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The False Goddess #1
The Scarlet Throne
A dark, heart-thumping political epic fantasy by debut author Amy Leow—full of scheming demons, morally grey heroines, talking cats, and cut-throat priests, this delicious tale of power and corruption will captivate from beginning to end.
Binsa is a “living goddess,” chosen by the gods to dispense both mercy and punishment from her place on the Scarlet Throne. But her reign hides a deadly secret. Rather than channeling the wisdom of an immortal deity, she harbors a demon.
But now her priests are growing suspicious. When a new girl, Medha, is selected to take over her position, Binsa and her demon strike a deal: To magnify his power and help her wrest control from the priests, she will sacrifice human lives. She’ll do anything not to end up back on the streets, forgotten and alone. But how much of her humanity is she willing to trade in her quest for power? Deals with demons are rarely so simple.
Binsa is a “living goddess,” chosen by the gods to dispense both mercy and punishment from her place on the Scarlet Throne. But her reign hides a deadly secret. Rather than channeling the wisdom of an immortal deity, she harbors a demon.
But now her priests are growing suspicious. When a new girl, Medha, is selected to take over her position, Binsa and her demon strike a deal: To magnify his power and help her wrest control from the priests, she will sacrifice human lives. She’ll do anything not to end up back on the streets, forgotten and alone. But how much of her humanity is she willing to trade in her quest for power? Deals with demons are rarely so simple.
432 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2024
76 people are currently reading
13334 people want to read
About the author
Amy Leow
1 book106 followersAmy Leow is the author of The False Goddess Trilogy (Orbit Books). Currently residing in Kuala Lumpur, she graduated with a degree in linguistics and is currently pursuing a PhD in the same subject. When not reading or writing, she can be found consuming copious amounts of anime, boba, and random facts on the internet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 250 reviews
May 19, 2025
This book had all the makings of a captivating read, but ultimately, it fell short of my expectations in several key areas.
Take Binsa, for instance. She was presented as a power-hungry woman with grand ambitions, yet she lacked the cunning and intellect I anticipated from a character in her position. Despite already having ruled from the Scarlet Throne for several years when the story begins, the narrative felt as if we were jumping into the tale at its inception. This discrepancy left me questioning her decisions and motivations.
If Binsa was truly as ambitious as the story suggests, why hadn’t she taken proactive steps to secure her reign long before the conversations surrounding her potential resignation arose? She had made a pact with the demon Ilam during her childhood, a powerful entity at her disposal. Yet, she failed to harness his abilities effectively or exert the control one would expect over such an alliance. This oversight, along with numerous other inconsistencies in the plot, made it hard to reconcile her character’s development with the expectations set by her initial portrayal.
Furthermore, Binsa did not come across as a clever antagonist. Instead, she often appeared to be a fragile character, consumed by self-pity and overwhelmed by her circumstances. Many of her challenges seemed to resolve themselves not through her own ingenuity but rather through fortunate happenstance or simply because she held the position of the protagonist, which felt frustratingly unsatisfying.
On the other hand, Ilam, the demon who takes on the form of a grumpy cat, stood out as a vibrant character in his own right. He was compelling and intriguing, and I had no reservations about his portrayal. His presence added a refreshing dynamic to the story, showcasing the potential for a great contrast to Binsa's shortcomings.
The supporting cast, however, posed another hurdle for my enjoyment of the book. They were characterized in a way that made it difficult to establish any emotional connection with them. Their chaotic lives, although potentially rich with narrative depth, felt more like an arduous task to navigate through rather than an engaging subplot to follow.
While the worldbuilding was undeniably magnificent, with a richly detailed setting and a unique magic system full of unexpected twists, I found it insufficiently developed. The author would tantalizingly introduce various aspects of this intricate world or the magic within it, only to leave them unexplained or unexplored. This lack of elaboration created a sense of confusion, detracting from the overall immersion in the story.
Ultimately, my greatest disappointment was that, despite all the potential the book had, it failed to engage me. Even with other tasks awaiting my attention, the length of time it took me to finish the book was largely due to an overarching sense of boredom. The story did not compel me to turn pages eagerly; rather, it felt like a struggle to stay invested.
Despite the numerous criticisms I have levied, I am giving it a rating of 3 stars. The world and magic system presented were genuinely intriguing, leaving me with a desire to learn more. Moreover, Ilam truly shone throughout the narrative, and there were moments when Binsa almost resembled the compelling character I had hoped she would become.
In conclusion, while the book had its moments and was somewhat entertaining, it missed the mark in many areas. It could have achieved so much more had Binsa been capable of more robust development, especially considering the timeline in which the story unfolds.
Take Binsa, for instance. She was presented as a power-hungry woman with grand ambitions, yet she lacked the cunning and intellect I anticipated from a character in her position. Despite already having ruled from the Scarlet Throne for several years when the story begins, the narrative felt as if we were jumping into the tale at its inception. This discrepancy left me questioning her decisions and motivations.
If Binsa was truly as ambitious as the story suggests, why hadn’t she taken proactive steps to secure her reign long before the conversations surrounding her potential resignation arose? She had made a pact with the demon Ilam during her childhood, a powerful entity at her disposal. Yet, she failed to harness his abilities effectively or exert the control one would expect over such an alliance. This oversight, along with numerous other inconsistencies in the plot, made it hard to reconcile her character’s development with the expectations set by her initial portrayal.
Furthermore, Binsa did not come across as a clever antagonist. Instead, she often appeared to be a fragile character, consumed by self-pity and overwhelmed by her circumstances. Many of her challenges seemed to resolve themselves not through her own ingenuity but rather through fortunate happenstance or simply because she held the position of the protagonist, which felt frustratingly unsatisfying.
On the other hand, Ilam, the demon who takes on the form of a grumpy cat, stood out as a vibrant character in his own right. He was compelling and intriguing, and I had no reservations about his portrayal. His presence added a refreshing dynamic to the story, showcasing the potential for a great contrast to Binsa's shortcomings.
The supporting cast, however, posed another hurdle for my enjoyment of the book. They were characterized in a way that made it difficult to establish any emotional connection with them. Their chaotic lives, although potentially rich with narrative depth, felt more like an arduous task to navigate through rather than an engaging subplot to follow.
While the worldbuilding was undeniably magnificent, with a richly detailed setting and a unique magic system full of unexpected twists, I found it insufficiently developed. The author would tantalizingly introduce various aspects of this intricate world or the magic within it, only to leave them unexplained or unexplored. This lack of elaboration created a sense of confusion, detracting from the overall immersion in the story.
Ultimately, my greatest disappointment was that, despite all the potential the book had, it failed to engage me. Even with other tasks awaiting my attention, the length of time it took me to finish the book was largely due to an overarching sense of boredom. The story did not compel me to turn pages eagerly; rather, it felt like a struggle to stay invested.
Despite the numerous criticisms I have levied, I am giving it a rating of 3 stars. The world and magic system presented were genuinely intriguing, leaving me with a desire to learn more. Moreover, Ilam truly shone throughout the narrative, and there were moments when Binsa almost resembled the compelling character I had hoped she would become.
In conclusion, while the book had its moments and was somewhat entertaining, it missed the mark in many areas. It could have achieved so much more had Binsa been capable of more robust development, especially considering the timeline in which the story unfolds.
July 7, 2024
A book for people who loved the last 40 pages of The Poppy War.
The Scarlet Throne is about Binsa, a young girl pretending to channel a famous goddess. In reality, she's made a pact with a demon - and she'll take every step possible to make sure no one finds out. I enjoyed a lot in this story, from Binsa's hardened determination to the focus on court politics as the primary plot. I think a lot of people will be tempted to call this YA when it comes out, but I was impressed by how many times Binsa is willing to go there to realize her goals. She's an unapologetic villain! Yet there's also a tenderness to her character that feels believable, with a surprisingly heartfelt meditation on family and motherhood. The mythology and setting feel appropriate built-out, and I was always interested to read more about the side characters, though they exist on the periphery for the most part: This is Binsa's spotlight.
I think my only qualm here is that while the pacing is consistent, the story itself feels meandering. Binsa's goal is to maintain the power she already possesses, so she has actually achieved this goal for the large portion of the book. With nothing concrete to prove that she has lost or won, her arc doesn't have a clear destination, and this feeling of aimlessness shadows the momentum of the story. The ending shows a clear route to the sequel, but I have no idea where this series is going in the long run, or how there will be enough material for a planned trilogy. I almost wonder if this would be better a standalone, with room for a more shocking but cathartic ending.
Regardless, Amy Leow is definitely an author to watch out for, as this is an interesting debut (with no romance!) that I think will appeal to the people who have been waiting for an unrepentant FMC!
The Scarlet Throne is about Binsa, a young girl pretending to channel a famous goddess. In reality, she's made a pact with a demon - and she'll take every step possible to make sure no one finds out. I enjoyed a lot in this story, from Binsa's hardened determination to the focus on court politics as the primary plot. I think a lot of people will be tempted to call this YA when it comes out, but I was impressed by how many times Binsa is willing to go there to realize her goals. She's an unapologetic villain! Yet there's also a tenderness to her character that feels believable, with a surprisingly heartfelt meditation on family and motherhood. The mythology and setting feel appropriate built-out, and I was always interested to read more about the side characters, though they exist on the periphery for the most part: This is Binsa's spotlight.
I think my only qualm here is that while the pacing is consistent, the story itself feels meandering. Binsa's goal is to maintain the power she already possesses, so she has actually achieved this goal for the large portion of the book. With nothing concrete to prove that she has lost or won, her arc doesn't have a clear destination, and this feeling of aimlessness shadows the momentum of the story. The ending shows a clear route to the sequel, but I have no idea where this series is going in the long run, or how there will be enough material for a planned trilogy. I almost wonder if this would be better a standalone, with room for a more shocking but cathartic ending.
Regardless, Amy Leow is definitely an author to watch out for, as this is an interesting debut (with no romance!) that I think will appeal to the people who have been waiting for an unrepentant FMC!
December 28, 2024
4.5⭐️ | TikTok | IG |
This was an excellent character-driven dark fantasy with a truly villainous FMC and a lush world.
An absolutely spectacular debut novel and a fantastic start to a series! I cannot wait for the next book in this trilogy!
What I loved…
- dark fantasy world loosely based on South Asian culture and mythology
- morally gray turned black FMC
- mommy trauma
- immersive prose and world building
- political intrigue
- No romance (ok, honestly I LOVE romance in my books but I’m adding this to the pro column for those who prefer books without)
What I didn’t love…
- This is very much a character-driven story, but it feels like we’re lacking depth to some of the characters. I wanted more background and information on what drives Binsa to act as she does. That said, I would have been ok with the character-depth if the plot felt more direct and higher staked. I understand she didn’t want to give up her Goddess status but I failed to understand why… What was so bad about going back to a normal life?
- I wanted the characters to either be older (my #1 preference), or this should be labeled as a YA. If you tell me a book is an adult fantasy but then give me characters that are 16, I’m going to feel a little robbed - this was definitely the case here. I do see the reasoning for the age, and I can see the factors that would make a 16 year old Binsa mature - but I think with minor adjustments to the storyline an older Binsa would have worked even better.
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
This was an excellent character-driven dark fantasy with a truly villainous FMC and a lush world.
An absolutely spectacular debut novel and a fantastic start to a series! I cannot wait for the next book in this trilogy!
What I loved…
- dark fantasy world loosely based on South Asian culture and mythology
- morally gray turned black FMC
- mommy trauma
- immersive prose and world building
- political intrigue
- No romance (ok, honestly I LOVE romance in my books but I’m adding this to the pro column for those who prefer books without)
What I didn’t love…
- This is very much a character-driven story, but it feels like we’re lacking depth to some of the characters. I wanted more background and information on what drives Binsa to act as she does. That said, I would have been ok with the character-depth if the plot felt more direct and higher staked. I understand she didn’t want to give up her Goddess status but I failed to understand why… What was so bad about going back to a normal life?
- I wanted the characters to either be older (my #1 preference), or this should be labeled as a YA. If you tell me a book is an adult fantasy but then give me characters that are 16, I’m going to feel a little robbed - this was definitely the case here. I do see the reasoning for the age, and I can see the factors that would make a 16 year old Binsa mature - but I think with minor adjustments to the storyline an older Binsa would have worked even better.
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
September 12, 2024
Overview:
😈 Villain protagonist
✖️ No romance
❤️🔥 Female rage
🩶 Morally grey/morally black characters
🪭 Asian mythology inspired
The Scarlet Throne is a mean little pill of a book. Set in a Tibetan inspired fantasy world where humans are selected as vessels of gods, Binsa has clawed her way into a position as a 'living goddess' using demonic blood magic. Teamed up with her cat demon Ilam, she has maintained power far longer than she has been expected to reign. Facing priests who now want her gone, a new goddess candidate in the form of a little girl, and a conspiracy that stretches centuries, Binsa will do anything to remain a living goddess.
Immediately reading the books description I was sold, but I was not expecting the story to be so dark and unforgiving. If Cersei Lannister's chapters in ASOIAF were peak literature to you, PICK THIS BOOK UP NOW. Binsa is a cruel, complicated, power hungry and constantly paranoid character whose small decencies are constantly at war with her desire for greatness at all costs. She is an absolute BLAST TO FOLLOW.
Amy Leow took some massive risks with her character and making her very hard to redeem in a way we just don't get to enjoy from female characters in fiction. Binsa has a tragic background, but she's not written as a character whose particularly sympathetic. This is not a "good for her" female rage story, but rather, one that explores obsession with power from the perspective of a woman. Binsa is in fact, 'bad for everyone'.
The side characters are also fantastic in their ways. To start, theres quite a few of them and particularly the priests are challenging to keep track of at times, but everyone has a very distinct personality. This is a single POV and first person, yet even though Binsa's delusional eyes, these characters shine with their own motivations, hopes and dreams. All of them need to survive Binsa in their own way, and several characters- particularly the little girl Medha, add a moral brightness to an otherwise dark book.
The tone of the book incorporates court politics and mystery and at times can be slow, but never boring. Binsa's scheming is always a ton of fun, but this is not an "action packed" book. It is best suited for fans of low fantasy and political fantasy. The prose is fairly simple, but while the books aesthetics may seem to appeal to New Adult readers, The Scarlet Throne may not be suited for those looking for friendship and romance in their stories, and will be much more appealing to horror and grimdark fans looking for a unique story that is packed with villainous and grey characters all ready to betray each other at a moments notice.
If you are sick of "good for her" and are ready to enter an era of women behaving badly, The Scarlet Throne will be your 5 star read of the year.
😈 Villain protagonist
✖️ No romance
❤️🔥 Female rage
🩶 Morally grey/morally black characters
🪭 Asian mythology inspired
The Scarlet Throne is a mean little pill of a book. Set in a Tibetan inspired fantasy world where humans are selected as vessels of gods, Binsa has clawed her way into a position as a 'living goddess' using demonic blood magic. Teamed up with her cat demon Ilam, she has maintained power far longer than she has been expected to reign. Facing priests who now want her gone, a new goddess candidate in the form of a little girl, and a conspiracy that stretches centuries, Binsa will do anything to remain a living goddess.
Immediately reading the books description I was sold, but I was not expecting the story to be so dark and unforgiving. If Cersei Lannister's chapters in ASOIAF were peak literature to you, PICK THIS BOOK UP NOW. Binsa is a cruel, complicated, power hungry and constantly paranoid character whose small decencies are constantly at war with her desire for greatness at all costs. She is an absolute BLAST TO FOLLOW.
Amy Leow took some massive risks with her character and making her very hard to redeem in a way we just don't get to enjoy from female characters in fiction. Binsa has a tragic background, but she's not written as a character whose particularly sympathetic. This is not a "good for her" female rage story, but rather, one that explores obsession with power from the perspective of a woman. Binsa is in fact, 'bad for everyone'.
The side characters are also fantastic in their ways. To start, theres quite a few of them and particularly the priests are challenging to keep track of at times, but everyone has a very distinct personality. This is a single POV and first person, yet even though Binsa's delusional eyes, these characters shine with their own motivations, hopes and dreams. All of them need to survive Binsa in their own way, and several characters- particularly the little girl Medha, add a moral brightness to an otherwise dark book.
The tone of the book incorporates court politics and mystery and at times can be slow, but never boring. Binsa's scheming is always a ton of fun, but this is not an "action packed" book. It is best suited for fans of low fantasy and political fantasy. The prose is fairly simple, but while the books aesthetics may seem to appeal to New Adult readers, The Scarlet Throne may not be suited for those looking for friendship and romance in their stories, and will be much more appealing to horror and grimdark fans looking for a unique story that is packed with villainous and grey characters all ready to betray each other at a moments notice.
If you are sick of "good for her" and are ready to enter an era of women behaving badly, The Scarlet Throne will be your 5 star read of the year.
March 3, 2025
Hello everyone, I'm the author of this book, and I wanted to introduce it a little bit since we're this close to release!
The Scarlet Throne is, in one word, messy. The politics are messy, the consequences of magic are messy, and the characters--even messier. I wrote this book wanting to resist the dichotomy of good/evil as much as possible, and to show that even the "villain" is the hero of their own story. It is dark yet introspective, and comes with an intent exploration of who we are as humans.
I cannot wait for all of you to meet Binsa and Ilam; I may hate to actually be their friend, but they are very interesting pieces of work, if I do say so myself. In case that isn't enough to convince you, we have:
- talking cats
- goats falling from the sky
- "you may be bad but I can be so much worse"
- complicated "found family"
Happy reading!
(P.S., for any animanga nerds out there, I wrote this story partially inspired by the nihilism of Attack on Titan and NieR:Automata. I think that says something about this book.)
The Scarlet Throne is, in one word, messy. The politics are messy, the consequences of magic are messy, and the characters--even messier. I wrote this book wanting to resist the dichotomy of good/evil as much as possible, and to show that even the "villain" is the hero of their own story. It is dark yet introspective, and comes with an intent exploration of who we are as humans.
I cannot wait for all of you to meet Binsa and Ilam; I may hate to actually be their friend, but they are very interesting pieces of work, if I do say so myself. In case that isn't enough to convince you, we have:
- talking cats
- goats falling from the sky
- "you may be bad but I can be so much worse"
- complicated "found family"
Happy reading!
(P.S., for any animanga nerds out there, I wrote this story partially inspired by the nihilism of Attack on Titan and NieR:Automata. I think that says something about this book.)
December 3, 2024
The Scarlet Throne
by Amy Leow
The False Goddess #1
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Sept 10, 2024
Orbit Books
Ages: 16+
Binsa was chosen to be the Goddess's vessel, but instead of a goddess inside of her, there's a demon.
Finding that the priests have decided her time as the goddess's vessel is coming to an end, Binsa will not leave quietly and will sacrifice many to keep her place on the throne and only that power will come from growing her demon's blood magic.
No, the talking cat isn't cute and cuddly, and the priests aren't that cutthroat either. It's a plot that progresses slowly with only a few places where the could have been real action, instead of the fluffed-over telling that it was.
It's not a bad story if you like slow-moving political plots. There's really no fighting so it's lacking on action. But I did like that the MC was the 'bad guy', but I also get why she was the bad guy, but could have made different choices to keep the throne.
As for reading the next in the series... Even though this one ended as a small cliffhanger, I don't know. Yeah, I would like to find out what happens, but at the same time, I don't know if I could force myself to read it.
There is some violence and blood, so it's suitable for readers sixteen and older.
Maybe a little more history, a lot more action/or descriptions of the action, and more depth to this world, history, and characters might have earned this one more star.
2 Stars
by Amy Leow
The False Goddess #1
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Sept 10, 2024
Orbit Books
Ages: 16+
Binsa was chosen to be the Goddess's vessel, but instead of a goddess inside of her, there's a demon.
Finding that the priests have decided her time as the goddess's vessel is coming to an end, Binsa will not leave quietly and will sacrifice many to keep her place on the throne and only that power will come from growing her demon's blood magic.
No, the talking cat isn't cute and cuddly, and the priests aren't that cutthroat either. It's a plot that progresses slowly with only a few places where the could have been real action, instead of the fluffed-over telling that it was.
It's not a bad story if you like slow-moving political plots. There's really no fighting so it's lacking on action. But I did like that the MC was the 'bad guy', but I also get why she was the bad guy, but could have made different choices to keep the throne.
As for reading the next in the series... Even though this one ended as a small cliffhanger, I don't know. Yeah, I would like to find out what happens, but at the same time, I don't know if I could force myself to read it.
There is some violence and blood, so it's suitable for readers sixteen and older.
Maybe a little more history, a lot more action/or descriptions of the action, and more depth to this world, history, and characters might have earned this one more star.
2 Stars
October 6, 2024
3.0 Stars
Video Review https://youtu.be/OwmDitabVpI
Goddess driven stories can be challenging to write because the author needs to create a powerful character but also a flawed one. I appreciated that the protagonist was morally and complex.
I likesld a lot of elements of this one but would have liked to see more depth from the characters and worldbuilding. The story felt a bit shallow which held me back from truly loving it. I am still interested to read more in this series to see where the author goes from here
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Video Review https://youtu.be/OwmDitabVpI
Goddess driven stories can be challenging to write because the author needs to create a powerful character but also a flawed one. I appreciated that the protagonist was morally and complex.
I likesld a lot of elements of this one but would have liked to see more depth from the characters and worldbuilding. The story felt a bit shallow which held me back from truly loving it. I am still interested to read more in this series to see where the author goes from here
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
September 29, 2024
2.5 stars rounded up
Kind of disappointing, but your mileage may vary.
Binsa is supposedly the human host of a goddess, but secretly has made a pact with a demon and will do anything to stay in power.
There were a lot of elements I liked about this, but I was left wanting more.
Binsa is a teenager, but this isn't really written like a YA book even if she is kind of naive and single-minded. I don't think I really understood WHY she's so determined to stay in power even when that begins to require more and more from her. Because it's not like the situation she's in is a good one. I wonder if we could have gotten more depth to her if she was aged up a bit because she felt a little one-dimensional at times. I love a morally gray main character, but this didn't entirely work for me.
The plot and some of the reveals we get through the book are interesting, but it felt like a very long book for how much actually happens. At times it got repetitive and while there were key scenes that had a real payoff, it felt like it took forever to get there.
Clearly there are people loving this book so take my review with a grain of salt, but I found myself going back and forth between being interested and bored throughout the book. And looking back, I feel like this really could have been condensed. If the pace was faster, I might have glossed over things like lack of depth to the world-building or issues I had with the characters. And it reads sort of like a book that isn't sure if it wants to be YA or adult. I wanted to love it, but the more I sit with it the less satisfied I am. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Kind of disappointing, but your mileage may vary.
Binsa is supposedly the human host of a goddess, but secretly has made a pact with a demon and will do anything to stay in power.
There were a lot of elements I liked about this, but I was left wanting more.
Binsa is a teenager, but this isn't really written like a YA book even if she is kind of naive and single-minded. I don't think I really understood WHY she's so determined to stay in power even when that begins to require more and more from her. Because it's not like the situation she's in is a good one. I wonder if we could have gotten more depth to her if she was aged up a bit because she felt a little one-dimensional at times. I love a morally gray main character, but this didn't entirely work for me.
The plot and some of the reveals we get through the book are interesting, but it felt like a very long book for how much actually happens. At times it got repetitive and while there were key scenes that had a real payoff, it felt like it took forever to get there.
Clearly there are people loving this book so take my review with a grain of salt, but I found myself going back and forth between being interested and bored throughout the book. And looking back, I feel like this really could have been condensed. If the pace was faster, I might have glossed over things like lack of depth to the world-building or issues I had with the characters. And it reads sort of like a book that isn't sure if it wants to be YA or adult. I wanted to love it, but the more I sit with it the less satisfied I am. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
July 22, 2024
The Scarlet Throne is the embodiment of "Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss."
If you stan:
💅🏼 an unreliable narrator
💅🏼 corruption arcs
💅🏼 women's (fictional) wrongs
💅🏼 revenge
then this book has it all.
If you love Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch's character arc, then this is the book for you.
And bonus, there's no romance!
Nowadays, it's difficult for me to have high hopes for fantasy novels. With the tropification of fantasy (and novels in general), and the Wattpad quality writing that gets traditionally published more often these days, I try to keep my expectationslow reasonable.
But The Scarlet Throne had none of those.
This is a well-written political fantasy that puts me in the headspace of reading a single POV from A Song of Ice and Fire mixed with the dark vibes from the later Poppy War books. (If any of that even makes sense.)
For those that care about pacing, this is a slower paced fantasy novel and takes its time to build up the suspense and the climax. This might not work for readers who prefer something faster paced. Personally, I didn't mind it since the plot and characterization kept me engaged throughout the novel. There weren't any major lulls in the story for me, so even with the more dialogue heavy scenes, or the lore dumping, I didn't get bored at all.
The author had me hooked from the author's note right to the very last page.
So, why not five stars?
I won't lie, maybe I'm too dumb, but the political scheming became a little too convoluted for me. And some of the solutions to Binsa's problems in the first half were giving deus ex machina. Major problems were easily solved just in the nick of time when I wanted to see Binsa fail or get called out. There were too many coincidences that relied majorly on luck.
But other than that, I'm very excited to see how the rest of the trilogy pans out! I'll be keeping an eye on Amy Leow's future releases!
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for this arc.
If you stan:
💅🏼 an unreliable narrator
💅🏼 corruption arcs
💅🏼 women's (fictional) wrongs
💅🏼 revenge
then this book has it all.
If you love Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch's character arc, then this is the book for you.
And bonus, there's no romance!
Nowadays, it's difficult for me to have high hopes for fantasy novels. With the tropification of fantasy (and novels in general), and the Wattpad quality writing that gets traditionally published more often these days, I try to keep my expectations
But The Scarlet Throne had none of those.
This is a well-written political fantasy that puts me in the headspace of reading a single POV from A Song of Ice and Fire mixed with the dark vibes from the later Poppy War books. (If any of that even makes sense.)
For those that care about pacing, this is a slower paced fantasy novel and takes its time to build up the suspense and the climax. This might not work for readers who prefer something faster paced. Personally, I didn't mind it since the plot and characterization kept me engaged throughout the novel. There weren't any major lulls in the story for me, so even with the more dialogue heavy scenes, or the lore dumping, I didn't get bored at all.
The author had me hooked from the author's note right to the very last page.
So, why not five stars?
I won't lie, maybe I'm too dumb, but the political scheming became a little too convoluted for me. And some of the solutions to Binsa's problems in the first half were giving deus ex machina. Major problems were easily solved just in the nick of time when I wanted to see Binsa fail or get called out. There were too many coincidences that relied majorly on luck.
But other than that, I'm very excited to see how the rest of the trilogy pans out! I'll be keeping an eye on Amy Leow's future releases!
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for this arc.
October 2, 2024
“I look at my hands. These are the hands of a murderer. Ilam is wrong. I haven't killed only once. I've killed ten times already.
What's one more count to the list?”
In a world filled with complex politics, meddling priests, and kingdoms built on faith and devotion, The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow is a dark fantasy which explores the intricacies of the thirst for power and status. This is unapologetically a fascinating portrayal of one woman embracing the villain within her.
Rashmatun, the Goddess of Wisdom, sits upon the Scarlet Throne granting mercy and dealing punishment to her people. Binsa is the Rakhti, the vessel of Rashmatun and through her power she is a living goddess. Only Binsa harbours a dark and damning secret. It is not Rashmatun who she harbours, it’s the demon, Ilam. As Binsa’s time as Rakhti is growing closer to its end and a new vessel, the child Medha is chosen, Binsa desperately does not want to relinquish her power. With priests watching her every move, prophecies coming to fruition and people losing faith, Binsa finds herself on the brink of losing everything. So she makes a deal with the demon, a deal that will see her sacrificing lives and perhaps her own humanity.
Being inside the head of a villain was quite thrilling to be honest, if a little disturbing as events spiraled. It’s in the way Leow creates Binsa’s first person narration, we see her ambition, her deep desire to remain in power and keep the respect she’s given but we also learn why. Binsa’s vulnerability is made clear through her inner thoughts, the sheer trauma of her past, the confusion between reality and falsehoods and that’s what made me feel compassion towards her, at least to begin with. Binsa has been through so many horrific ordeals, from being a starving young child to having a mother who inflicted a world of suffering on her for many years in the quest for her own ambitions to make Binsa a Rakhti. At the beginning of the novel Binsa struggles with using blood magic having seen first hand how it affected her mother, knowing the lives she would have to also take. Yet as the novel progresses we see her make excuse after excuse, convincing herself that the sacrifices she makes are all justifiable. Is Binsa merely a product of her mother’s cruelty? Has the demon, Ilam, corrupted and influenced her thoughts so detrimentally? Or is this the real Binsa, is this all of her own doing? These are the things we, alongside Binsa, question and this makes her such a great unreliable narrator. I’m not fond of characters who are evil for the sake of being evil, nor for shock value. I love to understand a character’s mindset, why they are the way they are, and I think Binsa’s conflicts and motivations are presented well throughout.
“This is the view of a deity, standing high above the world.
Ilam lifts our arms. His power surges through me once more.
Purple smoke coalesces at my fingertips.
"Now," he says, "we become a god."
My pulse quickens. Ilam's smoke curls into the sky, beckoning the clouds to come. Here I am, standing above Bakhtin, IIam's power thrumming in my veins. This is it.”
Leow explores the notion of gods and goddesss in such fascinating ways. Deities by their very nature inspire fear and awe in equal measures, they give people someone to believe in, someone to pray for better days to but they also give people someone to blame. This is shown here in the way people come to see ‘Rashmatun’ to share their grievances and ask her to grant them their wishes but when tragedy strikes they also come to question why she allowed it to happen. Were they not devout enough? Is her power waning? Should a new Rakhti—a vessel—be found? Once the people’s faith begins to waver, the deity loses power and Binsa is all too aware of this. As are the priests, and so Harun, the priest of Ghanatukh temple, seeks to undermine Binsa at every turn, to dispose of her and let her become another past vessel who fades away. Leow shows us that in this cut throat world it is not only Binsa who lusts for power but priests also desire to keep their influence over a nation, the priests are just as corrupt.
Not every character in this novel is so morally grey though nor are they all trying to manipulate Binsa, some genuinely care for her. There is Ykta, Binsa’s brother, who was very much just a victim of their mother too. Yet Ykta had more opportunities when he was taken in by a wealthy family and received an education. That advantage took him away from Binsa but also brought him back to her and he desperately tries to help her at every turn. Their relationship is fragile, messy and portrays how generational trauma causes such a vicious cycle. There is also Chandri, the Rakhti before Binsa, and though we only get fragments of Binsa’s memories with Chandri, we discover that she was the first person to ever show Binsa kindness and warmth. We then have Medha, a sweet, curious and innocent child who is chosen to become the next Rakhti and is trained by Binsa. Medha was a child who you cannot help but love and Binsa herself discovers this too. Medha serves to show a softer side to Binsa, a side that is capable of affection, sympathy and even nurturing. Which just makes the ending of this book all the more devastating.
It seems villain story arcs are having their moment to shine right now and The Scarlet Throne is an excellent example of a compelling, dark descent into the worst parts of human nature. With Binsa, Leow certainly creates a character you’ll never forget.
“Ilam cackles in delight. He loves it when I truly become a goddess, when none can defy me and all must bow to me.
Even I have to admit I enjoy the feeling.”
Arc provided by Nazia at Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review—thank you for the copy!
What's one more count to the list?”
In a world filled with complex politics, meddling priests, and kingdoms built on faith and devotion, The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow is a dark fantasy which explores the intricacies of the thirst for power and status. This is unapologetically a fascinating portrayal of one woman embracing the villain within her.
Rashmatun, the Goddess of Wisdom, sits upon the Scarlet Throne granting mercy and dealing punishment to her people. Binsa is the Rakhti, the vessel of Rashmatun and through her power she is a living goddess. Only Binsa harbours a dark and damning secret. It is not Rashmatun who she harbours, it’s the demon, Ilam. As Binsa’s time as Rakhti is growing closer to its end and a new vessel, the child Medha is chosen, Binsa desperately does not want to relinquish her power. With priests watching her every move, prophecies coming to fruition and people losing faith, Binsa finds herself on the brink of losing everything. So she makes a deal with the demon, a deal that will see her sacrificing lives and perhaps her own humanity.
Being inside the head of a villain was quite thrilling to be honest, if a little disturbing as events spiraled. It’s in the way Leow creates Binsa’s first person narration, we see her ambition, her deep desire to remain in power and keep the respect she’s given but we also learn why. Binsa’s vulnerability is made clear through her inner thoughts, the sheer trauma of her past, the confusion between reality and falsehoods and that’s what made me feel compassion towards her, at least to begin with. Binsa has been through so many horrific ordeals, from being a starving young child to having a mother who inflicted a world of suffering on her for many years in the quest for her own ambitions to make Binsa a Rakhti. At the beginning of the novel Binsa struggles with using blood magic having seen first hand how it affected her mother, knowing the lives she would have to also take. Yet as the novel progresses we see her make excuse after excuse, convincing herself that the sacrifices she makes are all justifiable. Is Binsa merely a product of her mother’s cruelty? Has the demon, Ilam, corrupted and influenced her thoughts so detrimentally? Or is this the real Binsa, is this all of her own doing? These are the things we, alongside Binsa, question and this makes her such a great unreliable narrator. I’m not fond of characters who are evil for the sake of being evil, nor for shock value. I love to understand a character’s mindset, why they are the way they are, and I think Binsa’s conflicts and motivations are presented well throughout.
“This is the view of a deity, standing high above the world.
Ilam lifts our arms. His power surges through me once more.
Purple smoke coalesces at my fingertips.
"Now," he says, "we become a god."
My pulse quickens. Ilam's smoke curls into the sky, beckoning the clouds to come. Here I am, standing above Bakhtin, IIam's power thrumming in my veins. This is it.”
Leow explores the notion of gods and goddesss in such fascinating ways. Deities by their very nature inspire fear and awe in equal measures, they give people someone to believe in, someone to pray for better days to but they also give people someone to blame. This is shown here in the way people come to see ‘Rashmatun’ to share their grievances and ask her to grant them their wishes but when tragedy strikes they also come to question why she allowed it to happen. Were they not devout enough? Is her power waning? Should a new Rakhti—a vessel—be found? Once the people’s faith begins to waver, the deity loses power and Binsa is all too aware of this. As are the priests, and so Harun, the priest of Ghanatukh temple, seeks to undermine Binsa at every turn, to dispose of her and let her become another past vessel who fades away. Leow shows us that in this cut throat world it is not only Binsa who lusts for power but priests also desire to keep their influence over a nation, the priests are just as corrupt.
Not every character in this novel is so morally grey though nor are they all trying to manipulate Binsa, some genuinely care for her. There is Ykta, Binsa’s brother, who was very much just a victim of their mother too. Yet Ykta had more opportunities when he was taken in by a wealthy family and received an education. That advantage took him away from Binsa but also brought him back to her and he desperately tries to help her at every turn. Their relationship is fragile, messy and portrays how generational trauma causes such a vicious cycle. There is also Chandri, the Rakhti before Binsa, and though we only get fragments of Binsa’s memories with Chandri, we discover that she was the first person to ever show Binsa kindness and warmth. We then have Medha, a sweet, curious and innocent child who is chosen to become the next Rakhti and is trained by Binsa. Medha was a child who you cannot help but love and Binsa herself discovers this too. Medha serves to show a softer side to Binsa, a side that is capable of affection, sympathy and even nurturing. Which just makes the ending of this book all the more devastating.
It seems villain story arcs are having their moment to shine right now and The Scarlet Throne is an excellent example of a compelling, dark descent into the worst parts of human nature. With Binsa, Leow certainly creates a character you’ll never forget.
“Ilam cackles in delight. He loves it when I truly become a goddess, when none can defy me and all must bow to me.
Even I have to admit I enjoy the feeling.”
Arc provided by Nazia at Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review—thank you for the copy!
October 21, 2024
Review originally on JamReads
The Scarlet Throne is the first book in the dark fantasy series The False Goddess, written by Amy Leow, and published by Orbit Books. An ambitious proposal with a worldbuilding inspired by the Nepali living goddess figures, a female main character that will bet everything to conserve her power while dealing with a complex net of politics and bargaining with a demon if that means she will stay at her position.
Binsa is a "living goddess", a vessel chosen by Rashmatun, goddess of Wisdom, granting mercy and punishment to her people from the Scarlet Throne. But Binsa keeps a dark secret: she never received the supposed power of Rashmatun, but through harbouring a demon, Ilam. With her time as Rakhti, as a vessel of the goddess, close to an end, the girl Medhi is chosen as a new vessel, Binsa bargains with Ilam, accepting to sacrifice lives in exchange for the power she needs to stay in the throne; a deal that might mean exchanging the rest of her humanity for power.
Leow decides to tell the story from Binsa's point of view, giving us a unique insight into her journey to villainess; how her ambition and desire to remain in power are moving her actions, but also how much she had to endure and suffer to reach this position. Binsa endured years of struggles and abuse by the hand of her mother just of sheer ambition; her trauma with blood magic makes her experiencing a bad time using it at the start of the novel, considering how her mother ended, but eventually, she gets accustomed to it, slowly trading her humanity in exchange of power. But we also experience how she's forced to play into a complex net of politics directed by the priests, giving her the perfect excuse to slowly succumb to corruption in the name of ambition. Binsa, after all, is just human, gullible, but she's the kind of villain you can find yourself cheering for; and that's exactly why I loved it.
It's not possible to talk about Binsa's journey without taking a look at the worldbuilding: inspired by the Nepali notion of living goddesses, we have a world where deities manifest through their vessels; and in this context, seeing how Rashmatun's power is slowly fading only adds more uncertainty over Binsa's position. The pantheon of this world is interesting to read about, and honestly, I hope Leow continues developing it on next instalments.
The pacing is really on point, focusing only on the details we need to know, expanding Binsa's backstory through really vivid flashbacks; also adding a grade of darkness to other characters' actions, as we only know what the own Binsa can access.
I absolutely loved The Scarlet Throne, and let me tell you, if you like ambitious and powerful, but humane, female main characters, this is the perfect book for you. Enjoy a well weaved villain arc, and prepare yourself for the next books in the False Goddess trilogy!
The Scarlet Throne is the first book in the dark fantasy series The False Goddess, written by Amy Leow, and published by Orbit Books. An ambitious proposal with a worldbuilding inspired by the Nepali living goddess figures, a female main character that will bet everything to conserve her power while dealing with a complex net of politics and bargaining with a demon if that means she will stay at her position.
Binsa is a "living goddess", a vessel chosen by Rashmatun, goddess of Wisdom, granting mercy and punishment to her people from the Scarlet Throne. But Binsa keeps a dark secret: she never received the supposed power of Rashmatun, but through harbouring a demon, Ilam. With her time as Rakhti, as a vessel of the goddess, close to an end, the girl Medhi is chosen as a new vessel, Binsa bargains with Ilam, accepting to sacrifice lives in exchange for the power she needs to stay in the throne; a deal that might mean exchanging the rest of her humanity for power.
Leow decides to tell the story from Binsa's point of view, giving us a unique insight into her journey to villainess; how her ambition and desire to remain in power are moving her actions, but also how much she had to endure and suffer to reach this position. Binsa endured years of struggles and abuse by the hand of her mother just of sheer ambition; her trauma with blood magic makes her experiencing a bad time using it at the start of the novel, considering how her mother ended, but eventually, she gets accustomed to it, slowly trading her humanity in exchange of power. But we also experience how she's forced to play into a complex net of politics directed by the priests, giving her the perfect excuse to slowly succumb to corruption in the name of ambition. Binsa, after all, is just human, gullible, but she's the kind of villain you can find yourself cheering for; and that's exactly why I loved it.
It's not possible to talk about Binsa's journey without taking a look at the worldbuilding: inspired by the Nepali notion of living goddesses, we have a world where deities manifest through their vessels; and in this context, seeing how Rashmatun's power is slowly fading only adds more uncertainty over Binsa's position. The pantheon of this world is interesting to read about, and honestly, I hope Leow continues developing it on next instalments.
The pacing is really on point, focusing only on the details we need to know, expanding Binsa's backstory through really vivid flashbacks; also adding a grade of darkness to other characters' actions, as we only know what the own Binsa can access.
I absolutely loved The Scarlet Throne, and let me tell you, if you like ambitious and powerful, but humane, female main characters, this is the perfect book for you. Enjoy a well weaved villain arc, and prepare yourself for the next books in the False Goddess trilogy!
September 21, 2024
2.5? On paper this has everything I could possibly want - female rage, evil main character, struggle for power. But the problem with this being the case from the get go is you know what’s going to happen.
The FMC starts off ambitious and morally gray, and then allows herself to use forbidden magic in order to secure her position of power and everyone turns on her. In other series with similar themes, you start off the book in a place of moral goodness but because this didn’t do that, there was no real fall from grace or satisfying moments. It wasn’t a heartbreaking suprise when she was abandoned by her friends or a viscerally satisfying she committed murders because she was already evil on page 1.
Not to mention, I didn’t mind our main character Binsa to be particularly interesting anyways. I found the writing and character development to be incredibly unsophisticated. Just didn’t land the mark for me.
The FMC starts off ambitious and morally gray, and then allows herself to use forbidden magic in order to secure her position of power and everyone turns on her. In other series with similar themes, you start off the book in a place of moral goodness but because this didn’t do that, there was no real fall from grace or satisfying moments. It wasn’t a heartbreaking suprise when she was abandoned by her friends or a viscerally satisfying she committed murders because she was already evil on page 1.
Not to mention, I didn’t mind our main character Binsa to be particularly interesting anyways. I found the writing and character development to be incredibly unsophisticated. Just didn’t land the mark for me.
September 2, 2024
WOW!! What an incredible villain in the making tale! Review to come! 🔥
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was an incredible villain in the making story that’s based on Nepali culture! The world building, the characters, the magic system. . . . It was all so well crafted in my opinion. I was also VERY happy to see an Author’s Note at the beginning of the book; Leow gives a wonderful look into how this new series (it’s a TRILOGY!!!) was inspired by the Kumari (living goddesses) of Nepal and why she decided to have the story stay connected to the country in the first place.🇳🇵
The story follows Binsa, a Rakhti of the goddess of wisdom, Rashmatun. She’s manipulative and calculating like one would expect of a villainess, but she’s doing all this to survive. Really, she’s actually sensitive to what her trusted and loved ones think of her, and is a bit of a people pleaser for her city. I loved her gradual descent into being a power hungry “villain” though I do think she couldn’t broke a bit earlier. 😈
All in all, I just had a GREAT time with this political fantasy based on Nepal. I did find the ending a bit odd as the group felt like they joined forces a bit too quickly, but other than that, I LOVED this! ❤️
BIG thank you goes to my besties Orbit Books and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review, and to Leow for writing an incredible court politics fantasy set in a South/Southeast Asian like world! 😍
Publication date: September 10!
Overall: 4.75/5 ⭐️
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was an incredible villain in the making story that’s based on Nepali culture! The world building, the characters, the magic system. . . . It was all so well crafted in my opinion. I was also VERY happy to see an Author’s Note at the beginning of the book; Leow gives a wonderful look into how this new series (it’s a TRILOGY!!!) was inspired by the Kumari (living goddesses) of Nepal and why she decided to have the story stay connected to the country in the first place.🇳🇵
The story follows Binsa, a Rakhti of the goddess of wisdom, Rashmatun. She’s manipulative and calculating like one would expect of a villainess, but she’s doing all this to survive. Really, she’s actually sensitive to what her trusted and loved ones think of her, and is a bit of a people pleaser for her city. I loved her gradual descent into being a power hungry “villain” though I do think she couldn’t broke a bit earlier. 😈
All in all, I just had a GREAT time with this political fantasy based on Nepal. I did find the ending a bit odd as the group felt like they joined forces a bit too quickly, but other than that, I LOVED this! ❤️
BIG thank you goes to my besties Orbit Books and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review, and to Leow for writing an incredible court politics fantasy set in a South/Southeast Asian like world! 😍
Publication date: September 10!
Overall: 4.75/5 ⭐️
October 30, 2024
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The Scarlet Throne has to be one of my favorite heroines in a while. We love someone who wants power, wants to stay on top, and will do anything for it. This is the ultimate fight to the power against demons, gods, and religious authority. It's about how these powers at be use us up, dry up our lives and wait for us to outlive our youth, only to have us pick the very replacements. It spins it all as what we would want, a graceful retirement, but what happens when we don't want to retire? The Scarlet Throne exists at this junction. If you've wanted your characters to descend, to fight to win, and to sacrifice, this is for you.
The Scarlet Throne has to be one of my favorite heroines in a while. We love someone who wants power, wants to stay on top, and will do anything for it. This is the ultimate fight to the power against demons, gods, and religious authority. It's about how these powers at be use us up, dry up our lives and wait for us to outlive our youth, only to have us pick the very replacements. It spins it all as what we would want, a graceful retirement, but what happens when we don't want to retire? The Scarlet Throne exists at this junction. If you've wanted your characters to descend, to fight to win, and to sacrifice, this is for you.
October 24, 2024
Despite some proper good ideas, The Scarlet Throne simply doesn't work. Too many aspects of it are undefined, changing, or even disappearing to make the plot work instead of the plot being build around said aspects. For example, the ability to read minds keeps appearing and disappearing and it varies greatly in what it can and can't do in order to accommodate the plot. Technically speaking, the main character should be able to learn almost all twists thanks to this power, but she never does only because it's inconvenient for the author.. Said main character's personality is all over the place, adding to the general feeling of an unpolished story, a jumble of scenes which don't quite fit together. Throughout it felt like Leow wanted to write a power/ambition-driven character but could never commit to have her actually be this way and risk making her difficult to emphatise with when she commits awful things. The fact that she believes herself to be this scheming, heartless, survivor but acts in the most naïve way possible at every crucial moments and never seizes the opportunities the plot presents to her made it even harder to believe what Leow was trying to sell.
Hopefully time and experience will help her improve, otherwise the second installment will be a hard pass for me.
Hopefully time and experience will help her improve, otherwise the second installment will be a hard pass for me.
November 21, 2024
When I started this, I was immediately obsessed. I love a villain as a main character and Binsa definitely felt like a true villain.
However, the book sadly wasn't able to hold my excitement throughout as the plot was quite slow and there were a lot of intrigues and things to be unraveled, but to me, it wasn't super interesting.
I love that this was inspired by Nepali mythology and customs as that is something I have not seen before in a fantasy book. The concept of the living goddess is something that was new to me, and I thought it was really cool that the author put the spin on it with the demon.
The plot definitely picked up in the last 30 % and the ending was great, but at this point I am not sure if I want to read the sequel.
I think I just had different expectations and the book didn't quite live up to those. I do appreciate though that the FMC really did everything she could to stay in power and wasn't above morally corrupt actions. I think the "villain" part of the story was executed really well.
I also would have liked for the book to feel a bit more immersive in terms of the atmosphere.
Overall, this was just fine for me. I do certainly recommend it, especially if you're looking for a fantasy book that feels unique!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.
However, the book sadly wasn't able to hold my excitement throughout as the plot was quite slow and there were a lot of intrigues and things to be unraveled, but to me, it wasn't super interesting.
I love that this was inspired by Nepali mythology and customs as that is something I have not seen before in a fantasy book. The concept of the living goddess is something that was new to me, and I thought it was really cool that the author put the spin on it with the demon.
The plot definitely picked up in the last 30 % and the ending was great, but at this point I am not sure if I want to read the sequel.
I think I just had different expectations and the book didn't quite live up to those. I do appreciate though that the FMC really did everything she could to stay in power and wasn't above morally corrupt actions. I think the "villain" part of the story was executed really well.
I also would have liked for the book to feel a bit more immersive in terms of the atmosphere.
Overall, this was just fine for me. I do certainly recommend it, especially if you're looking for a fantasy book that feels unique!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.
November 6, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I think this starts off in the wrong place. We start off knowing that the main character is dark and morally grey, and there's no real surprises from there on. Everything in this book, for every single character, is about power, but not written in a way that has you rooting for anybody in particular, not even the main character Binsa. It all just felt a bit... shallow?
That's not to say this isn't well-written - I think the author has a talent for worldbuilding and there is a really interesting parent-child dynamic in here that I enjoyed. I think this author has a lot of potential, and I liked that we are shown exactly how ruthless Binsa will be to get what she wants, I think that was such a strong choice. Unfortunately I just didn't connect or care enough about the characters to continue with the series.
I think this starts off in the wrong place. We start off knowing that the main character is dark and morally grey, and there's no real surprises from there on. Everything in this book, for every single character, is about power, but not written in a way that has you rooting for anybody in particular, not even the main character Binsa. It all just felt a bit... shallow?
That's not to say this isn't well-written - I think the author has a talent for worldbuilding and there is a really interesting parent-child dynamic in here that I enjoyed. I think this author has a lot of potential, and I liked that we are shown exactly how ruthless Binsa will be to get what she wants, I think that was such a strong choice. Unfortunately I just didn't connect or care enough about the characters to continue with the series.
September 27, 2024
2.5☆
“When does a falsehood become truth? Very simply, when you believe it to be true.”
“When does a falsehood become truth? Very simply, when you believe it to be true.”
July 1, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the arc! My enjoyment and experience with this book very much mirrored the stonk market. Just up and down and up and down before it finally crashed.
I had trouble connecting to any of the characters. Binsa especially kept on gaining and losing my trust. I often questioned if she had the potential and skill of a true, cunning villainess. After all, she was bested so many times. You can call her naive, sure, and then she kept on making the same mistakes. Towards the end, I thought we were finally getting there with her character. In chapter 32, she reached her zenith; that was the villainess I wanted. Binsa then proceeded to lose my trust for good during the last 2 chapters of the book. In addition, the focus shifted too severely, too messily. I’m confused about what this book wanted to do, actually. It became something completely different out of left field, and I’m left frustrated as a result.
I also wanted more of a character study for Binsa. We know that she’s desperate and why, but I wanted a complex, in depth study into her desperation. Instead, her character always felt too distant. I often felt that her desperation was told instead of shown. It’s palpable, sure, as she won’t shut up about it, but I wanted something more believable. Instead, the focus remained on corruption, as opposed to the desperation that then leads to said corruption; there’s no build up at all. The “why” is extremely important to make the plot and character believable, and I wasn’t convinced.
I will say, some of the plot was intriguing. Mainly, I enjoyed the book when Binsa was actually competent. I loved the more violent aspects too, as THAT is what I expect from someone who is supposedly desperate and ruthless. I also very much enjoyed when she actually pulled the strings correctly, and truly manipulated people. Again, that is the behavior I expected from her character going into this book. The world building was fascinating as well. Forbidden historical tomes, all kinds of demons, the magic that different nations have, the history and wars of said nations, all the different Rakhtas and who they serve, prophecies, and even more yummy stuff. If only the other pillars that held this book up were as strong.
All in all, I wish I liked this better than I did. Unless the sequel exceeds in all areas mentioned, and exceeds them by far, I likely wont pick it up. 3 sneaky stars
I had trouble connecting to any of the characters. Binsa especially kept on gaining and losing my trust. I often questioned if she had the potential and skill of a true, cunning villainess. After all, she was bested so many times. You can call her naive, sure, and then she kept on making the same mistakes. Towards the end, I thought we were finally getting there with her character. In chapter 32, she reached her zenith; that was the villainess I wanted. Binsa then proceeded to lose my trust for good during the last 2 chapters of the book. In addition, the focus shifted too severely, too messily. I’m confused about what this book wanted to do, actually. It became something completely different out of left field, and I’m left frustrated as a result.
I also wanted more of a character study for Binsa. We know that she’s desperate and why, but I wanted a complex, in depth study into her desperation. Instead, her character always felt too distant. I often felt that her desperation was told instead of shown. It’s palpable, sure, as she won’t shut up about it, but I wanted something more believable. Instead, the focus remained on corruption, as opposed to the desperation that then leads to said corruption; there’s no build up at all. The “why” is extremely important to make the plot and character believable, and I wasn’t convinced.
I will say, some of the plot was intriguing. Mainly, I enjoyed the book when Binsa was actually competent. I loved the more violent aspects too, as THAT is what I expect from someone who is supposedly desperate and ruthless. I also very much enjoyed when she actually pulled the strings correctly, and truly manipulated people. Again, that is the behavior I expected from her character going into this book. The world building was fascinating as well. Forbidden historical tomes, all kinds of demons, the magic that different nations have, the history and wars of said nations, all the different Rakhtas and who they serve, prophecies, and even more yummy stuff. If only the other pillars that held this book up were as strong.
All in all, I wish I liked this better than I did. Unless the sequel exceeds in all areas mentioned, and exceeds them by far, I likely wont pick it up. 3 sneaky stars
August 10, 2024
3.5 stars?
This is a hard one to review. On one hand, it’s a dark character driven book, full of awful characters (and one charming child). On the other hand, the point of it all seems only to be power, which makes actions and motivations frustrating.
Most of the characters are pretty vile, especially when you take a hard look at their actions. There are demons, some magic, traumatic pasts, and mysterious happenings. At the center of it all is Binsa, ostensibly the earthly host of a goddess. Binsa’s one driving motivation is to hold on to power. But she, and those around her seem to take actions that just made me think, ok but what next? Like this will work for a short time, but where is the long term thinking here?
This was a compelling character study in some ways. And the last 80% was pretty great. I’m just surprised that a trilogy is going to be wrung out of this. I think had the book ended 1 page earlier, it could have been a fantastic tragic standalone.
This quote sums up the whole book to me:
“What are you really? What did you want to be?”
“I don’t know,” I whisper. “I just did whatever I could.”
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.
This is a hard one to review. On one hand, it’s a dark character driven book, full of awful characters (and one charming child). On the other hand, the point of it all seems only to be power, which makes actions and motivations frustrating.
Most of the characters are pretty vile, especially when you take a hard look at their actions. There are demons, some magic, traumatic pasts, and mysterious happenings. At the center of it all is Binsa, ostensibly the earthly host of a goddess. Binsa’s one driving motivation is to hold on to power. But she, and those around her seem to take actions that just made me think, ok but what next? Like this will work for a short time, but where is the long term thinking here?
This was a compelling character study in some ways. And the last 80% was pretty great. I’m just surprised that a trilogy is going to be wrung out of this. I think had the book ended 1 page earlier, it could have been a fantastic tragic standalone.
This quote sums up the whole book to me:
“What are you really? What did you want to be?”
“I don’t know,” I whisper. “I just did whatever I could.”
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.
September 20, 2024
This is a difficult one to review. 2.5⭐️? 3⭐️?
I didn't think this was bad, and I do think there is an audience that will enjoy this… but I'm not sure that's me. I'm disappointed that this was marketed as Adult, because this felt YA to me – NA at best. My expectations would have been different had I known that going in.
The pacing felt uneven, and the characters were sort of one-dimensional/underdeveloped. I struggled with connecting to and understanding Binsa. I love morally grey characters, so I get the sense that my disconnect was due more to the writing than the actual nature of the character herself. I did think there were some really great ideas and thoughts surrounding religion, power, class, familial relationships, etc, but the execution was a bit lackluster for me.
I didn't think this was bad, and I do think there is an audience that will enjoy this… but I'm not sure that's me. I'm disappointed that this was marketed as Adult, because this felt YA to me – NA at best. My expectations would have been different had I known that going in.
The pacing felt uneven, and the characters were sort of one-dimensional/underdeveloped. I struggled with connecting to and understanding Binsa. I love morally grey characters, so I get the sense that my disconnect was due more to the writing than the actual nature of the character herself. I did think there were some really great ideas and thoughts surrounding religion, power, class, familial relationships, etc, but the execution was a bit lackluster for me.
July 24, 2024
A lush villain's descent filled with fire and dark ambition. The Scarlet Throne is a world of cloistered gods and hungry demons, in which the most dangerous force of all is a desperate girl who will go to great lengths to keep the only power she's ever been given.
May 15, 2025
Rating: Really Enjoyed It, 4 stars
The Scarlet Throne is a political fantasy from the perspective of the villainess. In this, we follow Binsa who is a living goddess. She is the vessel through which the goddess of wisdom dispenses moral rulings and punishment to the people of her city. However, Binsa harbors a dangerous secret - the goddess never came to her. Instead she bluffs her way through with the help of the demon she carries.
The priests and other vessels begin to grow suspicious as Binsa stays on the throne longer than any other girl has in the past, and she must use all her cunning and ambition to scheme her way into power for longer. She uses every tool at her disposal and is willing to cross the line into blood magic, the road that her abusive mother took, which utterly destroyed her body and mind.
I thought that this book had a fascinating premise. I greatly enjoyed it. It is set in a world inspired by Nepal, and I really wanted to learn more about that world. We spend most of the time in the temple, and we get very small glimpses into the larger world. Honestly though, what the author did with the contained setting was excellent. I was overall very impressed.
I thought that the character work was incredibly well done. We really get into Binsa's mind, and she is an unreliable narrator. I found it fascinating to think of what the book would have read like had we been in the perspective of a different character. Binsa is well and truly the villain. I think that there was an opportunity where there was a glimmer of hope of a redemption arc, but it definitely passed. So that alone makes this an unusual book for me. But I did enjoy it. Binsa is messy and angry and ambitious.
I think that part of what took me out of things a little bit is that she is supposed to be about 16, and she certainly behaved much more like an adult. I know that she had a very rough childhood, but it still seemed like being in the temple from the age of 6, it just felt slightly unbelievable that she would have the knowledge and wilyness that she does. I wouldn't say that I necessarily liked her as a character or even enjoyed following her, but it certainly made for an interesting story.
I don't always enjoy following characters that I can't root for, but I was invested. Even though I really enjoyed this one, I am not 100% positive if I will read the next one. It honestly wrapped up really nicely, and the cliffhanger of an ending could just be an open-ending. So we will see what I feel like whenever the next book is released.
Overall, I had a good time with this and would recommend it if the premise sounds interesting or if you want to read a villain without a redemption arc!
Than you to Orbit and Negalley for an eARC. The Scarlet Throne is already released because I am extremely late with this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Scarlet Throne is a political fantasy from the perspective of the villainess. In this, we follow Binsa who is a living goddess. She is the vessel through which the goddess of wisdom dispenses moral rulings and punishment to the people of her city. However, Binsa harbors a dangerous secret - the goddess never came to her. Instead she bluffs her way through with the help of the demon she carries.
The priests and other vessels begin to grow suspicious as Binsa stays on the throne longer than any other girl has in the past, and she must use all her cunning and ambition to scheme her way into power for longer. She uses every tool at her disposal and is willing to cross the line into blood magic, the road that her abusive mother took, which utterly destroyed her body and mind.
I thought that this book had a fascinating premise. I greatly enjoyed it. It is set in a world inspired by Nepal, and I really wanted to learn more about that world. We spend most of the time in the temple, and we get very small glimpses into the larger world. Honestly though, what the author did with the contained setting was excellent. I was overall very impressed.
I thought that the character work was incredibly well done. We really get into Binsa's mind, and she is an unreliable narrator. I found it fascinating to think of what the book would have read like had we been in the perspective of a different character. Binsa is well and truly the villain. I think that there was an opportunity where there was a glimmer of hope of a redemption arc, but it definitely passed. So that alone makes this an unusual book for me. But I did enjoy it. Binsa is messy and angry and ambitious.
I think that part of what took me out of things a little bit is that she is supposed to be about 16, and she certainly behaved much more like an adult. I know that she had a very rough childhood, but it still seemed like being in the temple from the age of 6, it just felt slightly unbelievable that she would have the knowledge and wilyness that she does. I wouldn't say that I necessarily liked her as a character or even enjoyed following her, but it certainly made for an interesting story.
I don't always enjoy following characters that I can't root for, but I was invested. Even though I really enjoyed this one, I am not 100% positive if I will read the next one. It honestly wrapped up really nicely, and the cliffhanger of an ending could just be an open-ending. So we will see what I feel like whenever the next book is released.
Overall, I had a good time with this and would recommend it if the premise sounds interesting or if you want to read a villain without a redemption arc!
Than you to Orbit and Negalley for an eARC. The Scarlet Throne is already released because I am extremely late with this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 21, 2024
Thank you Orbit and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!
Oh man, how do I talk about this one? The Scarlet Throne follows Binsa, a girl pretending to be the vessel for the goddess Rashmatun, and is instead in a pact with a demon. She’s maybe a bit unhinged but she’s also quite concerned with losing her position in society and being found out as a fraud.
While I was reading I was unsure how to approach this one—in a lot of ways the story kind of felt like an excellent YA, but it’s written for adults and marketed as adult fantasy. For me, this is primarily because this is written in first person present tense with Binsa as the sole POV character—first person present is a writing style I heavily associate with YA and Binsa is sixteen. Still, despite some initial debates, I think as the story goes on the “hmm this reads a little more like young adult” eventually fades into the background and I think Leow writes a compelling story with interesting happenings. Binsa is young, but she’s also not afraid to do some pretty wild things, and once the book found its groove I think the tone was solid.
I thought the middle meandered a little too much, but the ending was satisfying. I’m curious to see where the sequel will go, and even more curious to see how the planned trilogy will pan out. I feel invested in the world and the magic/gods/demons. Binsa is sometimes difficult to be in the head of, but it’s also fun when she’s busy scheming to hold onto her power for as long as possible while trying to ward off suspicions about whether or not she really is the vessel of the goddess. Leow’s writing was smooth and she took risks that paid off. I think there’s a couple of nitpicks that come with it being a debut, but ultimately it comes together super well. It’s not particularly groundbreaking, but it is fun.
Oh man, how do I talk about this one? The Scarlet Throne follows Binsa, a girl pretending to be the vessel for the goddess Rashmatun, and is instead in a pact with a demon. She’s maybe a bit unhinged but she’s also quite concerned with losing her position in society and being found out as a fraud.
While I was reading I was unsure how to approach this one—in a lot of ways the story kind of felt like an excellent YA, but it’s written for adults and marketed as adult fantasy. For me, this is primarily because this is written in first person present tense with Binsa as the sole POV character—first person present is a writing style I heavily associate with YA and Binsa is sixteen. Still, despite some initial debates, I think as the story goes on the “hmm this reads a little more like young adult” eventually fades into the background and I think Leow writes a compelling story with interesting happenings. Binsa is young, but she’s also not afraid to do some pretty wild things, and once the book found its groove I think the tone was solid.
I thought the middle meandered a little too much, but the ending was satisfying. I’m curious to see where the sequel will go, and even more curious to see how the planned trilogy will pan out. I feel invested in the world and the magic/gods/demons. Binsa is sometimes difficult to be in the head of, but it’s also fun when she’s busy scheming to hold onto her power for as long as possible while trying to ward off suspicions about whether or not she really is the vessel of the goddess. Leow’s writing was smooth and she took risks that paid off. I think there’s a couple of nitpicks that come with it being a debut, but ultimately it comes together super well. It’s not particularly groundbreaking, but it is fun.
February 18, 2025
Read this book if you like:
💢 Morally grey cast
💢No romance
💢Villainous fmc
💢female rage
💢talking cats
💢synopsis💢
The story is about Binsa, a "living goddess." But instead of having a real god inside her, she has a demon. The priests decide she’s not good enough anymore and pick another girl, Medha, to replace her. But Binsa doesn’t want to give up her power. So she makes a deal with her demon to keep her throne, no matter what it takes.
Review:
💢Oh wow, this book was a crazy ride! From the first page to the last, I was hooked. I won’t lie, I found the beginning a bit slow. It took me a couple of days to get used to the names and understand the world. But after the first 50 pages? Boom!! Everything moved so fast, and I couldn’t stop reading.
💢I first picked up this book because the synopsis sounded intriguing. But wow, I didn’t expect it to be so intense! It’s a really good political fantasy, full of strong female power and anger. And guess what? No romance! Just what I needed in a month with no valentine 😭😔
💢This book is all about power, ambition, and just how far someone will go to stay in power and it’s inspired by South Asian culture and mythology, which makes it even cooler!!
💢If you love dark fantasy with strong, badass fmc and zero romance, you have to read The Scarlet Throne. And honestly? I can't wait for the next book. I need to know what happens next ASAP!! 😭 Thank you @amyleow for the copy. I can’t believe I waited so long to read this
💢 Morally grey cast
💢No romance
💢Villainous fmc
💢female rage
💢talking cats
💢synopsis💢
The story is about Binsa, a "living goddess." But instead of having a real god inside her, she has a demon. The priests decide she’s not good enough anymore and pick another girl, Medha, to replace her. But Binsa doesn’t want to give up her power. So she makes a deal with her demon to keep her throne, no matter what it takes.
Review:
💢Oh wow, this book was a crazy ride! From the first page to the last, I was hooked. I won’t lie, I found the beginning a bit slow. It took me a couple of days to get used to the names and understand the world. But after the first 50 pages? Boom!! Everything moved so fast, and I couldn’t stop reading.
💢I first picked up this book because the synopsis sounded intriguing. But wow, I didn’t expect it to be so intense! It’s a really good political fantasy, full of strong female power and anger. And guess what? No romance! Just what I needed in a month with no valentine 😭😔
💢This book is all about power, ambition, and just how far someone will go to stay in power and it’s inspired by South Asian culture and mythology, which makes it even cooler!!
💢If you love dark fantasy with strong, badass fmc and zero romance, you have to read The Scarlet Throne. And honestly? I can't wait for the next book. I need to know what happens next ASAP!! 😭 Thank you @amyleow for the copy. I can’t believe I waited so long to read this
February 1, 2026
dnf at 61%
Unfortunately, absolutely nothing happened. The concept behind The Scarlet Throne is genuinely really really interesting: living goddesses/gods, chosen vessels, and a sacred yet really flawed system. I especially loved the idea of multiple gods and goddesses coming together through their vessels to meet and discuss politics/tests.
That said, the execution didn’t necessarily live up to the promise. Binsa, in particular, was a difficult protagonist for me to connect with. She’s made up to be someone who believes she’s smarter than everyone around her or deserves more, yet her actions rarely support that idea. Instead of her actively investigating or challenging the system she’s trying to manipulate, it felt like she relied heavily on others to (barely) move the plot forward. I kept wanting her to do more or to dig deeper and take risks. She often took, what felt like, the easy route or went ahead and did what she previously said she’d never do.
The story also struggled with repetition. A lot of the chapters felt like variations of the same thing, which made it hard to feel anything. That said, the concept is strong and the ideas are there. I mean, obviously it’s what interested me at first… I just wanted to see them pushed further.
Unfortunately, absolutely nothing happened. The concept behind The Scarlet Throne is genuinely really really interesting: living goddesses/gods, chosen vessels, and a sacred yet really flawed system. I especially loved the idea of multiple gods and goddesses coming together through their vessels to meet and discuss politics/tests.
That said, the execution didn’t necessarily live up to the promise. Binsa, in particular, was a difficult protagonist for me to connect with. She’s made up to be someone who believes she’s smarter than everyone around her or deserves more, yet her actions rarely support that idea. Instead of her actively investigating or challenging the system she’s trying to manipulate, it felt like she relied heavily on others to (barely) move the plot forward. I kept wanting her to do more or to dig deeper and take risks. She often took, what felt like, the easy route or went ahead and did what she previously said she’d never do.
The story also struggled with repetition. A lot of the chapters felt like variations of the same thing, which made it hard to feel anything. That said, the concept is strong and the ideas are there. I mean, obviously it’s what interested me at first… I just wanted to see them pushed further.
Want to read
July 14, 2024This sounds VERY interesting!
December 11, 2024
Now that I had time to simmer on it, I think this book is criminally underrated. If you love:
✅villain origin stories
✅female rage
✅representation of cultures rarely seen in fantasy (here: Nepali)
✅no romance / aroace protagonists
✅ruthless women like in The Poppy War or Iron Widow
✅morally grey characters
✅plot-driven narration (intrigue! plot twists upon plot twists!)
✅complex family and family-like relationships
✅pact with a supernatural being like in One Dark Window or Vespertine
This book is a must read!
Fast paced (every chapter something happens that makes me wonder what will our protagonist invent next), interesting worldbuilding (Nepali inspired), captivating protagonist (just watch that slide deeper and deeper into the Dark Side), breezy writing style. Adult with YA crossover appeal. No romance - if you're tired of every YA / NA fantasy centering around a romance, this book is for you.
One of my favourite reads of 2024. Very curious how will Amy Leow continue the story in the rest of this trilogy.
Thank you Orbit Books and Netgalley for this amazing new addition to the Asian Fantasy shelf and generously granting me the ARC.
✅villain origin stories
✅female rage
✅representation of cultures rarely seen in fantasy (here: Nepali)
✅no romance / aroace protagonists
✅ruthless women like in The Poppy War or Iron Widow
✅morally grey characters
✅plot-driven narration (intrigue! plot twists upon plot twists!)
✅complex family and family-like relationships
✅pact with a supernatural being like in One Dark Window or Vespertine
This book is a must read!
Fast paced (every chapter something happens that makes me wonder what will our protagonist invent next), interesting worldbuilding (Nepali inspired), captivating protagonist (just watch that slide deeper and deeper into the Dark Side), breezy writing style. Adult with YA crossover appeal. No romance - if you're tired of every YA / NA fantasy centering around a romance, this book is for you.
One of my favourite reads of 2024. Very curious how will Amy Leow continue the story in the rest of this trilogy.
Thank you Orbit Books and Netgalley for this amazing new addition to the Asian Fantasy shelf and generously granting me the ARC.
June 21, 2024
Thank you to Net Galley and Orbit Books for the ARC. This is one of the best books I have ever read. A truly good example of dark fantasy, this book takes me back to the days when The Young Elites had my heart. I love ambitious women. Binsa had my heart from the first chapter. I loved reading from her perspective. I could feel her ambition and desperation as she did everything to stay on the Scarlet Throne. And I loved every dark moment of it. She is toxic, and I am here for it. I loved all the scheming and manipulating. Watching her trade away her humanity was torturous, but I loved it. After all, the world is unfair, and I am here for women being selfish and doing whatever it takes to get what they want. Her relationship with Ykta and Medha broke my heart. I also loved the world building - the concept of the kumari is so clever and I love how Amy Leow explores it. The author also has such a immersive and evocative writing style. The prose is beautiful, and this book made me feel so much, I feel both heart broken but also extremely thrilled. There was so much intrigue and mystery in the world and Binsa's life that she had to uncover, and I hope we get to uncover more secrets about the world in the next book. This was one of my most anticipated releases and now it is one of my favorite books. I can't wait to find out what happens next.
October 22, 2024
DNF @23%. It was boring. I’m all for a morally gray character, but she started the story off already IN power. That didn’t make sense bc then the rest of the story is her plotting to keep it, but as far as I could tell she was never really in that much danger of losing it? She had it for 10 years at that point.
Also the fmc was juvenile in a way that made this feel like a YA. She did dumb stuff and every time she had an idea, you could tell that it was going to go badly for her but she did it anyway. Like that’s exhausting.
Nothing much was happening at the point where I stopped, and from I could tell nothing much happens anyway until the end and ..I couldn’t make it that long.
I was into the demon and maybe could’ve been into the story of her gaining power but this story started in the wrong place for me. For what it’s worth, she was ACTUALLY morally gray even if I didn’t like her as a character.
Also the fmc was juvenile in a way that made this feel like a YA. She did dumb stuff and every time she had an idea, you could tell that it was going to go badly for her but she did it anyway. Like that’s exhausting.
Nothing much was happening at the point where I stopped, and from I could tell nothing much happens anyway until the end and ..I couldn’t make it that long.
I was into the demon and maybe could’ve been into the story of her gaining power but this story started in the wrong place for me. For what it’s worth, she was ACTUALLY morally gray even if I didn’t like her as a character.
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