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thedamwife's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to the publisher for my advanced copy!!!!! This made my week.
This was an absolutely amazing book. The characters were wonderful and had great development, and the magic was woven expertly into the tale. I absolutely loved it. It was the perfect length also. So many fantasy books add nonsensical conflict and drag out the story but this was perfect.
2 complaints
This was an absolutely amazing book. The characters were wonderful and had great development, and the magic was woven expertly into the tale. I absolutely loved it. It was the perfect length also. So many fantasy books add nonsensical conflict and drag out the story but this was perfect.
2 complaints
lilibetbombshell's review against another edition
5.0
This book is in no way your next great fall read, because it’s simply too full of blooming life and arid heat to be a fall book, but I’ll tell you what–I promise you it’s a fantastic YA romantasy. I absolutely adored every page of this epic historical fantasy that takes place in India during the 16th century (when the Portuguese came to colonize India).
Magical flowers grow on the Rann of India, which is located in West India just south of the border of Pakistan. In real life the Rann is full of salt flats during the arid part of the year and that salt is mined by nomadic tribes moving through the area. During monsoon season most of the area fills up with water and some of it becomes swamp. The nomadic tribes remain at their ancestral home during the monsoon season and then move back out when monsoon season passes so their livestock can graze. In Flower and Thorn, our protagonist, Irinyah, belongs to a tribe that not only deals in livestock but also in the hunting and selling of the Rann’s magical flowers. Each flower has a different power to it, along with a scarcity level. As it goes with all magic, they each also have a price. It’s too bad most people looking for easy fixes and power don’t really care about what it’s going to cost them.
Irinya is a rare female flower hunter. It’s usually a job reserved for males (like most jobs outside the home), but her mother was a flower hunter and ever since her mother disappeared when she was a child Irinyah has taken up her mantle. She inoculates herself against the poison in the thorns by pricking herself a little bit repetitively, like one would build tolerance against venom. She also shapes the poisonous flower thorns into little darts for the blow pipe that once belonged to her mother.
This whole book is about broken promises, broken families, pride, the importance of home, oppression, misogyny, and colonization. These themes are all things I love reading about and will almost always love reading about. There’s also a little bit about conservation and sustainability, but that theme isn’t explored as fully as the others (likely because it would’ve taken the plot off onto a tangent that couldn’t have been threaded back in smoothly).
The book has some points to make about war and women leaders and whether or not they’re fit to rule or be taken seriously as a ruler. While I appreciate a great feminist narrative, this book does take this book to some extremes with men and women: the women in this book all seem to lack genuine duplicity or violence and the men in power are all portrayed as lecherous and violent in nature. I don’t buy this as an entirely realistic portrayal, but seeing as this is a tried-and-true YA romantasy that has a serious point to make I think it’s probably for the best the waters here didn’t get very muddied with grey morality. It’s pure escapism here, us getting whisked away to the Indian subcontinent to a time when war is on the doorstep and it’s an opportunity for the colonization of India to be stopped. I think it’s okay to just let it be that.
It’s a lovely fantasy read with a cool magic system and great world building. The romantic dynamic is complicated and sweet. I highly recommend it.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Epic Fantasy/Fantasy/Romantasy/Historical Fantasy/Standalone Novel/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy/YA Fiction
Magical flowers grow on the Rann of India, which is located in West India just south of the border of Pakistan. In real life the Rann is full of salt flats during the arid part of the year and that salt is mined by nomadic tribes moving through the area. During monsoon season most of the area fills up with water and some of it becomes swamp. The nomadic tribes remain at their ancestral home during the monsoon season and then move back out when monsoon season passes so their livestock can graze. In Flower and Thorn, our protagonist, Irinyah, belongs to a tribe that not only deals in livestock but also in the hunting and selling of the Rann’s magical flowers. Each flower has a different power to it, along with a scarcity level. As it goes with all magic, they each also have a price. It’s too bad most people looking for easy fixes and power don’t really care about what it’s going to cost them.
Irinya is a rare female flower hunter. It’s usually a job reserved for males (like most jobs outside the home), but her mother was a flower hunter and ever since her mother disappeared when she was a child Irinyah has taken up her mantle. She inoculates herself against the poison in the thorns by pricking herself a little bit repetitively, like one would build tolerance against venom. She also shapes the poisonous flower thorns into little darts for the blow pipe that once belonged to her mother.
This whole book is about broken promises, broken families, pride, the importance of home, oppression, misogyny, and colonization. These themes are all things I love reading about and will almost always love reading about. There’s also a little bit about conservation and sustainability, but that theme isn’t explored as fully as the others (likely because it would’ve taken the plot off onto a tangent that couldn’t have been threaded back in smoothly).
The book has some points to make about war and women leaders and whether or not they’re fit to rule or be taken seriously as a ruler. While I appreciate a great feminist narrative, this book does take this book to some extremes with men and women: the women in this book all seem to lack genuine duplicity or violence and the men in power are all portrayed as lecherous and violent in nature. I don’t buy this as an entirely realistic portrayal, but seeing as this is a tried-and-true YA romantasy that has a serious point to make I think it’s probably for the best the waters here didn’t get very muddied with grey morality. It’s pure escapism here, us getting whisked away to the Indian subcontinent to a time when war is on the doorstep and it’s an opportunity for the colonization of India to be stopped. I think it’s okay to just let it be that.
It’s a lovely fantasy read with a cool magic system and great world building. The romantic dynamic is complicated and sweet. I highly recommend it.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Epic Fantasy/Fantasy/Romantasy/Historical Fantasy/Standalone Novel/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy/YA Fiction
chymerra's review
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
4.0
Important things you need to know about the book:
Pace: Flower and Thorn has a medium to medium fast pace.
POV: Flower and Thorn is told from Irinya’s 3rd person POV.
Trigger/Content Warning: Flower and Thorn have trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:
- Gore
- Violence
- War and War Themes
- Classism
- Poverty
- Sexism
- Indentured Servitude
- Drugging
- Dead Bodies
- Death of a Parent
- Grief & Loss Depiction
- Captivity & Confinement
- Knife & Sword Violence
- Murder & Attempted Murder
- Physical Assualt
Sexual Content: There is no on-page sexual content in Flower and Thorn.
Language: Flower and Thorn had no swearing or offensive language in it.
Setting: Flower and Thorn is set in 16th-century India.
Age Range: I recommend Flower and Thorn to anyone over 21.
Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):
Since her mother disappeared when she was five, Iriniya wants to be a flower hunter. Flowers in India are magical, and because of that, they are increasingly rare. So, when her best friend shows Irinya where he found one of the rarest flowers, a silver spider lily, she promises to him to let it be. But, when Iriniya meets a handsome young man who claims to be working for the general fighting the war against the Portuguese, she feels compelled to tell him about the flower and get it for him. Soon, she discovers his promises are lies, and she has shattered the trust of her kul and best friend. Determined to win back their trust and set things right, Irinya starts a journey from the salt flats of Rann to the capital city of Ahmedabad. But, along the way, she attracts the attention of the Grand Wizer, Ishman Khan, and becomes embroiled in palace intrigue. Can Iriniya right the wrong she did?
Main Characters
Iriniya: I liked Iriniya. She made some pretty big mistakes at the beginning of the book (trusting the wrong guy, destroying the trust her best friend and kul had in her) that had tragic consequences. I agreed when she decided to right the wrongs against herself and her kul. Iriniya had some tremendous character growth throughout the book. The Iriniya portrayed at the end of the book was not the Iriniya at the beginning. I also liked how she handled adversity. She could think on her feet and anticipate what was asked of her. I only saw her hesitate when she had to leave the camel (her uncle’s prize possession). But, even then, she talked the time he could stay in the stable up from what the wizer initially said.
My review:
I have been looking forward to Flower and Thorn since I saw several blogs post early reviews. Not only were the reviews excellent, but I loved the cover. So, I was thrilled when St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books sent me a widget. Then, life happened, and I got behind on my reviews. Flower and Thorn kept getting pushed back on my schedule until this month (way past the publication date). I don’t want that to happen, but it does. Usually, my desire to read the book has faded by that point, but in this case, it didn’t. I was excited to read Flower and Thorn, and this book exceeded my expectations.
The main storyline in Flower and Thorn is centered around Iriniya and her quest to find the silver spider lily. The storyline was well-written and kept me on my feet reading it. I had no problem focusing on her adventures, even with all the background noise (the war with the Portuguese and the power play in the palace). The focus stayed on Iriniya and her quest for the entire book. The secondary storylines outlined in the book added to her storyline.
I loved the use of the flowers in Flower and Thorn. The author took everyday things we take for granted and added a mystical feel to them. Adding that these flowers are becoming an endangered breed and that levies were placed on flower hunters just added to the story. The flower’s uses were just as intriguing. They are
- White Jasmine—cure sickness
- Bloodread Hibiscus–mind-control
- Sunflower—to find things
- Bluestar—a cure for the hibiscus
- Green Rose—used for communication
- Silver Spider Lily—used to win wars
- Chrysanthemum (Chrys in the book)—used to open strange doors (aka not real ones)
- Sacred Lotus—Unknown (never really said in the book)
Almost all of the flowers (except the sunflower) were used in the book. Again, this was fascinating and frightening. The lengths that people were willing to do whatever (including murder) to get the last three flowers was scary.
I liked the bit of romance that the author threw in. Iriniya’s love interest wasn’t clear (at first, I thought she didn’t like girls or guys). But that wasn’t the case. It was more of her being so single-minded that she blocked anything romantic out. I won’t say who she ends up with at the end of the book, but I will say that I wasn’t surprised.
The end of Flower and Thorn was interesting. I liked that Iriniya’s backstory was almost fully explained (I did have some questions about who her father was). The author did leave enough of the storylines open for me to wonder if there will be another book. I would love to know more about certain storylines and people.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Rati Mehrotra for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Flower and Thorn. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
gianna89's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
sarag19's review
4.0
***ARC received from Wednesday Books and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***
Flower and Thorn is a new stand alone book by Rati Mehrotra and the synopsis does not fully do justice to what this book is really about. Unique magic system and court intrigue that the writer does so well. How magic can heal and corrupt a country from within while enemies attack from out side.
Irinya is an interesting character, shes very headstrong and tends speak back when she should hold her tongue in situations that should get her in trouble save for being the main characters. Despite that I still really liked her as a main lead. She is trusting and a bit naive we gets her in trouble but she is still incredibly brave to venture outside her small world to protect the people she helped put in harms way. One interaction she had was absolutely perfect and I truly laughed at the moment, I loved it so much. I do wish she had been a little more assertive when it came to her interactions with Fardan, she has no problem pushing back on other characters but for some reason with him she becomes with wishy washy naive girl again despite the growth she should have from what she experienced. I liked having a morally grey villain to play counter to our naive heroine and he was a fascinating character.
I didn’t really root for the romance since I found I hated Fardan most of the time he was on page as the story progressed. Like I didn’t mind him at the beginning but when he shows up again he has no respect for Irinya agency and puts her in a horrible situation. He also feels incredibly juvenile in those moments like its all some game despite the repeated warning Irinya give him. It also doesn’t help that hes gone for long stretches of the book and doesn’t feel like he has much chemistry with her when he is there. Or that Irinya and Imshan’s dynamic is far more interesting that Irinya and Fardan, much more push and pull. Thankfully its not romantic in the slightest but its so fascinating as a pairing to read.
The magic system in this world with the flowers is so unique. I loved how each flower has a main purpose not just on its own but to counter the other flowers. I just wish that the book had explored more about how they are found and used, what makes the lily so powerful, the jasmine a healing flower. There is a price to pay for each one and we see some of it throughout the book but I would have liked to have seen it explored a little more as it was one of the more interesting magic systems I have read about in awhile.
The writing is really good, the plot moves alone really well and there is fun court intrigue sprinkled in. I found it got a little muddled before the final confrontation which was really good. Unfortunately it slipped a little at the very end but overall it was a fun read that I did really enjoy.
Flower and Thorn is a new stand alone book by Rati Mehrotra and the synopsis does not fully do justice to what this book is really about. Unique magic system and court intrigue that the writer does so well. How magic can heal and corrupt a country from within while enemies attack from out side.
Irinya is an interesting character, shes very headstrong and tends speak back when she should hold her tongue in situations that should get her in trouble save for being the main characters. Despite that I still really liked her as a main lead. She is trusting and a bit naive we gets her in trouble but she is still incredibly brave to venture outside her small world to protect the people she helped put in harms way. One interaction she had was absolutely perfect and I truly laughed at the moment, I loved it so much. I do wish she had been a little more assertive when it came to her interactions with Fardan, she has no problem pushing back on other characters but for some reason with him she becomes with wishy washy naive girl again despite the growth she should have from what she experienced. I liked having a morally grey villain to play counter to our naive heroine and he was a fascinating character.
I didn’t really root for the romance since I found I hated Fardan most of the time he was on page as the story progressed. Like I didn’t mind him at the beginning but when he shows up again he has no respect for Irinya agency and puts her in a horrible situation. He also feels incredibly juvenile in those moments like its all some game despite the repeated warning Irinya give him. It also doesn’t help that hes gone for long stretches of the book and doesn’t feel like he has much chemistry with her when he is there. Or that Irinya and Imshan’s dynamic is far more interesting that Irinya and Fardan, much more push and pull. Thankfully its not romantic in the slightest but its so fascinating as a pairing to read.
The magic system in this world with the flowers is so unique. I loved how each flower has a main purpose not just on its own but to counter the other flowers. I just wish that the book had explored more about how they are found and used, what makes the lily so powerful, the jasmine a healing flower. There is a price to pay for each one and we see some of it throughout the book but I would have liked to have seen it explored a little more as it was one of the more interesting magic systems I have read about in awhile.
The writing is really good, the plot moves alone really well and there is fun court intrigue sprinkled in. I found it got a little muddled before the final confrontation which was really good. Unfortunately it slipped a little at the very end but overall it was a fun read that I did really enjoy.
bookwormbullet's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? No
3.75
pagesandtealeavess's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tc_booksandmore's review
adventurous
mysterious
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
4.0
Thank you to Wednesday books and Goodreads for a physical copy of the Advance Reader book (giveaways are fun!).
This is the 2nd book from Rati Mehorta and this was very well done. I loved Irinya and the rest of her kul (nomadic group). The book leans heavily into the history of India and features several real people from the 1600's which is when this takes place, with a couple of minor tweaks about the magical flowers and the Rann (wasn't formed until after an earthquake in the 1800's). The Rann and the Banni come to life and I can picture the salt marsh and the grasslands. I was fascinated with the lore and meanings behind the different magical flowers.
The story is a little slower paced than I normally read, but the world and character development are fantastic. Romance is almost non-existent and is not a plot line that Rati takes.
4 out of 5 stars, fantastic for historical fiction with a dash of fantasy lovers.
This is the 2nd book from Rati Mehorta and this was very well done. I loved Irinya and the rest of her kul (nomadic group). The book leans heavily into the history of India and features several real people from the 1600's which is when this takes place, with a couple of minor tweaks about the magical flowers and the Rann (wasn't formed until after an earthquake in the 1800's). The Rann and the Banni come to life and I can picture the salt marsh and the grasslands. I was fascinated with the lore and meanings behind the different magical flowers.
The story is a little slower paced than I normally read, but the world and character development are fantastic. Romance is almost non-existent and is not a plot line that Rati takes.
4 out of 5 stars, fantastic for historical fiction with a dash of fantasy lovers.
stephlovaofbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
tessa_talks_books's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
4.0
One-word review: Beautiful
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.