cordial75 's review for:

The Immortal King Rao by Vauhini Vara

3.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I picked Immortal King Rao hoping it would satisfy an itch I was feeling for more "micro-chip implant that lets dead people live on in MC" trope. But, the trope is barely explored. This is a generational novel, about the evolution of a rural Indian family alongside the evolution of globalism. It's a family drama, an exploration of societal transformation over a whole lifetime - the moments that shape us and build into is our identity. Very relatable as a millennial seeing tech rise and becoming outdated very quickly. From who our parents were to who our grandparents were, each building into us if not through memories, through stories. This book also explores humanity's simulataneous need for connection and desire for selfishness. While I didn't get the scifi I was looking for - this was more of an Indian historical family drama - it wasn't bad? I just think I was in the mood for something less historical and more scifi when I read it.