This book was really well written but was not for me as a reader. I just couldn't connect with the writer/characters/plot.

Basu created a fascinating and entirely believable world with layers of prejudice and discrimination that avoids the black and white, right vs wrong cliche. Poppy is your classic "chosen one" caught between two worlds and isn't the most exciting main character. But the Devar brothers are a bit more interesting, and they get plenty of attention. Overall, I enjoyed the read and would read the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the advanced copy!

The formatting in this e-arc was not done well for netgalley nor for the kindle copies. I was not able to easily read it, which was quite the distraction therefore I did DNF. I am still interested in the story and will likely check it out from the library or pick up at a book store when it publishes. I do not believe in giving a poor review due to a formatting issue for a book that I was very interested in, therefore I will be providing at 3 star out of fairness. I look forward to reading this in the future for sure.

It is always so immensely impressive to me when fantasy authors know how to absolutely nail an action scene; with an intrinsic knowledge of what propels the momentum and a steady hand on the tension, “To Bargain with Mortals” truly had some of the best high action scenes I have read in fantasy.

From wild car chases through the streets of Viryana to deadly museum heists to tense standoffs between enemies, R.A. Basu is undoubtedly at her most skilled when writing action. Each of these scenes are packed with detailed world-building, emotional character development, and the intricacies of character relationships. Whether that be in a car or in the countryside, these pivotal moments allow seamlessly organic insight into the world of Viryana, and were definitely my favorite parts of the plot. But even beyond the action scenes, Basu’s world is so immense and intricate in a way that naturally provides multi-dimensional characters. The rich and diverse pantheon, the detailed history of the struggle between Welk and Viryana, the different social and political hierarchies, each facet of this world feels backed by an incredible amount of research and dedication, this is something I always appreciate in a good fantasy story.

In terms of the characters, I really enjoyed how the author does not set out intending to make Poppy or Hasan likable characters, showing the fullness of their flaws and their strengths through the struggles they have endured. I feel like to a lesser degree this ethos extended to the side characters as well and I enjoyed seeing how the plot plays with different perspective chapters as a means of expanding the way this story is told.

With that being said, I did feel like the story often had a very heavy-handed approach of telling readers how to feel about the character’s motivations and choices. This is very clearly a story centering the the multiple flavors of violence in the act of colonization, but it never felt like the story took the time to allow readers to come to their own judgements in light of all the characters’ actions. For one example, the prose repeatedly demeans the police force, deliberately forcing an anti-cop rhetoric into the forefront, instead of allowing the police’s hand in the subjugation of colonized peoples speak for itself as the reason to villainize them.

For another, it feels Hasan and his cohorts far too readily accept Poppy into their number, purely based on a level of nuanced understanding of her backstory in a way that simply felt unearned. Yes, there is a level of distrust of Poppy there, but it is always followed with an explanatory note of how she cannot help being a Viryan raised with Welkish standards. The only moment that felt emotionally authentic was in Samina’s confrontation of Poppy, but this felt like just one small scene in a sea of heavy handedness.

And to that point, there were a wealth of story choices in the last 20% of the story that felt far too obvious for ease of pushing the story to its ending. Between the seemingly last minute introduction of the sudden importance of the Second Families and the convenient characters that Hasan meets on the streets, it almost feels like the story is attempting to close out plot points in order to pave the way for this book’s sequel.

I also felt like the pacing of the story alternated between breakneck moments of high speed action or time jumps and sluggish moments of overbearing character introspection, with the middle of the story feeling extremely slow-paced. However, I feel pacing issues are highly characteristic of debut novels, so I don’t detract many points for this critique. All in all, there is no doubt the strength of this story lies in the world-building and the action sequences; these were the moments that give the story it’s initial hook and then continues to propels the story forward. However, the brow-beating of story points severely weakens the overall story for me. I still enjoyed the book, I inhaled this story in 3 days, and I fully plan on reading the sequel to see where the story takes Poppy and Hasan. But I’m also hoping the sequel leans into more subtle and drawn out methods of storytelling.

This book is for people who like a formula that already exists. Rich girl learns to grow into a woman and a leader with powers and responsibilities to her people. Very much a coming of age fantasy very much you have read it before. I do appreciate the attention paid to culture and that the male lead is written with a lot of heart and purpose and bound to his people, he is not just an asshole just to be and pretty just to be a love interest. The story is fine, it’s standard, it works.

*Thank you Bindery Books for the, To Bargain with Mortals a ARC. My opinions are my own.

A character-driven story with rich emotional bonds, especially between siblings and chosen family. Poppy and Hasan are well-developed, and Hariti quietly stole my heart. The themes of colonization and power added depth, though the physical world could’ve been more vivid. The romance is a slow burn with promise—I’m hoping for more in the sequel. A solid start with strong writing and clear POVs; I just missed that final wow factor that makes a book unforgettable. Still, I’m hooked enough to keep reading!

What a great start to this series! Poppy's struggles to fit into two worlds, both of which reject her make her an easy to cheer for MC and her connections with nearly everyone she meets make her one of my new favorites. The struggles with a society torn are also well written and thoughtful. If you like R.F Kuang, this is a lighter version of her writing style.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery for an eARC of this book!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I wanted to enjoy this one more than I did. I found it slow, and reading more YA than new adult as it’s targeted as. The world building could’ve used a little more depth and engagement. It was also hard connecting to our FMC, in the beginning I didn’t like her at all and I believe that made it harder for me to really vibe with her. Our MMC on the other hand I loved from the very start.

The overall themes of this book are heavy but it’s not something you see in a fantasy world that often which really pushed this to three stars.

I think with a little more time Basu could turn an okay book into a really great one.

If you're into fantasy but still want to have some serious topics like politics added to the mix, then this book is right up your alley! To Bargain with Mortals is an urban political fantasy that deals with colonialism and the consequences of those who are different aka ones who have the magic of old. It's a riveting tale that hooks you with its mythology, which is loosely based with Hindu mythos, and gets you till the end with its commentary on power struggles between the colonizer and the colonized.

The premise of the book hooked me in right away. The way the R.A Basu tackles themes of racism, colonialism and belonging are well done. I found that I connected with our MFC Poppy quickly and loved our MMC Hasan. I really enjoyed Hasan's story line and the interpersonal problems he faces in the book, at times I found it more interesting than the MS. I can't wait to read the next book as I hope we learn a bit more about the political system and how the magic system will come more into play.

Some areas I hope that could be improved in the next book would be the world building. I found the time period was hard to place besides the fact that the story takes place in a country which is most likely a stand in for India and England.

Finally I think the comps for the book are a bit off, I definitely think this book trends a bit more YA or new adult rather than Adult. The comps I would give would be: To shape a dragon's breath (but without the dragons), Blood over Brighthaven (for revolution story arc)

Overall, this is a great story about being caught between two worlds and struggling to feel accepted in either which is something a lot of people will connect with and enjoy reading about.

Thank you to Netgally and Bindery book for an eARC copy, all opinions are my own and honest views.

In *To Bargain With Mortals*, debut author R.A. Basu lights the first spark of what promises to be a politically charged, emotionally layered duology. Set in a fantasy world loosely inspired by colonial India, the novel deftly navigates themes of power, privilege, resistance, and the soul-deep scars of empire. This is a story of fire—divine and destructive—and the mortals who dare to wield it.

At the novel’s core are two seemingly opposing figures: Poppy Sutherland, the adopted daughter of the colonial viceroy, and Hasan, the feared leader of the Jackals, a revolutionary gang with divine fire running through their veins. Their first encounter crackles with danger and ideological friction—he, the embodiment of resistance; she, a woman raised in the halls of the oppressor but haunted by the liminality of her own identity. Brown-skinned but Welkish-raised, Poppy lives in the aching space between—never quite enough for either world. Her transformation from a passive pawn of empire into a woman who begins to reckon with power, complicity, and revolution is one of the novel’s central arcs.

Basu does not shy away from the brutality of colonial violence. From systemic starvation and forced labor to microaggressions and cultural erasure, *To Bargain With Mortals* wears its anger and urgency with pride. It’s a book that challenges readers to sit with discomfort, to confront hard truths, and to reject simplistic binaries. As one character reminds us: “The cost of revolution is always blood.”

That said, the novel’s greatest strength lies in its interrogation of intersectional oppression. Poppy’s moments of awakening are both painful and illuminating—not just for her, but for the reader. Her dialogues with Hasan and other Virians shine brightest when they call out her internalized bias and challenge her self-perception. At times, the messaging can be heavy-handed, but it's also clear that Basu *wants* readers to wrestle with these ideas rather than escape into fantasy. This isn’t a book where rebellion is symbolic—it’s lived, embodied, and borne with bloodied hands.

Hasan, on the other hand, is a more complicated creation—not quite the morally gray antihero one might expect from a gang leader. At times, he reads more like a revolutionary philosopher in disguise, noble to a fault, with his edges sanded down by idealism. While this makes him a powerful counterpoint to Poppy’s hesitant morality, it also blunts the realism of his character. He speaks of fire, but too often feels like smoke: poetic, impressive, but not always convincing.

Still, the romance between them is compelling in its tension. It’s not a sweeping love story—it’s a slow, reluctant thawing of two people forged by different fires. Their chemistry is built more on dialogue and ideological clash than physical longing, but that makes it feel earned. You root for them not because they’re meant to be, but because their growth demands it.

Stylistically, Basu’s prose is accessible and direct, occasionally elevated by moments of poetic clarity. The pacing is brisk, perhaps to a fault—certain emotional beats, particularly toward the end, feel rushed in favor of setup for the sequel. The world-building, too, flirts with brilliance but sometimes stumbles. The fusion of steampunk-like tech with a semi-Victorian aesthetic is intriguing but underexplored, and the elemental magic system hints at deeper lore that’s yet to be unearthed.

But what *To Bargain With Mortals* lacks in polish, it makes up for in passion. It is a book with teeth. With heart. And with questions it refuses to answer for you.

R.A. Basu has crafted a bold, unflinching debut that blends fantasy with anti-colonial critique, divine fire with human fury. Imperfect but important, *To Bargain With Mortals* will resonate with fans of R.F. Kuang, Saaba Tahir, and readers who prefer their fantasy grounded in the brutal poetry of resistance.

To Bargain with Mortals, the first book in the Reckoning Storm duology, immerses readers in the colonized nation of Viryana, where the adopted daughter of the Viceroy, Poppy Sutherland, must reconcile her dual identities—among the white colonial elite and her native brown-skinned heritage. Upon discovering her fiancé’s scheme to exile her, Poppy makes a daring escape at her own engagement party, only to be captured by Hasan Devar, a notorious gang leader known as the Jackal, whose family’s divine magic has been suppressed by colonial powers .

Basu’s debut is filled with richly imagined world-building and layered political intrigue. The magic system, subtly tied to cultural lore and religion, is woven thoughtfully into the narrative’s colonial themes. The story confronts challenging topics—colonization, classism, colorism, and resistance—through Poppy’s eyes, making her personal journey resonate deeply with themes of identity and belonging. Poppy evolves from a conflicted insider to a figure of resistance, while Hasan’s transformation—from feared criminal to reluctant ally—adds emotional depth.

However, this novel isn’t without its critiques. Hasan’s moral ambiguity lacked nuance early on, making his transformation feel abrupt. Also, the pacing slowed in the first half, heavy on dialogue and exposition, with certain revelations feeling predictable and the ending somewhat rushed.

To Bargain with Mortals delivers a thoughtful and compelling political fantasy debut. Its exploration of colonialism, cultural reclamation, and individual transformation makes for a captivating tale—even if its pacing and character transitions aren’t flawless. Fans of layered world-building, morally complex characters, and socially conscious fantasy will find much to admire here.

First off, I want to say thank you to Bindery Books for the eARC.

I really tried to get into this book, but I had a really hard time connecting with Poppy, the FMC. I found her character to not be very strong, despite her power. I see waht the author was trying to do with the book but it fell flat. I feel like if I had been able to connect more with Poppy, it would been rated higher for me.

To Bargain With Mortals is a fictional look at the perils of colonialism, racism, and entrenched belief systems. It delves into the ideas we inherit and the choices we have to grow from experience. Much of the book is action-packed and reads like a covert thriller as it weaves thought-provoking commentary on caste systems and the danger of replacing one oppressor with another.
Without giving anything away, then ending is a little dull. It feels like a modern allegory for our current political climate- lots of action, but in the end, the actual governing is pretty dry.
All in all, I enjoyed the book.

I've waited to write this review since I have some conflicting thoughts about this one. I loved the commentary on race, classism, cultural erasure, colonization, and poverty. We also got this commentary from multiple sides with multiple POV's (even though it was confusing at times who we were reading from). However, the writing felt more YA than adult fantasy. While the characters are supposedly older (19+), I kept imagining them as 15 given the way they spoke and handled situations. The dialogue felt stilted, unnatural, and childish. There was a lot of pointing things out for the reader instead of letting the reader come to the conclusion on their own. Also, we are supposed to believe that all of these things (like starting a revolution, a character coming to terms with her power despite YEARS of suppressing it and viewing it as an abomination, a character training to use her power, etc.) happened in, like, 3 weeks?! That does not seem feasible.

I enjoyed Hasan as a character - his impulsivity, the relationships with his brothers, and the strong ideals. I'm not sure how to feel about Poppy as she felt really contradictory. At times, she reads as super smart, is able to strategize, and clearly cares about her people while other times she makes questionable decisions and is selfish in her desire for her title. I wish we had more POV's with Samina and Harithi, as they seemed like much more intriguing characters than Poppy.

Thank you to Bindery Books, Skies Press, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

To Bargain with Mortals is a rich, diverse story that threads and twines magic and politics into a colonised world. The FMC Poppy, our outcase heiress is a written incredibly well who is complexly “messy” but with a strong sense of what is right and how best to change the difficult world she lives in. Her flaws make her incredibly interesting to read and it’s refreshing to see someone sit in their bias and allow their feelings to be challenged and changed.

There was some excellent examples of difficult family dynamics with the Devar brothers and how differently they all approaching issues despite having the same upbringing.

There was some moments that felt entirely too easy so I do wonder whether book two will come out of left-field and blindside us all.

Thank you to Bindery Books and Netgalley for the review copy!

4.5 stars

When I saw this come up on Bindery's Instagram, I knew I had to request a copy based on the synopsis alone. This is the kind of book I've been looking for and I absolutely flew through it.

To Bargain With Mortals is the story of Poppy Sutherland, a Virian orphan who is adopted by the Viceroy of Viryana and his wife (who just so happen to be Welkish nobility and related to the royal family). After an incident forces Poppy to go to boarding school in Welkland, she returns to Viryana, a nation now on the brink of revolution and having to reckon with rediscovered powers and everything she thought she knew. Running along side this storyline is another, featuring a gang leader who has his own agenda to rescue his brother and use Poppy as leverage.

To Bargain With Mortals does deal explicitly with themes of colonialism and racism, and the way Poppy has to unlearn years of Welkish education when she returns to Viryana. She stubbornly clings to those ideals at the beginning of the book, but one of the things I appreciated with Poppy was her willingness to learn from those around her. She carries those lessons with her and to try and forge a better fate for Viryana, one that isn't supressed and at the mercy of colonial forces.

This is the first book in a duology and given how this one ends, I'm very curious to see where it goes next. To Bargain With Mortals is out on 28th October this year with Bindery Books and Emma Skies.

I had such high hopes for this story and unfortunately it just did not hit the story beats like I hoped it would. Giving this a 3 out of 5 stars.

What this story does do well is highlight the complexities of personal identity, especially by having Poppy and the Jackal be foils to each other in that both are from the same country but have VASTLY different socio-economic upbringings.

The magic system is really intriguing as it is tied to the local religion, but I feel like this aspect was not well fleshed out and I would have loved to learn more about it.

**⭐️⭐️⭐️.5**

Thank you to Bindery Books/Skies Press for the ARC.

I think this book has the potential to be really amazing. I enjoyed reading about South Asian representation as a POC. It was interesting to read about the colonialisation of India from the differing perspectives of the Poppy and Hasan.
The focus was definitely heavy on the court politics.
I think the characters were complex and watch them struggle and grow - when trying to navigate this world.
Overall, interesting and different.