This was the book we picked for our May IG Book Club. My book review as follows.
A fantastic debut work, which I highly recommend.
Title: The Star-Touched Queen
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Genre: YA/Fantasy/Romance
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: April 26, 2016
Publication Date: April 26, 2016
Language: English
Book Description
Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you're only seventeen?
Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire...
But Akaran has its own secrets -- thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most. . .including herself.
A lush and vivid story that is steeped in Indian folklore and mythology. The Star-touched Queen is a novel that no reader will soon forget.
My Thoughts
First thing I want to say is this is one of the best books I have read this year. Yes, it's that great. An amazing mix between Indian elements and Mythology.
That being said, I loved the writing style, to me this is the highlight of the entire book, magical, beautiful. I still can't believe this is a debut novel. I congratulate the Author for such an incredible story.
A magnificent world-building, all the images, how well-described the places are, how i felt part of it all, I was so immersed in this world, I wanted to know more about it, about the Otherworld, the characters, oh Maya and Amar, their relationship and what was destined for them.
What such refreshing and different the love story of Maya and Amar is. Why? Because of how real it felt to me. From the very beginning, the first time they see each other, from there, they go through difficult times but somehow they manage to stay together, maybe not physically but Maya never forgets about him. i just loved the dialogues, the interactions between them, their scenes, real, intense, powerful.
I found very interesting the story behind Maya, a 17 year old princess with a bad horoscope, everybody fears her even her father , the Raja who promises her in marriage to a prince to avoid or prevent war when Maya doesn't even want to get married, not like that anyway, not forced. Maya always wanted for her life to be something different, something else. I like how even though she suffers and goes through difficult situations, and perhaps she doesn't make the right choices, the right decisions all the time but she keeps going, she fights to find the true, she always does try to be different.
"Although I had never envisioned marriage, I had thought of love. Not the furtive love I heard muffled in the corners or rooms of some of the harem wives".
Overall, The Star-Touched Queen is a book with all the elements of an amazing story. Unforgettable characters, a magnificent setting and writing, a great mix between mythical and magical elements, romance, action and some unexpected twists. A debut novel which I totally recommend.
My Favorite Quote
"A memory is a fine legacy to leave behind".
Wendy
Wendy
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