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A review by bamamelereads
Savage Beasts by Rani Selvarajah
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Wow. So Medea is one of my all time favorite characters in Greek mythology. And I have been dying for someone to write a book worthy of her. And ladies and gentlemen, I think we’ve got it. The setting of the British imperial takeover of India and having “Jason” be part of the East India Company was a surprisingly perfect twist. Meena is such a strong character, even as all the men around her underestimate her and abuse her. The plotline follows the myth fairly closely while still being fresh. I loved all the allusions to the myths with Kiran and her wild boars, the names of the ships, and so many other small details.
But the heart of this story is both a woman being betrayed, but also the evils of colonialism. These intertwine so seamlessly. Because ultimately, Medea was otherized by Jason, and Meena is absolutely otherized by James and every other white person she meets. I love how fiesty she is, even while that fire has her being called hysterical. The absolute rage she feels and that I felt on her behalf was consuming. And knowing how the story traditionally ends had me on edge the entire second half of the book. I won’t give anything away, but the narrative choices were perfect. I raged, I cried, and I promise the journey was worth it.
Highly recommend this one!
4.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a requested copy to review. All opinions are my own.
But the heart of this story is both a woman being betrayed, but also the evils of colonialism. These intertwine so seamlessly. Because ultimately, Medea was otherized by Jason, and Meena is absolutely otherized by James and every other white person she meets. I love how fiesty she is, even while that fire has her being called hysterical. The absolute rage she feels and that I felt on her behalf was consuming. And knowing how the story traditionally ends had me on edge the entire second half of the book. I won’t give anything away, but the narrative choices were perfect. I raged, I cried, and I promise the journey was worth it.
Highly recommend this one!
4.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a requested copy to review. All opinions are my own.