Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

33 reviews

yourbookishbff's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri builds a dark and almost claustrophobic fantasy world, set in an alt-India with central conflicts that are largely inspired by South Asian history and a deeply spiritual and elemental magic system. We have all the usual forces at work - an evil emperor, a slow-boiling revolution, and a colonized nation fighting for survival. While the action in this story is confined almost entirely to the shifting walls of an ancient and mysterious temple as our political coup takes shape, this tight focus is counterbalanced with rapidly rotating POVs through a large cast of characters. 

At the center of our story, we have three primary female characters - Malini, Priya, and Bhumika - each navigating trauma and their own fight for agency and freedom. Suri develops complex, morally gray women, and Malini, the exiled sister of the emperor, and Priya and Bhumika, former temple children, each challenge the traditional roles often cast for women in fantasy. Malini is openly manipulative and ruthlessly seeks power and agency, while Priya explores the potentially monstrous aspects of her own power and the paths available to her people in their fight for liberation. And while Malini and Priya circle each other for the majority of the story, Bhumika, a side character with main character energy, observes from the shadows, building an army of loyal followers while she works around and against her husband and the empire he serves. At each turn, our female main characters outmaneuver the power-wielding men in their lives, at times in partnership and at times in opposition, but always to advance their own goals. 

This is epic fantasy perfect for readers who love She Who Became the Sun, by Shelley Parker-Chan, and not only for its strong sapphic romance arc (which is, of course, excellent). This, like She Who Became the Sun, explores the moral sacrifices people make for power, the bloody history of empire and the magic inherent to our world and its ghosts. I loved it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Grief, Classism, Misogyny, Child death, Colonisation, Blood, Xenophobia, Violence, Murder, and Child abuse

Moderate: Medical content, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, and War

pagecalico's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I loved this book soooo much especially the relationship between Priya and Malani!!! The magic system is so unique and i loved the world building as well!! 
The writing was so amazing and kept me so intrigued with the story!
Cant wait to read the second book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Misogyny

eidiya's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Addiction, Body horror, Death, Child death, Colonisation, War, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Xenophobia

fairyollie's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

wow. Tasha Suri is a force to be reckoned with here in fiction: her prose is lyrical and stunning; her worlds rich and robust; her characters complex, and I couldn't get enough. I am a big fan of epic fantasy, of complexity, of chaos, of rebellion and revolution, of political intrigue, and especially of sapphic couples, and all of those loves (and more) bloomed abundantly here. beautiful book, just stunning

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Confinement, Misogyny, War, Sexism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Grief, Death, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Child abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

remescient's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I wanted to love this book more than I did, but I think it really needed a more ruthless editor. There are parts that just get too mired in dialogue to be enjoyable, and the

imprisonment on the Hirana

could have benefitted from tighter writing. On the positive side, I adored the world building and the characters were interesting. It's a beautiful world, I hope we get to see more of it in the next book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Death, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Emotional abuse

readingwithkaitlyn's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Violence, War, Blood, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Racism, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Sexism

Moderate: Colonisation, Body horror, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Suicide, Torture, Alcohol, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Child death, Death of parent, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Starvation, homelessness, brothels.

miraclesnow's review against another edition

adventurous challenging tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A very interesting read, in which deep worldbuilding and a mix of romance, politics, and religion and very well interweaved. Unfortunately I only really enjoyed one character and not too deeply, but the plot was very well done and I will be reading more eventually.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Colonisation, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy

arkenstoner's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Colonisation, and Xenophobia

plesiosaurys's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

personally, i found the romance to be mediocre, but the way this book handles culture, religion, and colonialization is fantastic. some of the best ive ever seen. the only thing i found disappointing was [mild spoilers]

the religion revolves around nature and the forest, but actual descriptions of nature and the forest are vague and nondescript. we have no idea what the wildlife here is like, and the main character who practices this religion doesn't seem interested in learning.

it's the one area where the world feels flat. hopefully this will be addressed in the next book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Confinement, Grief, Misogyny, Death, Child abuse, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, War, Child death, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Death of parent, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Addiction, Drug use, and Violence

leanne_miron's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Child death, Death, Addiction, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Genocide, Misogyny, Pregnancy, and Violence

Minor: Homophobia and Lesbophobia