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3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book has so much potential! My biggest issue was how underdeveloped the main character seems to be, I was left with an unresolved feeling because of this.
DNF at 26%.
I read the first 20% of this in August, put it down, and came back to it in December. When I picked it back up and read the first page of the next chapter, I was both relieved and excited - I was much more into this than I had been when I set it aside nearly four months ago. Those were temporary emotions, and by the second page of that same chapter, I was right back in the same boat as I'd been in August - it was a STRUGGLE.
I'm not entirely sure why. This book seemed very classic fantasy in its plot, but with a very unique world - gates that lead between worlds, where people can collect the highly valued spice. Definitely an interesting concept, and the fact that Amir, our main character, is so driven by his desire for his younger brother to have the opportunity to go down a different path, well, that seems ripe for emotional connection.
But alas, it wasn't for me. The writing was fine, the characters were fine, it was all fine, I just wish the story and all of its parts would have come alive with the concept, but a quarter of the way in was enough to see that this wasn't going to resonate with me.
Thank you to the publisher, HarperVoyager, and to NetGalley for the ARC.
I read the first 20% of this in August, put it down, and came back to it in December. When I picked it back up and read the first page of the next chapter, I was both relieved and excited - I was much more into this than I had been when I set it aside nearly four months ago. Those were temporary emotions, and by the second page of that same chapter, I was right back in the same boat as I'd been in August - it was a STRUGGLE.
I'm not entirely sure why. This book seemed very classic fantasy in its plot, but with a very unique world - gates that lead between worlds, where people can collect the highly valued spice. Definitely an interesting concept, and the fact that Amir, our main character, is so driven by his desire for his younger brother to have the opportunity to go down a different path, well, that seems ripe for emotional connection.
But alas, it wasn't for me. The writing was fine, the characters were fine, it was all fine, I just wish the story and all of its parts would have come alive with the concept, but a quarter of the way in was enough to see that this wasn't going to resonate with me.
Thank you to the publisher, HarperVoyager, and to NetGalley for the ARC.
I have a lot of beef and a lot of praise to the editor and/or Srivatsa himself in charge of this book.
One of y'all mother fuckers, idk who, should have been just a LITTLE bit more cut throat in paring down this book.
There was too much telling rather than showing us and allowing the reader to have a brain to piece things themselves. Not a lot of leeway was given to the reader to make their own conclusions and thoughts to the point it felt like this was a better audiobook than reading book if that makes sense.
Srivatsa CAN create a world and plot, that much is apparent, but the editor or author needs to be honest that not everything can be added a book. And that's a good thing! You want to respect the reader can make a conclusion or a thought.
Plot: Plot is ok and a bit basic with the standard plot twist thrown in. But it's a pretty straight forward story.
Prose: Most deductions come here. Too much thinking and coming to conclusion with character's thoughts that Amir himself could have deducted but the narrator doesn't have to do that. Let Amir pick up things, not the narrator. Also, the prose itself has too similar sentence structures with itself that it becomes monotonous to read through a chapter.
Pace: Steady, pretty slow in the beginning, sorta brrrrs to the finish line. There's no hurry to the pacing, even though the plot implies it but for some reason we're still kept at the same pace.
Characters: Minor deductions here. I'm not going to be too harsh on the characters because at least the MC is kinda done with everyone's shit and calls everyone out. It's actually quite nice to see MC done with passive MCs and calls people out in their BS. Perks of being a lower caste in this book. Everyone else is a bit one noted but props where it's due.
Vibe: We're in India, but it's not desert, there's jungles, marshes, cliffs, etc. He actually plays around with it a little and allows some creativity to go in towards the settings. If the map is not a hint towards this, idk what will.
Worldbuilding: Here is why I'm not dropping this to further than 4 (3.5 stars technically). Srivatsa CAN create a world, a good magic system involving spices, and make it interesting. He can create a vibe that you're in a spice miasma dream, however the prose style bogs down this dream that we lose some of it's charm. I want to think it's because Debut Syndrome and I won't lie, I had fun navigating this world he built. I just wish the prose could have been fixed to allow this book to really take off.
Now, if this doesn't turn you off, here's something to keep in mind.
If you're one of the neurodivergents that love to be told what character's thoughts, motivations, and feelings are, you WILL love this book as it does a good job of doing so.
It didn't hit off with me (I'm also a neurodivergent) because I prefer some subtle context to my books and not have everything explained in a controlled environment.
So go with this book with an open mind, you might need to look up some Indian translations (Idk why Srivatsa didn't do a translation for "pajama" but fully translated "chappalu" instead of just calling them sandals), but if you're not thrown off by the prose, it's a real cup of chai
3.5/5
One of y'all mother fuckers, idk who, should have been just a LITTLE bit more cut throat in paring down this book.
There was too much telling rather than showing us and allowing the reader to have a brain to piece things themselves. Not a lot of leeway was given to the reader to make their own conclusions and thoughts to the point it felt like this was a better audiobook than reading book if that makes sense.
Srivatsa CAN create a world and plot, that much is apparent, but the editor or author needs to be honest that not everything can be added a book. And that's a good thing! You want to respect the reader can make a conclusion or a thought.
Plot: Plot is ok and a bit basic with the standard plot twist thrown in. But it's a pretty straight forward story.
Prose: Most deductions come here. Too much thinking and coming to conclusion with character's thoughts that Amir himself could have deducted but the narrator doesn't have to do that. Let Amir pick up things, not the narrator. Also, the prose itself has too similar sentence structures with itself that it becomes monotonous to read through a chapter.
Pace: Steady, pretty slow in the beginning, sorta brrrrs to the finish line. There's no hurry to the pacing, even though the plot implies it but for some reason we're still kept at the same pace.
Characters: Minor deductions here. I'm not going to be too harsh on the characters because at least the MC is kinda done with everyone's shit and calls everyone out. It's actually quite nice to see MC done with passive MCs and calls people out in their BS. Perks of being a lower caste in this book. Everyone else is a bit one noted but props where it's due.
Vibe: We're in India, but it's not desert, there's jungles, marshes, cliffs, etc. He actually plays around with it a little and allows some creativity to go in towards the settings. If the map is not a hint towards this, idk what will.
Worldbuilding: Here is why I'm not dropping this to further than 4 (3.5 stars technically). Srivatsa CAN create a world, a good magic system involving spices, and make it interesting. He can create a vibe that you're in a spice miasma dream, however the prose style bogs down this dream that we lose some of it's charm. I want to think it's because Debut Syndrome and I won't lie, I had fun navigating this world he built. I just wish the prose could have been fixed to allow this book to really take off.
Now, if this doesn't turn you off, here's something to keep in mind.
If you're one of the neurodivergents that love to be told what character's thoughts, motivations, and feelings are, you WILL love this book as it does a good job of doing so.
It didn't hit off with me (I'm also a neurodivergent) because I prefer some subtle context to my books and not have everything explained in a controlled environment.
So go with this book with an open mind, you might need to look up some Indian translations (Idk why Srivatsa didn't do a translation for "pajama" but fully translated "chappalu" instead of just calling them sandals), but if you're not thrown off by the prose, it's a real cup of chai
3.5/5
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
**Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyage for the e-ARC**
"The spice gate" is a original, well built fantasy novel, with an interesting exploration of power dynamics, addiction and freedom, novel worldbuilding and everything you might want in such a fantasy book. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get invested despite these qualities. I felt a bit too far away from the characters or what was happening, even though the narration should have done the trick. I can't pinpoint why I was not so interested, on paper it was a perfect novel for me. I hope it will work out better for other readers !
"The spice gate" is a original, well built fantasy novel, with an interesting exploration of power dynamics, addiction and freedom, novel worldbuilding and everything you might want in such a fantasy book. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get invested despite these qualities. I felt a bit too far away from the characters or what was happening, even though the narration should have done the trick. I can't pinpoint why I was not so interested, on paper it was a perfect novel for me. I hope it will work out better for other readers !
Have you ever imagined a world entirely centered around spices—where flavors and varieties hold power and dominance?Well, this book introduce you to such a world where The weight of spices is more than you know.
In this debut fantasy novel, we come across eight kingdoms, each distinguished by their unique spice, connected through gates that only a selected few can travel through—those born with a special birthmark.
The story follows Amir, a poor gate carrier with dreams of escaping a life of servitude. He's determined to forge his own path, not just for himself but for his mother and brother too. And Along the way, Amir finds himself entangled in a massive conspiracy, with the balance between the kingdoms on the verge of collapse. He must decide what kind of world he wants to live in—if the world survives at all.
As someone who doesn't usually read fantasy, I found the setting of this book fascinating. The idea that everything revolves around spices, with balance maintained through trade and spice carriers, was so unique. And while the story isn't directly about caste distinctions, it does touch on societal injustices and the misuse of power.
For newcomers to the genre the add on is, the detailed mapping of the kingdoms and the notes provided to keep track of all the characters were incredibly helpful. I highly recommend checking those out first because the sheer number of characters can feel overwhelming.
One of the things that made this book even more engaging for me were those subtle Indian references—whether be it the dishes or the occasional slang. As the plot mainly focuses on the characters' attempts to maintain balance and the escaped in the spice world, it made it hard to connect emotionally with them. also There's not much of a evident romance, but the tension definitely rises in certain situations.
Personally, I enjoyed the secondary characters more than Amir, but it's Amir's story that drives the narrative—his quest to escape reality and find a place he can call home.
If you're intrigued by the idea of a world where spices determine your fate, I definitely recommend The Spice Gate by Prashanth Srivatsa. As it's a fresh take on fantasy that’s worth exploring
In this debut fantasy novel, we come across eight kingdoms, each distinguished by their unique spice, connected through gates that only a selected few can travel through—those born with a special birthmark.
The story follows Amir, a poor gate carrier with dreams of escaping a life of servitude. He's determined to forge his own path, not just for himself but for his mother and brother too. And Along the way, Amir finds himself entangled in a massive conspiracy, with the balance between the kingdoms on the verge of collapse. He must decide what kind of world he wants to live in—if the world survives at all.
As someone who doesn't usually read fantasy, I found the setting of this book fascinating. The idea that everything revolves around spices, with balance maintained through trade and spice carriers, was so unique. And while the story isn't directly about caste distinctions, it does touch on societal injustices and the misuse of power.
For newcomers to the genre the add on is, the detailed mapping of the kingdoms and the notes provided to keep track of all the characters were incredibly helpful. I highly recommend checking those out first because the sheer number of characters can feel overwhelming.
One of the things that made this book even more engaging for me were those subtle Indian references—whether be it the dishes or the occasional slang. As the plot mainly focuses on the characters' attempts to maintain balance and the escaped in the spice world, it made it hard to connect emotionally with them. also There's not much of a evident romance, but the tension definitely rises in certain situations.
Personally, I enjoyed the secondary characters more than Amir, but it's Amir's story that drives the narrative—his quest to escape reality and find a place he can call home.
If you're intrigued by the idea of a world where spices determine your fate, I definitely recommend The Spice Gate by Prashanth Srivatsa. As it's a fresh take on fantasy that’s worth exploring