Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

8 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

kaziaroo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Colonisation, Genocide, Religious bigotry, War, Death, Body horror, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Gore, Homophobia, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Minor: Vomit and Alcohol

jjjreads's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Xenophobia, Confinement, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Violence, War, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Bullying, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Colonisation, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Pregnancy, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Homophobia, Medical content, and Blood

readwithria's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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? It's complicated

4.0

The Jasmine Throne immerses you in the deathless waters and the smoking pyre of an intricately beautiful world. While it took me quite some time to get into it, once I did I sped through the book. 

I loved the moral complexities, the complex worldbuilding, the magic, and the politics. The characters were a bit hit or miss for me at first, but as I continued to get to know them I grew to love them as well. I particularly enjoyed Rao, but of course, I also loved Priya and Malini.

It's hard for me to say what made this book a four star read for me and not higher. It might be because I was in a bit of a slump as I read the first half of the book, but I didn't get the *vibes* that I get with a five star book. I will definitely be continuing with the series, and will be grabbing The Oleander Sword soon!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, and Death

mistyfoot19's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark 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

4.25

I really liked this book, and would love to read the sequels and other books like it. I did find it to be a bit slow to draw me in, even though a lot of the action was ongoing for much of the book. It felt almost wrong, given the events of the book to mark it as slow-paced, but it took me a long time to get a handle on the plot. Despite that, I really loved and enjoyed the story, and the characters, and am happy I read it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Grief, Abandonment, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Violence

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Blood, War, Sexism, Pregnancy, Medical content, Homophobia, Grief, Classism, and Colonisation

lolajh'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

5.0

A BEAUTIFUL lesbian slow burn romance

(first kiss isn’t until after page 400)

between a princess and her maidservant, set in India and depicting the varieties of Indian cultures, histories, stories, and morals from different regions. And plant magic! The main characters’ corruption into morally grey characters was perfectly illustrated, creating a lot of tension and pining and unsaid thoughts between them that gave me butterflies a couple times. Their chemistry and love and developing trust for each other leads to the pair discovering and learning to love all parts of each other. They are perfect. Loved seeing some women experiencing rage and revenge and strength, especially Malini, the princess, who proved to not be the “pathetic” person women in royalty is often portrayed to be like and rather someone wanting to overthrow her brother, the emperor, for the good of her empire and people. Both Priya and Malini are such unique and independent people on their own outside of their relationship, which makes their story so special and enjoyable to read. Priya has to learn to control and manipulate her powers well enough in order to fight, (would love to see some training scenes with her and Bhumika in the next book to see her develop her fighting style) and Malini has to stand up for herself after being a doormat walked on for a lot of her life.

That forest scene where they’re surrounded and Priya circles Malini trying to protect her? SO GOOD. And then Malini proving her own power by manipulating the attackers, overcome by rage and wanting to avenge her empire from the rebels so much that she puts both of them in danger and no longer being under Priya’s protection really showed her character that I ended up truly loving. And then every single kiss scene between them is perfect - the imagery and descriptions of what each of them are thinking and doing gave me butterflies! Like the waterfall scene was perfect, as well as the scene in the tent at the end, and when they’re in the woods kissing in front of everyone and not caring about who sees. Even before they confess their feelings when Priya is still her maidservant, her being company to Malini as she gets sicker and holds her hand and washes her and tells her stories FUCK.

And when they are together, boy are they just perfect: the face touches, breathing each other’s name, forehead touches, just everything is so pure and wonderful. And despite Priya’s overwhelming strength that could overpower Malini easily, she NEVER hurts her, even when Malini is hurting Priya. She cannot bring herself to ever harm her. This book BREAKS ME.

And that ending????? Priya becoming a thrice-born elder of Ahiranya and Malini the Prijat empress? These women are powerful as FUCK. Especially Malini just becoming empress when her brother refuses, god I love her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, War, Xenophobia, Body horror, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Grief, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Terminal illness, Violence, Homophobia, Medical content, Slavery, Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, Blood, Gore, and Torture

melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-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

Holy crap I loved this book so much! I truly understand why this is part of the "Sapphic Trifecta!"

The relationship in this book is so beautiful!!!! It's a slow burn, quasi-enemies-to-lovers, and also like... these vibes. How do I explain this...This is not the relationship where they put each other above everyone else...nope, they ladies are DEVOTED to their causes and they aren't gonna let something like love stop them. I don't know I just love it.

The magic in this book is so interesting! I seriously love the River magic and the once born and twice born and thrice born! I love the Rot and everything that goes along with it. I love the world building and OMG I cannot wait for the sequel to this book!!!

10/10 highly recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Body horror, Drug use, Sexism, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Lesbophobia, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse

foreverinastory's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional slow-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

 Thank you Sapphic Trifecta.

Rep: sapphic BIPOC female MC, sapphic (lesbian coded) chronically ill female MC, BIPOC supporting cast, queer side characters mentioned in a historical context.

CWs: Abandonment, addiction, blood, past mentions of child abuse, chronic illness, colonisation, confinement, death, drug use (poison), emotional abuse, fire, injury/injury detail, lesbophobia/lesbomisia (general queerphobia/queermisia), medical content (depictions of withdrawal), misogyny, murder, physical abuse, sexism, violence, war. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, and War