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A review by nymphread
Her Soul for a Crown by Alysha Rameera
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
I really wanted to love this, because it had all the elements I look for in a fantasy romance: a revenge-driven heroine, a pining MMC, political scheming, morally grey characters, squabbling deities, layered power dynamics and a richly imagined world. I also loved that this world was inspired by Sri Lankan mythology, written by an author from that same culture, who was clearly passionate about the subject matter.
Those elements do shine through in the opening chapters. Anula, the FMC, has endured a life marked by loss and chooses to take control of her fate by plotting to marry the raja, seize the crown, and then kill him. Her plans entangle her with Reeri, the Blood Yakka - a divine being scarred by betrayal. The two strike a literal Faustian bargain to help each other achieve their goals.
I was hooked early on, but somewhere around the middle, the story lost me. There are two parallel plotlines - Anula’s pursuit of the throne and Reeri’s mission to reclaim lost power for the Yakkas - but neither felt fully fleshed out. Neither Reeri’s fellow Yakkas could really keep me interested and make me want to follow their storyline, nor did Anula’s side characters really hold my attention.
Anula, as a concept, is compelling. Her hunger for revenge and willingness to do whatever it takes made sense to me. But despite her clear motivations, I struggled to connect with her emotionally. The world is richly imagined, but paradoxically, it also felt… empty. The side characters didn’t feel fully realized. They mostly seemed to exist to move the plot along rather than to live in the world themselves.
Reeri had potential, and his gentleness contrasted nicely with Anula’s sharp edges. But I didn’t quite buy the speed or depth of his feelings for her. It felt like their emotional bond developed too fast and without enough foundation. While the tension between them was at times entertaining, it lacked weight.
I really appreciated the mythology and the ambition behind the worldbuilding, but something was missing in the execution. I wanted more depth, more immersion, more emotion. In the end, I felt too disconnected from the characters and the story to truly care about what happened.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Those elements do shine through in the opening chapters. Anula, the FMC, has endured a life marked by loss and chooses to take control of her fate by plotting to marry the raja, seize the crown, and then kill him. Her plans entangle her with Reeri, the Blood Yakka - a divine being scarred by betrayal. The two strike a literal Faustian bargain to help each other achieve their goals.
I was hooked early on, but somewhere around the middle, the story lost me. There are two parallel plotlines - Anula’s pursuit of the throne and Reeri’s mission to reclaim lost power for the Yakkas - but neither felt fully fleshed out. Neither Reeri’s fellow Yakkas could really keep me interested and make me want to follow their storyline, nor did Anula’s side characters really hold my attention.
Anula, as a concept, is compelling. Her hunger for revenge and willingness to do whatever it takes made sense to me. But despite her clear motivations, I struggled to connect with her emotionally. The world is richly imagined, but paradoxically, it also felt… empty. The side characters didn’t feel fully realized. They mostly seemed to exist to move the plot along rather than to live in the world themselves.
Reeri had potential, and his gentleness contrasted nicely with Anula’s sharp edges. But I didn’t quite buy the speed or depth of his feelings for her. It felt like their emotional bond developed too fast and without enough foundation. While the tension between them was at times entertaining, it lacked weight.
I really appreciated the mythology and the ambition behind the worldbuilding, but something was missing in the execution. I wanted more depth, more immersion, more emotion. In the end, I felt too disconnected from the characters and the story to truly care about what happened.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.