mad Sisters of Esi by Tashan Mehta

Waves of holographic imagery descend upon our senses. Floating as if our eyes are open underwater, gazing at the sunrays peering through the surface. Tashan Mehta, our maestro of this wonderful ethereal experience, places readers in the belly of the beast, or rather, a whale in this instance. Alongside her sister Myung, Laleh toils within the vastness of the Whale of Babel. In its enormity of undiscovered chambers, readers will bask in the dreamlike state the story offers.

Hopscotching along, the novel travels through time and space. I reached a certain amount of reading vertigo, my mind spinning at discoveries and observations. As the overloading of senses continued, I found myself enthralled with the two sisters. The vivid landscapes of the world nudged me further to explore.

The book is flooded with ancestral roots and traditions passed down from generation to generation. As the sisters unearth more history about this time and place, a clever placement of an island, Ojda, a living, sentient being, begins to tell a story of the past that shockingly intertwines with the present.

Losing our sister is tragic, and the novel tugs at the readers' heartstrings throughout. The emotional highs and lows will seem like riding an emotional roller coaster. Mehta’s writing elicits a spiritual response from the reader. If you have ever practiced mindfulness, you have a keen sense of awareness of your surroundings. The tale has that effect and reminds you of these individual thought patterns of basking in the glow of living flora all around. As real as if you could reach within the pages of the book itself and touch a leaf or eat a piece of fruit.

The book skitters upon this ketamine-induced dreamlike state. Euphoric and nightmarish in delivery, we float. To find the answers within the illusions of the sister’s lineage. For madness is the enemy in this tale. A state that induces fear amongst others in society. What is it to be mad? Crazy? Perhaps it is more than simply making outlandish observations and relaying that message to anyone who will listen. Insane thinking brings forth a certain amount of brilliance.

As I read some comments about this book, it was compared favorably to Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. I can see why the comparison was made. While the novel’s plot is simplistic in its stripped-down form, ultimately our interpretation lends to its uniqueness, hence leading to a varied reading journey for readers. Materializing like a smoky haze, thus allowing one to process the impact scene by scene, page by page.

In parting, the creativity and ambitiousness were off the charts. While I can’t decisively say the entire book resonated with me, I was, however, engaged throughout. Much like Piranesi, there will be individuals who love this type of work, but there will also be people who don’t get it. In my eyes, there is no denying the beauty of the world-building. Complex, dense, and satisfying!

I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars. Recommended for lovers of that cerebral-type endeavor.

Many thanks to DAW for the ARC through NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.

What a fever dream of a novel.

I had to dnf at 37% because I just felt so bored about everything despite so many mysteries being explored.

The writing is gorgeous and I really enjoyed the beginning when the sisters are exploring the whale together. The whale of Babel ! What a concept !

But then once they are separated it just became so confusing and I couldn't follow anymore. It's confusing in a way dreams are, if you choose to just flow into I'm sure you will love it because the writing style is really nice but it just did not work for me. Making one of the sister just a spectator of the other's story was such a weird choice. I did not care nor understand the whole Osdja Kita dynasty thing going on.

A big miss for me but I see so many people enjoying it so it could be a me thing.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book

Thanks to DAW for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was hooked by the whale world, and reeled in by in-world academic articles with footnotes. But the real highlights were the gorgeous imagery all throughout the book and the love and longing of the characters. The shifting perspectives, the power of creation and story, the family and friendships - so much love and beauty, even when it's bittersweet. Highly recommend for fans of more literary, slow and reflective fantasy.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

I like books that don't follow a standard hero's journey or quest narrative, and wow, is this in that category. This one has--and this by itself should tell you a large part of whether you want to read it--a gigantic whale of space--in space? but also comprising space? and multiple worlds inside the whale, that part is certain. Doors into unfolding different worlds, all inside the whale.

The whale used to be something else, but *what* else is a spoiler.

So there is more worldmaking than worldhopping here, and the titular sisters--there are two pairs of candidates for the title--are trying to figure out what madness means in their context. It is not a book that is trying to make a commentary on mental health in our own context, or if it is, it's being very roundabout and obscure about it. But there is a lot about how cultures construe madness, sanity, fitting in and not.

And there are indeed sisterhoods, very strong sororal relationships. And also space whale. Which you might like, and if so, step right up, here it is.

This is one of the few cases where I wholely understand and subscribe to the comparison to another well-known novel: "Mad Sisters of Esi" by Tashan Mehta is indeed a fitting recommendation for anyone who enjoyed "Piranesi" by Susanna Clarke, I think. And yet it is very much its own thing that doesn't need to borrow graces or glories from others.

I will keep my review as vague, contentwise, as possible so as not to spoil the magic for anyone.

The world, or rather worlds of the story are as mysterious and enchanting as the characters themselves - because you could say there are (at least) three: the world of the Whale, the world of the Library, and the World of the Black Sea. They overlap and intertwine and sometimes seem to be contained in one another, but in the end I'd say they are quite separate things. And in each world you encounter characters that you, as a reader, can explore these worlds with. But the world-building has another aspect that I found extremely interesting: This book not only contains the central storyline and stories told in that story - it also contains, lets say, clippings from scientific and philosophical texts about the world(s) of the book that relate to the parts of the story preceding them, but also refer and recur to each other, excerpts from diaries and stories from a fairytale collection published in one of the worlds. This may sound complicated, but actually adds layers and depth to the world-building as well as the characters.

Without telling too much, I think I can say that the central motif of this novel is love - but not the romantic variety. It's about the kind of platonic love that makes people family as much as (if not more than) blood. The love that allows you to be yourself in front of others, knowing that they will love you no less without expecting things of you in return. Even if that means following you into what others think madness.
It's a story of sisters, by love, not blood, who are willing to part from each other for the other's sake but also ready to tear apart the universe to get to each other just to hold them again. And it's also a story about the magic of imagination, of magical worlds and creatures that can be dreamed into existence, sentient islands, and barriers of time that get flimsy and permeable at times.

"Mad Sisters of Esi" is to come out on August 5th, 2025 - and I highly recommend to keep an eye out for it to anyone who likes their fantastical reads a bit more experimental, unusual, and maybe just a hint surreal.

This was such a mind-bending fever dream! Half the time I had no idea what was going on but in a good way. I was immediately swept into the imagery of these worlds and galaxies in a whale, swimming in the great black sea of the universe. The way the islands change, the way maps are more akin to a story, it was all just so fascinating.

The two sisters, man. I love those two girls. My hear feels full and yet in pain all at once. Their relationship and the distance between them was so bitter sweet.

It was beautiful!

There were some points where things felt slow. In most cases, it was fine because it felt like it was meant to be that way. It's the kind of story you need to really sink into, to spend some time in. And that's ok, but there were some parts where I felt things felt a little too slow.

Overall, I really enjoyed this! It was so unique and unlike anything I've read before.

3.5 stars!

I'm still not sure what I just read, this is one of those books where you have to ignore logic and let your imagination run wild! Great story and characters, I can see this becoming a movie someday!

A beautifully written, genre-bending novel that explores sisterhood, memory, and identity through lyrical prose and a surreal, metaphysical world. Tashan Mehta crafts an ambitious narrative that challenges conventional storytelling while staying rooted in emotional depth. Thought-provoking and unique—best suited for readers who enjoy literary speculative fiction.

If you like your books to be lyrical, atmospheric, dream like, creative and so much more, please consider reading this one! While I'll say I was initially intrigued and loved the way this book was taking shape, I just could not stick with it after a certain point and decided to DNF at 50%. However, I don't think that should deter readers as I'm definitely glad I gave this book a shot and I may consider trying it again one day. I feel that readers are going to love this book with is creative imagery and relationships and even though I didn't finish it (for now) I can see how this book will be beloved by many.

Thank you NetGalley and DAW for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mehta’s careful prose (yes this book has me using that word) transports you into a world of creation, nature, and a poignant relationship between two sisters. The plot is very intricate and extravagant, reading almost as vividly as the coloring used for the cover. The stand out factor in this novel for me is the love between the two sisters yet not sisters, where their connection is so strong the readers may find themselves tearing up (like I did).
Mad Sisters of Esi requites a lot of concentration to read. With so many details, vastly changing landscapes, multiple intertwined POVs, and high fantasy concepts, this book really challenged my mind. If you are looking for a book that is different from most of the fantasy reads out there, I think this book would be a highlight for you. The women in this novel will linger in your mind and it is an almost psychedelic reading experience.

I received a free copy from DAW via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Publish date August 5th.

I requested this book because I was intrigued by the striking cover. Pink whale! In Mad Sisters of Esi, Laleh and Myung wander together through an endless series of worlds on the infinite interior of a universe-whale. When Myung leaves the whale and her sister to seek the outside world, her story becomes entangled with the tale of the woman who created the whale and also lost her sister.

Mad Sisters of Esi is set in a world that felt a touch like Piranesi by way of Sinbad the Sailor. There are charlatan alchemists, a maliciously shape-shifting island, a centennial festival of madness that must never by spoken about, sailors travelling on the spacelike black sea to different world-islands. Mehta intersperses the text with snippets of fictional historical commentary and folktales, much more substantial than the usual chapter header type quotes, which give the novel the impression of a collected folder of found media.

Despite the surface-level vibrance of the worldbuilding, it progresses with a dreamlike irrationality. The worldbuilding is lush and whimsical, but everything outside of the sharply defined light of the narration feels shadowed and indistinct. Mehta is content to leave the world relatively unstructured and focus instead on the central theme of the story, the bond between sisters. While there is a minor romantic subplot, the story spends the most time on the bond between Laleh and Myung, and of the sisters Magali and Wisa before them. When separated, both pairs of sisters will break the world to find their sibling.

Dreamlike and strange, but ultimately a little unfocused. I think Mad Sisters of Esi would make a fantastic short story or novella, but it struggled to carry the weight of over four hundred pages.

This book managed to navigate massive concepts, the alchemy of infinite universes within universes and malleable threads of time, without getting lost in its daring scope.

At its heart, this is a story of sisters, and the intimate exploration of those relationships was my favourite part of the book. We learn about two pairs of sisters, Laleh and Myung in the present timeline as well as Wisa and Magali in the past. Both storylines explore these womens' lives, their relationships to one another and how their sisterhood affects their own personal identity, oscillating between codependent and isolated, clashing and longing for one another.

When I reached the end, I found myself wanting more conclusion to Wisa and Magali's story, while I felt Laleh and Myung's ending felt just right. The lyrical prose of this book certainly leaves much to think about and puzzle out even after finishing the book.

This book was so weird, intriguing, beautifully written, heartbreaking and confusing. The world was so strange and interesting. I loved the themes of family and shared stories throughout this.

A magical universe in a whale, a traveller tracking down myths and peeling away all the layers to fund the truth, and a museum you can visit by tapping you ear. This is the Mad Sisters of Esi, and it is truly magical. And mad. Completely mad. I loved it.

Mad Sisters of Esi does have a really ambitious world building and multiple story lines spread over time and place. At first it's almost a bit daunting, but everything comes together nicely in the end. Tashan Mehta manages to pull it of without a stone left unturned. Because mad, anrgy islands will do that for you. Turn stones I mean. And grow flowers. And try to push your house off a cliff.

Mad Sisters of Esi was the book I didn't know I needed right now. I dont want to write wo much about the story itself. It's better explored first hand. But Mad Sisters of Esi cover a range of topics, loss, friendship, found family and love. It's about being different. It's about searching for something more. Being curious with the world around you. It's about being brave. And scared. And loved. It's a book about sisters.

Beautifully written and entirely unique. This felt stylistically reminiscent of This is How You Lose The Time War and with similar themes as Piranesi - two outstanding fantasy’s to compare against! The pacing is slow and intricate, and really demands your full attention and presence in the story. It definitely took me a while to get settled into this world and not get too lost in the ether of it all, but I had such an enjoyable time following these characters’ different (yet also very like-minded) perspectives of their respective existences. Would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for an escape from the mainstream and some truly beautiful prose.

3.5 rounded up. Gorgeous atmosphere, beautifully crafted, just not for me. It's dreamy, floaty fantasy and strong themes of family and loneliness -- if that sounds intriguing, give this a shot!!

I wanted to love this one. Living in a whale??? UGH, super super cool. Reminds me of that Kingdom Hearts Monstro level. And the premise had me curious from the start—twisty, layered, and surreal. It’s dreamlike in a way that feels deliberate and immersive, like you’re just steeping yourself in this world. The writing is lyrical, maybe even hypnotic at times. It’s clearly a book crafted with care.

It just didn’t quite click for me. I'm not a patient reader. I get confused easily because I struggle with attention. The story drifts between timelines and perspectives, and while that fits the ethereal tone, I had trouble figuring out what was most important. The plot felt loose. The ending didn’t hit with the kind of emotional solidness I was looking for. And it was kinda sad.

The characters felt a little underdeveloped but their relationships were well-defined - that's a really interesting conundrum for me. This is more of a personal preference—I gravitate hard toward character-driven stories where emotional arcs ground the weirdness. This book was airy, saturated in concept and vibe, but I wanted more weight, more grit to hold onto.

So while it didn’t fully land for me, I still admire what the author built here. The world is strange and elegant, the writing is thoughtful, and I think readers who love surreal, poetic fantasy will really connect with it. This is less a critique and more a personal mismatch. It’s not about quality—it’s about taste. And this one just wasn’t quite mine.

This is an absolutely gorgeous, lyrical as hell novel. We get a blend of individual stories that focus on sisterhood and finding and learning more about yourself in the wider world and community, with a larger scale story of an island that regularly goes mad and is trying to figure out what stories are actually real and what they want to pass down when their own pasts are so unclear. It's about the power of stories on both an individual and cultural level, and also giant space whales and surreality and reality melting down while you're at it. This comes out this summer, and is absolutely worth your time when it does.