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mrsbofe's review against another edition
1.0
The ending of the first book really had me excited for a good second....and that all fell flat. Any good part of the first book that had me excited for the second book was depressing and frustrating in the second. The characters got worse, more annoying, more dreary.
First of all why do I need to recap a book in a series? I literally could have picked up this book and started out just fine without even touching the first one. It was frustrating to have completed the first book, start the second and get a full recap of it in the next book. I understand there are times where you need to explain some references, but not to the extent that it did!
Here's some questions that still don't make sense to me!!
How in the world would Rustan be fine leaving and going on this solitary mission???
How could Kyra ever be in charge of the clan...she's barely made it to Markswoman and now she's a leader?? The elders all just jumped behind Tamsyn and now they really do think the Kyra should be in charge? Everyone is fine with all of this? Did not make sense on any level!
How are the guns having their own minds plausible? And how was she walking though doors to a lilac sky and all able to make any sense? The ending....ugh. I really don't even know what to say about the disappointment of this book. I feel robbed of my time and energy. This was a frustrating book on so many levels.
First of all why do I need to recap a book in a series? I literally could have picked up this book and started out just fine without even touching the first one. It was frustrating to have completed the first book, start the second and get a full recap of it in the next book. I understand there are times where you need to explain some references, but not to the extent that it did!
Here's some questions that still don't make sense to me!!
How in the world would Rustan be fine leaving and going on this solitary mission???
How could Kyra ever be in charge of the clan...she's barely made it to Markswoman and now she's a leader?? The elders all just jumped behind Tamsyn and now they really do think the Kyra should be in charge? Everyone is fine with all of this? Did not make sense on any level!
How are the guns having their own minds plausible? And how was she walking though doors to a lilac sky and all able to make any sense? The ending....ugh. I really don't even know what to say about the disappointment of this book. I feel robbed of my time and energy. This was a frustrating book on so many levels.
sch91086's review
3.0
This started stronger than it finished, and I don't think it was as good as the first book, [b:Markswoman|35008759|Markswoman (Asiana, #1)|Rati Mehrotra|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499096497s/35008759.jpg|49559896]. I think the big issue here is that a lot of those standardized YA Fantasy tropes Mehrotra managed to avoid in book one, had a full throttle, pedal to the medal presence here.
The romance was a huge focus this time around. For the record, I hate complaining that romance exists in a book- because I actually like romance. Claire and Jamie, Edward and Elizabeth, Elizabeth and Darcy, truly, it's a favorite theme of mine. What I don't like, is when we spend pages and pages straight up day dreaming of the significant other. That was how this romance often felt. There are barriers to Kyra's relationship with Rustan, but none of them ever felt all that challenging.
Another one of the things that I loved in Markswoman, was that Kyra never felt like a special snowflake to me in the first book. She made mistakes, she became an outcast, etc. Here special snowflake syndrome is alive and swinging. I can't say much without spoilers, but every single scene felt like it was dedicated to how special, how much better/braver/stronger/smarter she was then everyone else. I did a lot of eyerolling.
Finally- this novel requires a lot of suspension of disbelief. The relationships between these people were just not believable. Kyra upends centuries of fear and tradition regarding the wyr-wolves for no other reason than that she's the Mahimata of the Order of Kali. All the elders and other clans just sort of accept her rule. She's enlisted to lead a war despite never having been in one and only being like 18/19 years old. I was just kind of sick of it all at the end.
Despite all this, there were still parts I enjoyed. The introduction of the wyr-wolves was wonderful and probably my favorite part. The overall plot wasn't bad, even if it was wholly unbelievable and a little generic. There were a lot of great ideas at play, the hall of mirrors, the Sahirus, the hub and transport system. It was also a very quick read- and I tend to be more forgiving of those.
The ending was both abrupt and bizarre. Nothing was really explained. Kyra and Rustan got an ending but literally no one else. This book really needed a conclusion or an epilogue of some sort to make it feel complete. I reviewed an advance copy so it's entirely possible my copy simply didn't have it, but I was definitely left wanting more (and not really in a good way).
If you enjoyed the first book, it's probably worth reading the second just to see how it all ends. I'll be curious to see what Mehrotra does now that this duology is complete. Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for providing me with an eARC to review.
The romance was a huge focus this time around. For the record, I hate complaining that romance exists in a book- because I actually like romance. Claire and Jamie, Edward and Elizabeth, Elizabeth and Darcy, truly, it's a favorite theme of mine. What I don't like, is when we spend pages and pages straight up day dreaming of the significant other. That was how this romance often felt. There are barriers to Kyra's relationship with Rustan, but none of them ever felt all that challenging.
Another one of the things that I loved in Markswoman, was that Kyra never felt like a special snowflake to me in the first book. She made mistakes, she became an outcast, etc. Here special snowflake syndrome is alive and swinging. I can't say much without spoilers, but every single scene felt like it was dedicated to how special, how much better/braver/stronger/smarter she was then everyone else. I did a lot of eyerolling.
Finally- this novel requires a lot of suspension of disbelief. The relationships between these people were just not believable. Kyra upends centuries of fear and tradition regarding the wyr-wolves for no other reason than that she's the Mahimata of the Order of Kali. All the elders and other clans just sort of accept her rule. She's enlisted to lead a war despite never having been in one and only being like 18/19 years old. I was just kind of sick of it all at the end.
Despite all this, there were still parts I enjoyed. The introduction of the wyr-wolves was wonderful and probably my favorite part. The overall plot wasn't bad, even if it was wholly unbelievable and a little generic. There were a lot of great ideas at play, the hall of mirrors, the Sahirus, the hub and transport system. It was also a very quick read- and I tend to be more forgiving of those.
The ending was both abrupt and bizarre. Nothing was really explained. Kyra and Rustan got an ending but literally no one else. This book really needed a conclusion or an epilogue of some sort to make it feel complete. I reviewed an advance copy so it's entirely possible my copy simply didn't have it, but I was definitely left wanting more (and not really in a good way).
If you enjoyed the first book, it's probably worth reading the second just to see how it all ends. I'll be curious to see what Mehrotra does now that this duology is complete. Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for providing me with an eARC to review.
amym84's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted at Vampire Book Club
After killing the usurper who murdered the former Mahimata and seeing justice served, Kyra Veer has returned to the Order of Kali to rest and recuperate. Unfortunately, Kyra must acknowledge how much has changed since she’s been away: her teacher is still dead, one of her best friends went missing and is still unaccounted for, and Rustan, the Marksman who trained her in preparation for her duel is gone—they had formed a much deeper bond than just trainer and trainee.
Rustan, after questioning the killing of an innocent man—as well as shaken by his developing feelings for Kyra—has imposed a penance upon himself. He’s left the Order of Kuhr to travel Asiana looking for answers to questions he doesn’t yet understand. This leads him to discovering and ancient sect tied to the mysterious Ones that left the world eons ago.
Before either Kyra or Rustan can settle themselves, it becomes apparent that the time to fight for Asiana is now. And the time for Kyra to avenge her murdered family is quickly approaching as the man responsible for their deaths, Kai Tau, is the same one who is leading an army to desolate the land of Asiana. How much of themselves will Kyra and Rustan have to sacrifice in order to ensure that Asiana lives on?
I don’t typically get a chance to do a reread before delving into the next book in any series, so I really appreciated how easy is was to slide right back into the very complex and interesting world created by Rati Mehrotra here.
I struggled a bit trying to figure out where the story was going to take us and I think, for the most part, this is an apt description of how the characters felt as well for a good majority of the book.
I felt like both Rustan and Kyra are struggling with what happens next. Where to go from where they’ve been, so to speak. Of course the main conflict on the horizon is the inevitable battle with Kai Tau. But before that both Rustan and Kyra have to find peace in what their futures hold. For Kyra, this is the mythical “door” she has seen at various times in visions and dreams. It’s been a background fear for Kyra for a while now, and I think it’s one of those things where once you conquer your fear then you reach enlightenment.
I really loved how Rati Mehrotra built up the relationship between Rustan and Kyra. Their star-crossed love of sorts is sweet, but I really enjoyed seeing how often their goals didn’t align yet they still hold love for each other even with the opposition. In the end, they’ll still fight on the same side even if they’re each getting to that side by different means, means which they each might not understand, but still encouraging one another even if it takes them away from each other. It’s bittersweet, yet beautiful all at once.
In reading Mahimata I didn’t really find the ending to be too surprising. I think if you’ve read the first book, and as you’re reading this one, it’s built up in a way that the ending is expected, but it’s seeing the journey that’s the real treat. At the start, it felt like the beginning of the end, and Mahimata definitely provides an ending to this duology. I would love if Rati Mehrotra revisited this world because it’s certainly full of history and mystery I’d love to have explored more.
After killing the usurper who murdered the former Mahimata and seeing justice served, Kyra Veer has returned to the Order of Kali to rest and recuperate. Unfortunately, Kyra must acknowledge how much has changed since she’s been away: her teacher is still dead, one of her best friends went missing and is still unaccounted for, and Rustan, the Marksman who trained her in preparation for her duel is gone—they had formed a much deeper bond than just trainer and trainee.
Rustan, after questioning the killing of an innocent man—as well as shaken by his developing feelings for Kyra—has imposed a penance upon himself. He’s left the Order of Kuhr to travel Asiana looking for answers to questions he doesn’t yet understand. This leads him to discovering and ancient sect tied to the mysterious Ones that left the world eons ago.
Before either Kyra or Rustan can settle themselves, it becomes apparent that the time to fight for Asiana is now. And the time for Kyra to avenge her murdered family is quickly approaching as the man responsible for their deaths, Kai Tau, is the same one who is leading an army to desolate the land of Asiana. How much of themselves will Kyra and Rustan have to sacrifice in order to ensure that Asiana lives on?
I don’t typically get a chance to do a reread before delving into the next book in any series, so I really appreciated how easy is was to slide right back into the very complex and interesting world created by Rati Mehrotra here.
I struggled a bit trying to figure out where the story was going to take us and I think, for the most part, this is an apt description of how the characters felt as well for a good majority of the book.
I felt like both Rustan and Kyra are struggling with what happens next. Where to go from where they’ve been, so to speak. Of course the main conflict on the horizon is the inevitable battle with Kai Tau. But before that both Rustan and Kyra have to find peace in what their futures hold. For Kyra, this is the mythical “door” she has seen at various times in visions and dreams. It’s been a background fear for Kyra for a while now, and I think it’s one of those things where once you conquer your fear then you reach enlightenment.
I really loved how Rati Mehrotra built up the relationship between Rustan and Kyra. Their star-crossed love of sorts is sweet, but I really enjoyed seeing how often their goals didn’t align yet they still hold love for each other even with the opposition. In the end, they’ll still fight on the same side even if they’re each getting to that side by different means, means which they each might not understand, but still encouraging one another even if it takes them away from each other. It’s bittersweet, yet beautiful all at once.
In reading Mahimata I didn’t really find the ending to be too surprising. I think if you’ve read the first book, and as you’re reading this one, it’s built up in a way that the ending is expected, but it’s seeing the journey that’s the real treat. At the start, it felt like the beginning of the end, and Mahimata definitely provides an ending to this duology. I would love if Rati Mehrotra revisited this world because it’s certainly full of history and mystery I’d love to have explored more.
speculativebecky's review against another edition
4.0
Rati Mehrotra’s debut, Markswoman, was one of my favorite reads of 2018, so I was excited to read Mahimata, the conclusion of this epic Fantasy duology set in a post-apocalyptic India complete with telepathic weapons and the assassins who wield them. Though Mahimata takes the story in far reaching directions and reveals much intriguing worldbuilding, it didn’t quite live up to my love for its predecessor, mostly due to a greater foregrounding of a romance that didn’t totally work for me. Still, this is a strong duology and I’d definitely recommend it.
One of my favorite things about the Asiana books is the setting. It’s like a post-apocalyptic urban fantasy, set in a future that feels more like Earth’s past except for the presence of magical technologies left here by the mysterious departed Ones. This technology includes the telepathic metal kalishium that’s forged into blades which bond with their custodians, and the inscrutable transport hubs that allow teleportation across the desert with sometimes mixed results. The central conflict of Mahimata revolves around the production of a weapon that's basically a gun also imbued with some kind of psychic abilities. Several books I’ve read lately have played with this trope of the reintroduction of guns to a post-apocalyptic world that was happy to have lost that technology. The depiction of the psychic influence towards evil and destruction of these weapons further exaggerates the narrative that depicts killing with a blade as somehow more ethical than with a gun
One of my favorite things about the Asiana books is the setting. It’s like a post-apocalyptic urban fantasy, set in a future that feels more like Earth’s past except for the presence of magical technologies left here by the mysterious departed Ones. This technology includes the telepathic metal kalishium that’s forged into blades which bond with their custodians, and the inscrutable transport hubs that allow teleportation across the desert with sometimes mixed results. The central conflict of Mahimata revolves around the production of a weapon that's basically a gun also imbued with some kind of psychic abilities. Several books I’ve read lately have played with this trope of the reintroduction of guns to a post-apocalyptic world that was happy to have lost that technology. The depiction of the psychic influence towards evil and destruction of these weapons further exaggerates the narrative that depicts killing with a blade as somehow more ethical than with a gun
sparksinwords's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you Harper Voyager for sending me an advance review copy, which I won from a Goodreads giveaway.
While I found Markswoman, the first book in this duology, to be reeeaally slow, Mahimata thankfully moves at a MUCH faster pace. This duology is set in post-apocalyptic Asia and I really loved the world-building. The desert, the Ferghana Valley, and the mountains are described wonderfully. Kyra and Rustan are very compelling characters, and I particularly enjoyed Rustan's character arc. At times, it felt a little unbelievable that the fate of Asiana rested so heavily on Kyra's shoulders, but I was willing to suspend my disbelief.
The ideas in this book were fascinating - the Transport Hubs, the Ones, the wyr-wolves - and while there were some answers, I finished this book wishing there had been more. I read in an interview with the author that this was originally proposed as a trilogy, and that's probably why. In any case, I loved the setting and that it was inspired by Indian mythology and recommend giving this duology a chance!
While I found Markswoman, the first book in this duology, to be reeeaally slow, Mahimata thankfully moves at a MUCH faster pace. This duology is set in post-apocalyptic Asia and I really loved the world-building. The desert, the Ferghana Valley, and the mountains are described wonderfully. Kyra and Rustan are very compelling characters, and I particularly enjoyed Rustan's character arc. At times, it felt a little unbelievable that the fate of Asiana rested so heavily on Kyra's shoulders, but I was willing to suspend my disbelief.
The ideas in this book were fascinating - the Transport Hubs, the Ones, the wyr-wolves - and while there were some answers, I finished this book wishing there had been more. I read in an interview with the author that this was originally proposed as a trilogy, and that's probably why. In any case, I loved the setting and that it was inspired by Indian mythology and recommend giving this duology a chance!
felizacasano's review against another edition
4.0
While the ending wasn't really to my tastes, overall a satisfying conclusion to the duology and a series I'd recommend to other readers.
lizshayne's review against another edition
2.0
I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. The first one was really good and the second one didn't quite deliver on what I wanted.
In part, I'm just tired of YA novels about how the heroine needs to do things alone and carry all the burdens until she finally learns not to. Yes, it's a good message, but would it utterly destroy the genre to have a heroine start out with "look, friends, I need your help."
Also, the most interesting part by far was the aliens and the weird tech and what the heck is going on anyway and we did not get enough answers at all. I love long dead civilizations and the world is weirder than we knew and there was way too much pining and nowhere near enough research.
(Another review that can be summed up with "this YA novel conformed too much to the genre". Meh.)
In part, I'm just tired of YA novels about how the heroine needs to do things alone and carry all the burdens until she finally learns not to. Yes, it's a good message, but would it utterly destroy the genre to have a heroine start out with "look, friends, I need your help."
Also, the most interesting part by far was the aliens and the weird tech and what the heck is going on anyway and we did not get enough answers at all. I love long dead civilizations and the world is weirder than we knew and there was way too much pining and nowhere near enough research.
(Another review that can be summed up with "this YA novel conformed too much to the genre". Meh.)
ineffablebob's review against another edition
4.0
Not a lot more to say about this one than what I've already said about Markswoman, the first in the series, except that Mahimata does a fine job of finishing out the story. There's plenty of room for more if Mehrotra so desires, but this book nicely wraps up the arc started in Markswoman.
wyrmbergsabrina's review against another edition
5.0
What a beautiful story.
I was crying by the end chapters.
I must reread these together, what an imaginative mix of fantasy and SciFi. So many answers and yet questions still. But I loved it.
I was crying by the end chapters.
I must reread these together, what an imaginative mix of fantasy and SciFi. So many answers and yet questions still. But I loved it.
alexstrasza's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't enjoy this as much as the first one. It felt like there was a lot of setup that didn't particularly pay off. For example, a main character breaks a taboo, and it was something that was done to them in the last book. There's not really any punishment or recourse. Speaking of which, the person who broke the same taboo in the last book, after not being mentioned, showed up in the last 20% for the final battle. The main character also talked about what good friends she and a new character were after having only known him like a week. The whole thing just felt really rushed with not great character development. I still enjoyed the actual characters, but I was definitely more interested in Kyra and Rustan's development and separate storylines, than I was in their combined storyline. It felt unnecessary and wasn't that interesting.
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