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3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
The main reason for DNFing this book is that it did not draw me into the story as it should have, and I found myself lacking connection with the characters in the story.
The premise of this book is that Amir is a Spice Carrier, meaning he can travel through the Spice Gates that connect the kingdoms. But being a Spice Carrier means you are lower class, treated poorly, and forced to do hard manual labor your entire life. Amir wants to get out of his position and daydreams of obtaining the Poison, which allows anyone (not just Spice Carriers) to travel through the Gates. With the Poison he could safely take away his brother and pregnant mother to a better place, one where his brother will not endure a life of hardships, and Amir will no longer be a Carrier.
The reasons I DNFd the book are as follows:
- I feel like this book was written to be an epic fantasy, but simply just tried too hard
- The worldbuilding was expansive and beautiful, but yet overshadowed the characters and their development
- The main character of Amir was hard to connect to. He wants what is best for his family, but is also more of a reluctant hero. Getting 49% through the book without much character development or a character arc was hard for me to feel invested in his story
- The small romance side plot felt very unbelievable
- The plot felt both too fast and still slow paced
- The book's plot was meandering, where I feel like any summary of this book would take at least two pages to type out. Too much was happening, too many new things were being introduced, and too many shifts were happening in the plot that it no longer felt cohesive.
I would have enjoyed the book better split into two: with keeping the slower pace, but having more character development, and more time in some of the places. It just felt like Amir was being thrown around the world, and while I enjoyed being in the world, it just wasn't the right balance for me.
The premise of this book is that Amir is a Spice Carrier, meaning he can travel through the Spice Gates that connect the kingdoms. But being a Spice Carrier means you are lower class, treated poorly, and forced to do hard manual labor your entire life. Amir wants to get out of his position and daydreams of obtaining the Poison, which allows anyone (not just Spice Carriers) to travel through the Gates. With the Poison he could safely take away his brother and pregnant mother to a better place, one where his brother will not endure a life of hardships, and Amir will no longer be a Carrier.
The reasons I DNFd the book are as follows:
- I feel like this book was written to be an epic fantasy, but simply just tried too hard
- The worldbuilding was expansive and beautiful, but yet overshadowed the characters and their development
- The main character of Amir was hard to connect to. He wants what is best for his family, but is also more of a reluctant hero. Getting 49% through the book without much character development or a character arc was hard for me to feel invested in his story
- The small romance side plot felt very unbelievable
- The plot felt both too fast and still slow paced
- The book's plot was meandering, where I feel like any summary of this book would take at least two pages to type out. Too much was happening, too many new things were being introduced, and too many shifts were happening in the plot that it no longer felt cohesive.
I would have enjoyed the book better split into two: with keeping the slower pace, but having more character development, and more time in some of the places. It just felt like Amir was being thrown around the world, and while I enjoyed being in the world, it just wasn't the right balance for me.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It took me forever to get through this book. The worldbuilding is interesting but has some fatal flaws (the one that hit me early on was if you have a secret, isolated kingdom no one has visited for thousands of years why do they speak the exact same language ). I did not find Amir compelling as a character at all - a quiet, more passive/reluctant hero is really hard to get right and I think it missed the mark. I wonder if the book would have benefited from an additional perspective like Harini or Kalay?
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
In a Nutshell: As much as I love spices, ‘The Spice Gate’ wasn’t my cup of masala chai. Complicated (but interesting) worldbuilding, repetitive writing, unappealing protagonist, confusing plot. Very disappointed.
Plot Preview: (Don’t know how much you’ll understand from my preview. For a better idea, read the GR blurb.)
Amir is a poor spice carrier who dreams of escaping his dreary burden and saving his family. Unfortunately, the only possible way to do this involves some unobtainable spices, heinous rich people, and tricky inter-kingdom conspiracies. The more Amir strives towards his goal, the murkier the proceedings become, until he is too entangled in the schemes and needs to take some tough decisions.
The story comes to us in Amir’s third-person perspective.
I'm not an avid reader of epic fantasy but the Indian connection of this novel tempted me much. However, as anyone who cooks with spices knows, getting the spice balance right in every dish is crucial. Too much or too little of any can sully the whole taste. This book has too much spice, thereby killing the flavour.
Bookish Yays:
😋 The sheer scale of this epic fantasy: as mindblowing as strands of genuine saffron.
😋 The regular mentions of unusual Indian dishes such as idli and patoli: as welcome as a glass of ginger nimbu paani on a summer day.
😋 Some of the secondary characters: working as well to enhance the story as salt does to the taste of chocolate.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😬 The plethora of Indian words from various Indian languages: an interesting choice but won’t work for every reader, just like peppercorns don’t click with every gastronome. Western readers will definitely miss out on the subtleties as there is no glossary.
😬 The fictitious quote at the start of very chapter (taken either from fictitious books or assigned to fictitious persons of the Spice kingdoms): Intriguing at first but to be skipped and kept aside later, just like curry leaves in a gravy.
😬 The worldbuilding: as refreshing and tasty as coriander leaves but also as sticky as an overcooked khichdi. Tough to determine what’s what and where’s where, but somehow does its job.
Bookish Nays:
🥵 Amir: as bland as unsalted rice. Boring to gulp, tough to advocate!
🥵 The plot development: as confusing as sorting out kalonji, sabja and black sesame when they aren’t in their respective packets.
🥵 The romance between Amir and Harini: as unbelievable as finding a green chilli in ice cream. What a strange combo!
🥵 The frequent references to piss and excreta and spit, sometimes even as a part of the magical system: as annoying as discovering three bay leaves in a single serving of pulav.
🥵 The initial few chapters, with the overload of characters, places, and sinister schemes: as confusing as standing in the spice aisle of an Indian food store and wondering where to begin.
🥵 The dragged pace combined with the length: as tedious and longwinded as powdering dry red chillies with just a mortar and pestle.
🥵 Logical loopholes: as frequently found in the plot as turmeric is found in Indian dishes.
🥵 Finding caste and class issues even in an Indian fantasy: as unappetising as biting into unground cinnamon.
🥵 The writing: as repetitive as saying ‘chai tea’ or ‘naan bread.’
🥵 The overuse of the word ‘Gates!’ as an exclamation: as eyeroll-inducing as store-brought ginger-garlic paste.
🥵 The infodump ending – as predictable as finding a giant black cardamom in biryani. (And almost as irksome!)
🥵 Dramatis Personae at the end instead of at the beginning: as useless as discovering kulfi at a buffet when you have already stuffed paan into your mouth.
All in all, I had been looking forward to this delicacy. This Indian reader was thrilled to find an Indian author writing a debut work in a fantastical India-inspired setting and infused with Indian spices. I wish with all my heart it has worked better for me. After all, this Indian cannot imagine life without spices. Unfortunately, this turned out to be way more over-spiced than I like.
Perhaps if you are a more avid reader of epic fantasy, you might be able to make better sense of this story. So please read the GR blurb to get a better idea of the plot, and other reviews to get a more balanced opinion of the novel. If you do pick it up, I hope your palate loves it and that it ends up more chatpata (flavourfully spiced) than feeka (insipid) for you.
2 stars.
My thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing the DRC of “The Spice Gate” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.
Plot Preview: (Don’t know how much you’ll understand from my preview. For a better idea, read the GR blurb.)
Amir is a poor spice carrier who dreams of escaping his dreary burden and saving his family. Unfortunately, the only possible way to do this involves some unobtainable spices, heinous rich people, and tricky inter-kingdom conspiracies. The more Amir strives towards his goal, the murkier the proceedings become, until he is too entangled in the schemes and needs to take some tough decisions.
The story comes to us in Amir’s third-person perspective.
I'm not an avid reader of epic fantasy but the Indian connection of this novel tempted me much. However, as anyone who cooks with spices knows, getting the spice balance right in every dish is crucial. Too much or too little of any can sully the whole taste. This book has too much spice, thereby killing the flavour.
Bookish Yays:
😋 The sheer scale of this epic fantasy: as mindblowing as strands of genuine saffron.
😋 The regular mentions of unusual Indian dishes such as idli and patoli: as welcome as a glass of ginger nimbu paani on a summer day.
😋 Some of the secondary characters: working as well to enhance the story as salt does to the taste of chocolate.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😬 The plethora of Indian words from various Indian languages: an interesting choice but won’t work for every reader, just like peppercorns don’t click with every gastronome. Western readers will definitely miss out on the subtleties as there is no glossary.
😬 The fictitious quote at the start of very chapter (taken either from fictitious books or assigned to fictitious persons of the Spice kingdoms): Intriguing at first but to be skipped and kept aside later, just like curry leaves in a gravy.
😬 The worldbuilding: as refreshing and tasty as coriander leaves but also as sticky as an overcooked khichdi. Tough to determine what’s what and where’s where, but somehow does its job.
Bookish Nays:
🥵 Amir: as bland as unsalted rice. Boring to gulp, tough to advocate!
🥵 The plot development: as confusing as sorting out kalonji, sabja and black sesame when they aren’t in their respective packets.
🥵 The romance between Amir and Harini: as unbelievable as finding a green chilli in ice cream. What a strange combo!
🥵 The frequent references to piss and excreta and spit, sometimes even as a part of the magical system: as annoying as discovering three bay leaves in a single serving of pulav.
🥵 The initial few chapters, with the overload of characters, places, and sinister schemes: as confusing as standing in the spice aisle of an Indian food store and wondering where to begin.
🥵 The dragged pace combined with the length: as tedious and longwinded as powdering dry red chillies with just a mortar and pestle.
🥵 Logical loopholes: as frequently found in the plot as turmeric is found in Indian dishes.
🥵 Finding caste and class issues even in an Indian fantasy: as unappetising as biting into unground cinnamon.
🥵 The writing: as repetitive as saying ‘chai tea’ or ‘naan bread.’
🥵 The overuse of the word ‘Gates!’ as an exclamation: as eyeroll-inducing as store-brought ginger-garlic paste.
🥵 The infodump ending – as predictable as finding a giant black cardamom in biryani. (And almost as irksome!)
🥵 Dramatis Personae at the end instead of at the beginning: as useless as discovering kulfi at a buffet when you have already stuffed paan into your mouth.
All in all, I had been looking forward to this delicacy. This Indian reader was thrilled to find an Indian author writing a debut work in a fantastical India-inspired setting and infused with Indian spices. I wish with all my heart it has worked better for me. After all, this Indian cannot imagine life without spices. Unfortunately, this turned out to be way more over-spiced than I like.
Perhaps if you are a more avid reader of epic fantasy, you might be able to make better sense of this story. So please read the GR blurb to get a better idea of the plot, and other reviews to get a more balanced opinion of the novel. If you do pick it up, I hope your palate loves it and that it ends up more chatpata (flavourfully spiced) than feeka (insipid) for you.
2 stars.
My thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing the DRC of “The Spice Gate” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The story centers on Amir, a young man marked as a Spice Carrier, who has the rare ability to traverse the Spice Gates—a network connecting the eight kingdoms through distinct, magical spices. This unique premise sets the stage for a world filled with complexity and depth.
The world-building is the standout feature of this novel. The intricacies of the spice-based magic system and the vivid descriptions of each kingdom create an incredibly immersive reading experience. The use of spices as a magical conduit is both novel and fascinating, adding yet another layer of sensory richness to the story and echoing elements of our own history. The depiction of a non-Eurocentric fantasy world, touching on themes of racism, colonialism, and caste system, adds significant depth and relevance to the story.
As a standalone novel, The Spice Gate manages to wrap up its story neatly, which is commendable given the expansive world it introduces. However, the density of the world-building sometimes overshadows character development. For me, while Amir and his companions are complex and well-crafted, there was a distance that prevented deep emotional investment in their journeys. The romance subplot, while present, also suffers from this lack of connection, feeling somewhat underdeveloped in the grand scheme of the narrative. Perhaps because the world-building and themes are such titans that nothing else can measure up?
I will say that there is frequent mention of excrement and feces in this story, which was jarring each and every time and detracted from my overall experience. This recurring element, likely intended to underscore the harsh realities of Amir's world and the history of the region, might unsettle some readers. Perhaps that was the intent.
The Spice Gate is a commendable debut with intricate world-building and a unique magic system. Despite some challenges with character connection and an occasional overemphasis on certain gritty details, it offers a fresh and thought-provoking addition to the fantasy genre. Fans of intricate, non-Eurocentric fantasies that tackle weighty themes will find much to appreciate in this standalone adventure. While I appreciate that it's a standalone, I really think it would have been better served as a series or duology to spread out its weighty nature.
Thanks so much to Storygram Tours and William Morrow Books for the physical copy and the opportunity to read and review. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
The world-building is the standout feature of this novel. The intricacies of the spice-based magic system and the vivid descriptions of each kingdom create an incredibly immersive reading experience. The use of spices as a magical conduit is both novel and fascinating, adding yet another layer of sensory richness to the story and echoing elements of our own history. The depiction of a non-Eurocentric fantasy world, touching on themes of racism, colonialism, and caste system, adds significant depth and relevance to the story.
As a standalone novel, The Spice Gate manages to wrap up its story neatly, which is commendable given the expansive world it introduces. However, the density of the world-building sometimes overshadows character development. For me, while Amir and his companions are complex and well-crafted, there was a distance that prevented deep emotional investment in their journeys. The romance subplot, while present, also suffers from this lack of connection, feeling somewhat underdeveloped in the grand scheme of the narrative. Perhaps because the world-building and themes are such titans that nothing else can measure up?
I will say that there is frequent mention of excrement and feces in this story, which was jarring each and every time and detracted from my overall experience. This recurring element, likely intended to underscore the harsh realities of Amir's world and the history of the region, might unsettle some readers. Perhaps that was the intent.
The Spice Gate is a commendable debut with intricate world-building and a unique magic system. Despite some challenges with character connection and an occasional overemphasis on certain gritty details, it offers a fresh and thought-provoking addition to the fantasy genre. Fans of intricate, non-Eurocentric fantasies that tackle weighty themes will find much to appreciate in this standalone adventure. While I appreciate that it's a standalone, I really think it would have been better served as a series or duology to spread out its weighty nature.
Thanks so much to Storygram Tours and William Morrow Books for the physical copy and the opportunity to read and review. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
A bit lost for words, and not for the best reasons either. Review to come! ✨
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This book is a bit of a paradox for me because I was enamored with the way the different worlds were depicted and the importance of the spices to their respective kingdoms, but was so annoyed with the protagonist and how he flipped flopped on his stance so often that it left me confused as to how he came to his final decision.
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This book is a bit of a paradox for me because I was enamored with the way the different worlds were depicted and the importance of the spices to their respective kingdoms, but was so annoyed with the protagonist and how he flipped flopped on his stance so often that it left me confused as to how he came to his final decision.
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The Spice Gate starts off by asking us what we would do for our family. Too often I think we find these epic fantasy stories with characters who want to be a hero. They want to have that grand story book life, that heroic journey. They're ready to give it all up for that. To be selfless and noble. But for Amir, he just wants to take care of his family. And while he finds himself in the largest conspiracy ever, there's a sense that fate has plans for him. That despite wanting to protect his family the world be damned, destiny is calling.
The Spice Gate starts off by asking us what we would do for our family. Too often I think we find these epic fantasy stories with characters who want to be a hero. They want to have that grand story book life, that heroic journey. They're ready to give it all up for that. To be selfless and noble. But for Amir, he just wants to take care of his family. And while he finds himself in the largest conspiracy ever, there's a sense that fate has plans for him. That despite wanting to protect his family the world be damned, destiny is calling.