- One-word review: Stunning
- Emojis: 🌻😳🌺🫣🌸😊🪷
- Rating: 4 🌟s
My thoughts:
Flower and Thorn by Rati Mehrotra is such a beautifully told tale of power and greed. I felt fully immersed in this world that differed from mine. The descriptions are vivid and entirely create a sensory experience.
The pacing is medium to fast as Irinya sets out on her dangerous quest to reclaim a potent and rare flower she gave away. This flower could evict the Portuguese from India, maybe not once and for all, but at least for a long while. But if the Portuguese get it, all will be lost.
The magic system is based on flowers and the magic each contains. I found that very interesting and loved the abilities of some of the flowers – the black chrysanthemum in particular. Not all flowers hold magic, just certain ones found in the Rann salt flats, which is a dangerous place for people who do not have specific inherent abilities.
There Is a romance that is a prolonged burn and feels wholly authentic. It’s a case of not seeing what’s been right before you your whole life. I just loved the pair individually and as a couple. Character development was exceptional as I could believe that each character would make the choices that they do. They each hold an element of the hero and the villain.
This is such a beautifully told tale, and the only thing that I wish had been discussed in the afterword or another area is whether it’s based on folklore and historical facts or whether it’s a world made up solely to entertain the reader.
- One-word review: Transitioning
- Emojis: 😂😳😥
- Rating: 4 🌟s
My thoughts:
There is so much to love about this series: the witty banter, the strong female characters, the delightful moral grayness that keeps you focused and guessing, and the beautifully choreographed fight scenes that played out in my head as if I was seeing it on the big screen. I just love it all! But I do have to admit that I could do with fewer pages, as it did drag a bit in the middle, but it’s such a complex story that I was it kept my attention even in the slow parts.
Still, I love that the characters are so incredibly developed. They just come to life on the page. I will forever be the biggest fan of Taishi. She just embodies all that I love about this story. But I was glad to see another character really come to the forefront and allow me to understand their morally grayness. Qisami was the surprise standout for me in this book of the story. She intrigued and fascinated me as I realized I had a lot to learn about her, and I am so glad I got the chance to do so. Our potential hero, Jian, didn’t change much in my eyes, but I still feel like he’s on the right path toward getting there.
I also love the world-building. It’s detailed and complex, and I feel like I know the stories’ world as well as I know my own. It takes me away for hours and immerses me in a world full of intrigue and potential.
10 responses to “Flower and Thorn by Rati Mehrotra and The Art of Destiny by Wesley Chu #BookReviews #Fantasy”
I have that first book by Wesley Chu and now I can’t wait to read it. Both these books sound amazing. Great reviews!
The Wesley Chu series has such great characters. I hope you love them as much as I do!
Excellent reviews, Tessa💜 The world building for both seem intricate and well done, which makes all the difference in the genre.
Definitely! And they both have incredibly detailed worlds.
I have both of these waiting, so I’m glad to know I’m in for good reads. I know what you mean about The Art of Destiny series. I could do with fewer pages, but I sure get a kick out of those characters.
You are going to love them!
Flower and Thorn sounds brilliant.
It is!
Both of these sound good, Tessa. I was particularly drawn to the flower-based worldbuilding in Flower and Thorn, but I could say the same for the characters in The Art of Destiny. You know how to write a tantalizing review! Thanks!
They both have many excellent qualities 😇