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doubledevour's review against another edition
Graphic: Colonisation, Child death, Genocide, Classism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Religious bigotry, Grief, Body horror, Addiction, Fire/Fire injury, and Drug use
reinedespres's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Body horror
Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, War, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Abandonment
abarnakwn_ourcolourfulpages's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Child death, Body horror, Abandonment, Violence, Grief, Gore, Physical abuse, Murder, Classism, Blood, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Genocide, and Death
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Homophobia
Minor: Sexism, Pregnancy, and Death of parent
claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Chronic illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Blood, Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Xenophobia, Classism, and Violence
Minor: Addiction, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Sexual content, Homophobia, Gore, and Suicidal thoughts
lavybubbs's review against another edition
- 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
This is a series I plan to sink my teeth into over and over and never let go. I feel like I have read an epic fantasy that could have been written long ago. It felt so sure of itself and I truly believe it's one of the greats in the making.
Graphic: Abandonment, War, Violence, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Drug abuse, Addiction, Body horror, Terminal illness, Self harm, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Genocide
Moderate: Homophobia
freya_amber's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Confinement, Death, Religious bigotry, Misogyny, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: War, Body horror, Suicidal thoughts, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Grief, and Genocide
Minor: Suicide attempt and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
mcgildey's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, War, Vomit, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Violence, Murder, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Gore
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent
onceuponabookcase's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
I'd wanted to read The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri ever since I first heard about it. Stupidly, it took me quite a while before I actually picked it up, and I wish I'd done so much earlier! It was fantastic!
A Indian inspired high fantasy, The Jasmine Throne is very much the first book in a series, in that it's setting things up, forming relationships, letting us get to know the world and the magic system, and putting characters into place for next book. But at the same time, so much happens! There may not be a huge amount of action for the majority of the book, but it's so complex. The world building is so rich and layered. The Empire is ruled by Malini's brother, Chandra, who rules with an iron fist. He's taken his people's religion and has twisted it to become a tool with which tyrannically control the empire. Ahiranya, one of the Empire's territories, is ruled by General Vikram, and it's under his charge that Malini is put when she is exiled to the Hirana, a former temple, for opposing Chandra's rule. There is rebellion within Ahiranya, people wanting to take their home back. People who long for the magic they once had, granted from their own faith. It's a slow build up, but there are various levels of political intrigue, which I absolutely adored. There are a large number of moving parts to this story.
While Malini and Priya are the main narrators, we also get the perspectives of several others. The three other pain players are Ashok, a former temple child and leader of the rebellion, Bhumika, the wife to General Vikram who also hides the fact she was once a temple child, and Rao, the prince of another territory and ally of Malini's. There are several other perspectives that are included as well, but they get only a chapter or two. At first, I was annoyed with all the different perspectives; I'm not one for jumping about all over the place, I like my high fantasies somewhat contained, and prefer no-more than three narrators so I don't have to wait too long before getting back to the characters I prefer. But as I said, there are so many moving parts to this story. Malini is imprisoned in the Hirana, and Priya is but a maidservant. While Priya has more freedom, there's only so much she can be aware of. We need all these other perspectives because there are so many layers, so I came to love all the perspectives; we know what's happening elsewhere, the moves that are made, the plans put into motion, while others, not so much, or not until later. I am a massive, massive fan of political intrigue and it was just bloody fantastic! I revelled in it. Suri has plotted this story so well, and it was just so incredible to see where the story led, how the various moves effected other elements. The Jasmine Throne really puts the epic into epic fantasy.
I adored Priya. She is such a great character. She has a history of her own, and secrets to keep. She's quite a hopeful person, which I really appreciated. She's just so good and kind, and full of love for her people. And she goes through so much in this book. The things she rediscovers, the secrets kept from her, the hurt she experiences. And she's conflicted when it comes to the Empire, and what's the best thing to do. Is she for the rebellion? Is she for trying to keep her people alive? There are different ideas about what lines can and should be crossed from different sides, and Priya isn't necessarily for some people's methods. But how she has such courage and spunk and does what she feels is right. I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding her past and what she doesn't remember, the latent power and her past that she keeps hidden. It was great to see her learn the truth and come into her strength, but to also see her still be herself with her morals and sense of what is right.
Malini is quite a complex character, and so morally grey. Chandra is awful, and people are suffering under his rule. She wants to depose him, and put their older brother, who abdicated on the throne. She has a strong belief in what she feels is right for the Empire, and will do whatever it takes to make it so. Whatever it takes. She's just brilliant! And so clever, she's got political strategising down to a T. She's has a heart, but she is ruthless. And now her own life depends on getting Chandra off the throne. I have to say I wasn't really surprised by where Malini's storyline took her, I think that was pretty obvious from the get-go, but I didn't mind that.
I have to say, I couldn't really get on board with the romance. Malini was drugged through the majority of the story, and in the great scheme of things, Malini and Priya didn't have an awful lot of time together on the page. So I didn't really feel we got to see the romance develop very much. But this isn't really an issue for me, because I don't really read high fantasy for the romance. Yes, the sapphic romance was one of the things that drew me to this story, but not the only thing, and honestly, the political intrigue is just first class, and I'm generally much more interested in that in fantasy anyway, so I'm not disappointed.
Despite guessing early on where Malini's path would take her, I didn't know how she would get there, and I have the say, the ending was absolutely incredible! It was so, so good! Things really got moving, and it was just fantastic! And I am so, so excited for The Oleander Sword now, because I'm pretty such everything is going to be dialled right up, and I can't wait! I know I thought The Jasmine Throne was epic, but I think The Oleander Sword is going to top, and that there will be so much more in regards to action. It's just going to be so bloody brilliant! I highly, highly recommend The Jasmine Throne; this is not a book to miss!
Moderate: Body horror
This book features forced drug use, execution as entertainment, and people burning alive.mar's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Child death, Confinement, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, and Death
Moderate: Homophobia, Body horror, Colonisation, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Blood, and War
Minor: Child abuse, Suicide attempt, and Vomit
stellar_hunt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Religious bigotry, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Body horror, Violence, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Colonisation, Confinement, Pregnancy, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail