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Monsoon Queen
Twenty-year-old Noor has been hiding her magic and biding her time in the spice markets of 1812 Tajoura as she and her neighbours wait for the ravenous British Empire to sail into their homeport, cannons blazing. But when the HMS Victory arrives, so does the chance of a lifetime to join a found family in the Yemeni resistance. Noor finds herself caught up in the fight against the Empire's battle mages and Rami, the dark prince who leads them.
In a case of mistaken identity, Noor heals Rami before a decisive battle. She sees the good in him, and her heart is torn.
Noor’s new friend Razan—a brilliant and beautiful inventor for the resistance—has no such qualms. She hates Rami for his role in the raid that killed her parents. Razan has found a way to harness Noor's power to defeat the British, and the two women grow ever closer. On a perilous camel ride to the coffee roasting city of Mocha, Rami strikes, kidnapping Noor and taking her back to his cruel master on the HMS Victory.
In order to survive, Noor will need to call on everything she learned in the spice markets and the Yemeni resistance.
Rebels, mages, lovers. With the final battle looming and the resistance struggling without her, Noor must keep her eye on the prize: saving Yemen from the British Empire. If she can keep Razan in her bed and save Rami from the Empire, she will have the future she's always dreamed of. But first, Noor has to survive the storms to come.
Readers Rave about Jo Carthage’s debut novel, Nuclear Sunrise:
“It’s heart-wrenching and romantic and fun, and it’s well worth a read.”
—Amy Moore, Mythopoeic Society newsletter, MythPrint.
“Layers and Layers of Chewy Goodness”
—History Through Fiction, independent press
In a case of mistaken identity, Noor heals Rami before a decisive battle. She sees the good in him, and her heart is torn.
Noor’s new friend Razan—a brilliant and beautiful inventor for the resistance—has no such qualms. She hates Rami for his role in the raid that killed her parents. Razan has found a way to harness Noor's power to defeat the British, and the two women grow ever closer. On a perilous camel ride to the coffee roasting city of Mocha, Rami strikes, kidnapping Noor and taking her back to his cruel master on the HMS Victory.
In order to survive, Noor will need to call on everything she learned in the spice markets and the Yemeni resistance.
Rebels, mages, lovers. With the final battle looming and the resistance struggling without her, Noor must keep her eye on the prize: saving Yemen from the British Empire. If she can keep Razan in her bed and save Rami from the Empire, she will have the future she's always dreamed of. But first, Noor has to survive the storms to come.
Readers Rave about Jo Carthage’s debut novel, Nuclear Sunrise:
“It’s heart-wrenching and romantic and fun, and it’s well worth a read.”
—Amy Moore, Mythopoeic Society newsletter, MythPrint.
“Layers and Layers of Chewy Goodness”
—History Through Fiction, independent press
- GenresHistorical Fiction
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Published November 12, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 12, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
2.75 stars
Monsoon Queen is the first book in the War Between Cedar and Oak series and seems to draw heavy inspiration from the Star Wars movies, especially the newer ones, so much so that I found it hard to read this and not compare it to the movies. However, rather than taking place in space, this series takes place in an alternate Earth where magic exists. Good magic heals and does no harm; dark magic uses pain and suffering to kill.
A woman named Razan becomes Noor’s lover. The romance feels like one of proximity, rather than chemistry. I have no idea who these women are as characters. They feel paper thin and shaped by the plot, rather than any internal desires or motivations. None of the book’s characters has a strong voice; they all feel equally flat, disinterested, and static.
The story tells me slavery is bad, repeatedly, and … yes, yes it is, but the story doesn’t really have anything more to say about it beyond how bad it is, and how it’s bad for people and countries and kingdoms to thrive off of slavery. It also tells me the characters are on a ship, but gives no shape or flavor or feeling of being on a ship.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
2.75 stars
Monsoon Queen is the first book in the War Between Cedar and Oak series and seems to draw heavy inspiration from the Star Wars movies, especially the newer ones, so much so that I found it hard to read this and not compare it to the movies. However, rather than taking place in space, this series takes place in an alternate Earth where magic exists. Good magic heals and does no harm; dark magic uses pain and suffering to kill.
A woman named Razan becomes Noor’s lover. The romance feels like one of proximity, rather than chemistry. I have no idea who these women are as characters. They feel paper thin and shaped by the plot, rather than any internal desires or motivations. None of the book’s characters has a strong voice; they all feel equally flat, disinterested, and static.
The story tells me slavery is bad, repeatedly, and … yes, yes it is, but the story doesn’t really have anything more to say about it beyond how bad it is, and how it’s bad for people and countries and kingdoms to thrive off of slavery. It also tells me the characters are on a ship, but gives no shape or flavor or feeling of being on a ship.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
December 25, 2024
Monsoon Queen is a beautiful fantasy novel set in the early 1800s. It takes place in the Middle East, along the Gulf of Aden. It leans towards historical fiction with romance, and it explores the injustices of British colonialism and the slave trade in parallel with the struggle to use magic for good.
The fantasy element is well done. The main character, Noor, has powers that she has to hide, as she is enslaved and cannot use her powers to kill if she tries to escape. The novel explores power imbalance as Noor’s powers grow and as she pursues freedom for herself and others. I liked how the magic is treated with care and I like the ways Noor uses her magic. I also like how the opposite is seen, when the power is used to kill and the consequences of that.
The historical portion is beautifully woven in. I don't have any background in the history of the Middle East, especially not in the 1800s. But it felt like I was getting a glimpse into how people lived and felt in that period.
And the romance is very sweet, with romance between men, women, and men and women. It does touch on the dangers of same-sex romance at the time, but it doesn't let it dominate the relationship, instead allowing the relationships to have space and flourish.
In all, it's a breath of fresh air in the medieval fantasy market, and it is well worth the read.
The fantasy element is well done. The main character, Noor, has powers that she has to hide, as she is enslaved and cannot use her powers to kill if she tries to escape. The novel explores power imbalance as Noor’s powers grow and as she pursues freedom for herself and others. I liked how the magic is treated with care and I like the ways Noor uses her magic. I also like how the opposite is seen, when the power is used to kill and the consequences of that.
The historical portion is beautifully woven in. I don't have any background in the history of the Middle East, especially not in the 1800s. But it felt like I was getting a glimpse into how people lived and felt in that period.
And the romance is very sweet, with romance between men, women, and men and women. It does touch on the dangers of same-sex romance at the time, but it doesn't let it dominate the relationship, instead allowing the relationships to have space and flourish.
In all, it's a breath of fresh air in the medieval fantasy market, and it is well worth the read.
December 6, 2024
This is a well-written book.
In this fantasy book, the worldbuilding details are closer to historical fiction, with accurate real-world research and immersive terminology from the culture.
The setting is excellent. Aden is an ancient port with unique geographic features, like a crater, mentioned in ancient Greek and Biblical texts, and it is great to see fantasy inspired by this part of the world.
This story is set during a Yemeni uprising against the British Empire. Most fantasies are set in ancient or medieval times, while this one stands out, being set during the gunpowder and colonization era.
While there is focus on characters, relationships, and romance, it doesn't follow the close first-person tunnel-vision of characters like many books do these days (which feels 'same-y' in their prose). Instead, it is a fresh style with a wider scope. The characters are framed by their historical circumstances and their roles in the larger war.
In this fantasy book, the worldbuilding details are closer to historical fiction, with accurate real-world research and immersive terminology from the culture.
The setting is excellent. Aden is an ancient port with unique geographic features, like a crater, mentioned in ancient Greek and Biblical texts, and it is great to see fantasy inspired by this part of the world.
This story is set during a Yemeni uprising against the British Empire. Most fantasies are set in ancient or medieval times, while this one stands out, being set during the gunpowder and colonization era.
While there is focus on characters, relationships, and romance, it doesn't follow the close first-person tunnel-vision of characters like many books do these days (which feels 'same-y' in their prose). Instead, it is a fresh style with a wider scope. The characters are framed by their historical circumstances and their roles in the larger war.
December 4, 2024
Jo Carthage gives us a character of strength who has had no choice but to survive. A familiar tale no matter the time period. What sets the story apart is the rich history that the author has set Noor in. We get to taste, smell, and feel the culture of the time. We also feel the abuse and pain of being hated.
Once again, I don’t pay attention to blurbs as I didn’t realize this is book one in a series (smh). It doesn’t so much end as an action cliffhanger as an emotional one for Noor. It will be interesting how the group moves forward and what the fallout will be for everyone. I’m excited.
I received a free copy of this book, and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.
Once again, I don’t pay attention to blurbs as I didn’t realize this is book one in a series (smh). It doesn’t so much end as an action cliffhanger as an emotional one for Noor. It will be interesting how the group moves forward and what the fallout will be for everyone. I’m excited.
I received a free copy of this book, and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews