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Mad Sisters of Esi
Susanna Clarke's Piranesi meets Italo Calvino's If On a Winter's Night a Traveler in this stunning meta fantasy about the power of stories, belief and sisterhood
Myung and her sister Laleh are the sole inhabitants of the whale of babel—until Myung flees, beginning an adventure that will spin her through dreams, memories, and myths
Ask for the story of the mad sisters of Esi, and you’ll get a thousand contradictory folktales. Superstitious sailors, curious children, and obsessed academics have argued over the particulars for generations. They have wondered about the mad sisters’ two greatest marvels: the museum of collective memory that sprawls underneath our universe, waiting for any who call for it, and the living, impossible, whale of babel.
Myung and her sister Laleh are the sole inhabitants of the whale of babel. They roam within its cosmic chambers, speak folktales of themselves, and pray to their creator, the Great Wisa. For Laleh, this is everything. For Myung, it is not enough.
When Myung flees the whale, she stumbles into a new universe full of people, shapeshifting islands, and argumentative ghosts. In her search for Great Wisa and her longing for her sister Laleh, Myung sets off on an adventure that will unravel the mystery that has confounded everyone for centuries: the truth about the mad sisters of Esi.
Fables, dreams and myths come together in a masterful work of fantasy full of wonder and awe, that asks: in the devastating chaos of the world, where all is in flux, and the truth is ever-changing, what will you choose to hold on to? And what stories will you choose to tell?
Myung and her sister Laleh are the sole inhabitants of the whale of babel—until Myung flees, beginning an adventure that will spin her through dreams, memories, and myths
Ask for the story of the mad sisters of Esi, and you’ll get a thousand contradictory folktales. Superstitious sailors, curious children, and obsessed academics have argued over the particulars for generations. They have wondered about the mad sisters’ two greatest marvels: the museum of collective memory that sprawls underneath our universe, waiting for any who call for it, and the living, impossible, whale of babel.
Myung and her sister Laleh are the sole inhabitants of the whale of babel. They roam within its cosmic chambers, speak folktales of themselves, and pray to their creator, the Great Wisa. For Laleh, this is everything. For Myung, it is not enough.
When Myung flees the whale, she stumbles into a new universe full of people, shapeshifting islands, and argumentative ghosts. In her search for Great Wisa and her longing for her sister Laleh, Myung sets off on an adventure that will unravel the mystery that has confounded everyone for centuries: the truth about the mad sisters of Esi.
Fables, dreams and myths come together in a masterful work of fantasy full of wonder and awe, that asks: in the devastating chaos of the world, where all is in flux, and the truth is ever-changing, what will you choose to hold on to? And what stories will you choose to tell?
492 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2023
100 people are currently reading
9789 people want to read
About the author
Tashan Mehta
4 books98 followersTashan Mehta is a novelist whose interest lies in form and the fantastical.
Her debut novel, THE LIAR'S WEAVE, was shortlisted for the Prabha Khaitan Woman's Voice Award. She was part of the 2015 and 2021 Sangam House International Writers' Residency (India) and was British Council Writer-in-Residence at Anglia Ruskin University (United Kingdom) in 2018.
In 2019, she participated in FIELDWORK 0.2, a multidisciplinary residency that explored alternative infrastructures for the future. She was commissioned by the Barbican (London) to create an artefact that captures the essence of the experience; ON UNKNOWN THINGS was printed for limited release in 2021.
Her short story ‘Rulebook for Creating a Universe’ has been published in MAGICAL WOMEN and PodCastle, and was shortlisted for the 2020 Toto Funds the Arts Award. Her work features in the GOLLANCZ BOOK OF SOUTH ASIAN SCIENCE FICTION: VOL II, and she is working on her next novel.
Her debut novel, THE LIAR'S WEAVE, was shortlisted for the Prabha Khaitan Woman's Voice Award. She was part of the 2015 and 2021 Sangam House International Writers' Residency (India) and was British Council Writer-in-Residence at Anglia Ruskin University (United Kingdom) in 2018.
In 2019, she participated in FIELDWORK 0.2, a multidisciplinary residency that explored alternative infrastructures for the future. She was commissioned by the Barbican (London) to create an artefact that captures the essence of the experience; ON UNKNOWN THINGS was printed for limited release in 2021.
Her short story ‘Rulebook for Creating a Universe’ has been published in MAGICAL WOMEN and PodCastle, and was shortlisted for the 2020 Toto Funds the Arts Award. Her work features in the GOLLANCZ BOOK OF SOUTH ASIAN SCIENCE FICTION: VOL II, and she is working on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
September 22, 2025
Even though it didn't captivate me completely, I have to call this an exceptional fantasy novel about storytelling, memory, sisterhood and creation. This story really doesn't follow any kind of typical fantasy formula and feels wholly unique. At the beginning of the book we have two sisters, Myung and Laleh, living on a whale that constantly creates new worlds. They are the only people there, specifically created for and deeply connected to the place. The sisters spend their existence visiting and cataloging the different worlds, and the beginning reminded me a lot of Piranesi by Susanna Clarke because of that. But the world grows way bigger than that and it turns out that Myung and Laleh don't actually stand at the beginning of the story they are part of. The story is told out of chronological order and jumps around in time quite a bit, and ultimately it doesn't follow one but two pairs of sisters. The world is vast and intricate, the writing lyrical but also strangely academic at times. The author presents the most fascinating concepts, like the infinite portal whale, a shape-shifting island or a museum that's collecting memories, but she does so through the characters. It was such an interesting approach. First, these fantastical places or mystical people are introduced, and then the story circles back and tells how everything and everyone came to be. This way of storytelling takes its time, but I wish that the book was a little more condensed. Especially the part on Esi was really long and it had none of the characters that I began to root for in the first half of the book. Everything still was connected, but these circumstances made the story feel somewhat distant to me. I was just never as immersed as I would have liked to be. For me personally it's a 3.5 star book, but I still appreciate this story a lot and I would recommend it to everyone who is looking for unique, character-focused fantasy novel.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and DAW for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and DAW for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 24, 2023
4.5 Stars
One Liner: A fever dream that makes sense!
Myung and Laleh are the keepers of the whale of babel. They were created by the Great Wisa and know no one else. When Myung’s curiosity takes her away from the whale, it sets in motion for the worlds from different times to collide. Her adventure is a bridge between the pasts and the presents.
Myung and Laleh uncover the secrets of the island of Ojda. They also stumble upon the mystery hidden for centuries -the mad sisters of Esi. Somewhere in this quest, the sisters might find a way back to each other.
The story comes in multiple POVs and snippets from research papers, diary entries, books, articles, etc.
My Thoughts:
The premise and the cover intrigued me enough to try for a copy. I loved the cover even more after holding the paperback (the picture doesn’t do full justice to how beautiful it looks).
image:
NGL, I was wary when I read the first 40-50 pages. The plot seemed extravagant and intricate. Combined with beautiful prose, it could be a hit or a horrible flop. Luckily, the stars were in my favor (as you can see from the rating).
This is the kind of book best read in the physical format (at least for me). I’m glad I got the paperback, even if the font size is slightly small. The pacing is slow but steady and cannot be rushed. Nor can you skim it and miss something important.
Moreover, the narration frequently blends different POVs. It jumps from third-person to second-person and breaks the fourth wall at times. However, none of them distracted me. In fact, it pulled me deeper into the setting and made me an integral part of the story.
The book is one of those rare ones where I could even hear the characters speak at times and not just visualize it in my mind. Maybe it is due to the format chosen. The dialogues between the main characters are not in quotes but in italics, as if they listen to each other’s minds rather than speak them out loud. It should have been annoying (I’m picky), but it suits the characters. I also marked quite a few quotes for the sheer beauty of the prose and the weight of emotions behind the words.
The book predominantly deals with sisterly bonding. The sisters are not related by blood, but their love for each other is so deep, poignant, and intense that the reader has no choice but to be swept away by it.
However, this isn’t a book to look for logic. Not everything is explained since even the characters don’t know the answers. It’s where you go with the flow from start to finish and learn as the characters do. Some questions will remain unanswered. Needless to say, this won’t work for everyone (I’m surprised it worked for me).
I absolutely love the setting, be it inside of the whale of babel or the islands of Ojda and Esi. Nature is entwined with humans to an extent where the lines blur many times. The same goes for magic. As someone who loves forests and all things mystical, I couldn’t have asked for more.
The characters stand out and crave a space for themselves, even if most have limited roles. There are five main characters, all of them women. Each is different from the other but with enough similarities to draw parallels between their lives.
I don’t read much of high fantasy since most books are super large and run into series. Fortunately, this is a standalone and not a very big book, though it requires high concentration levels. While it is enjoyable, it also demands you to pay full attention and not miss any details. That’s tough since I read at night, and my energy levels are already down. Still, I managed (and ended up being behind on my reading schedule).
There are a couple of triggers, though nothing major. However, madness is one of the core themes. It is done well, but you may want to read a sample first if you are wary of this theme.
The ending is heartbreaking and poignant. It aligns with the storyline and leaves it high up there at the top of the cliff. I’m not a fan of sad (but maybe hopeful) endings, but I wouldn’t want anything else for this story. It’s perfect.
To summarize, Mad Sisters of Esi is an ambitious plot presented in a complex format. However, the end result is satisfying, impactful, and heart-touching. I can’t say who will enjoy this one. You have to decide for yourselves.
My thanks to Blogchatter, author Tashan Mehta, and publisher HarperCollins India, for a copy of the book. This review contains my honest opinion about the book.
***
P.S.: I don’t know if the book is supposed to be some sort of allegory or a metaphor. I enjoyed it for what it is. Any ‘deep social’ interpretations, if present, flew over my head.
***
TW:
One Liner: A fever dream that makes sense!
Myung and Laleh are the keepers of the whale of babel. They were created by the Great Wisa and know no one else. When Myung’s curiosity takes her away from the whale, it sets in motion for the worlds from different times to collide. Her adventure is a bridge between the pasts and the presents.
Myung and Laleh uncover the secrets of the island of Ojda. They also stumble upon the mystery hidden for centuries -the mad sisters of Esi. Somewhere in this quest, the sisters might find a way back to each other.
The story comes in multiple POVs and snippets from research papers, diary entries, books, articles, etc.
My Thoughts:
The premise and the cover intrigued me enough to try for a copy. I loved the cover even more after holding the paperback (the picture doesn’t do full justice to how beautiful it looks).
image:
NGL, I was wary when I read the first 40-50 pages. The plot seemed extravagant and intricate. Combined with beautiful prose, it could be a hit or a horrible flop. Luckily, the stars were in my favor (as you can see from the rating).
This is the kind of book best read in the physical format (at least for me). I’m glad I got the paperback, even if the font size is slightly small. The pacing is slow but steady and cannot be rushed. Nor can you skim it and miss something important.
Moreover, the narration frequently blends different POVs. It jumps from third-person to second-person and breaks the fourth wall at times. However, none of them distracted me. In fact, it pulled me deeper into the setting and made me an integral part of the story.
The book is one of those rare ones where I could even hear the characters speak at times and not just visualize it in my mind. Maybe it is due to the format chosen. The dialogues between the main characters are not in quotes but in italics, as if they listen to each other’s minds rather than speak them out loud. It should have been annoying (I’m picky), but it suits the characters. I also marked quite a few quotes for the sheer beauty of the prose and the weight of emotions behind the words.
The book predominantly deals with sisterly bonding. The sisters are not related by blood, but their love for each other is so deep, poignant, and intense that the reader has no choice but to be swept away by it.
However, this isn’t a book to look for logic. Not everything is explained since even the characters don’t know the answers. It’s where you go with the flow from start to finish and learn as the characters do. Some questions will remain unanswered. Needless to say, this won’t work for everyone (I’m surprised it worked for me).
I absolutely love the setting, be it inside of the whale of babel or the islands of Ojda and Esi. Nature is entwined with humans to an extent where the lines blur many times. The same goes for magic. As someone who loves forests and all things mystical, I couldn’t have asked for more.
The characters stand out and crave a space for themselves, even if most have limited roles. There are five main characters, all of them women. Each is different from the other but with enough similarities to draw parallels between their lives.
I don’t read much of high fantasy since most books are super large and run into series. Fortunately, this is a standalone and not a very big book, though it requires high concentration levels. While it is enjoyable, it also demands you to pay full attention and not miss any details. That’s tough since I read at night, and my energy levels are already down. Still, I managed (and ended up being behind on my reading schedule).
There are a couple of triggers, though nothing major. However, madness is one of the core themes. It is done well, but you may want to read a sample first if you are wary of this theme.
The ending is heartbreaking and poignant. It aligns with the storyline and leaves it high up there at the top of the cliff. I’m not a fan of sad (but maybe hopeful) endings, but I wouldn’t want anything else for this story. It’s perfect.
To summarize, Mad Sisters of Esi is an ambitious plot presented in a complex format. However, the end result is satisfying, impactful, and heart-touching. I can’t say who will enjoy this one. You have to decide for yourselves.
My thanks to Blogchatter, author Tashan Mehta, and publisher HarperCollins India, for a copy of the book. This review contains my honest opinion about the book.
***
P.S.: I don’t know if the book is supposed to be some sort of allegory or a metaphor. I enjoyed it for what it is. Any ‘deep social’ interpretations, if present, flew over my head.
***
TW:
July 4, 2025
Wow, this was absolutely stunning. Mad Sisters of Esi is high fantasy, and it’s mystical and lyrical and magical and ethereal. It's also like very few other modern books I’ve read (it gives me ancient mythology vibes though, tellings of how the world and its people came to be, interspersed with research that supports this), and honestly, it’s a work of art.
The story follows sisters, Myung and Laleh who inhabit the Whale of Babel, a universe in itself that floats through the black sea. Laleh is content to explore the many chambers of their universe, but Myung feels there is more out there, so she leaves the whale to find the people she dreams of. In doing so, she comes across the island of Ojda where we learn about another pairing of sisters, an island shrouded in madness once a century, and eventually, the secrets of the whale.
It is, as others have described, an absolute fever dream, but the most glorious, gorgeous fever dream you’ve ever experienced. You’re carried by the descriptions and the prose through a fathomless universe. Tashan’s imagination truly has no bounds and I was so happy to be along for the ride. I
This isn’t exactly a disclaimer as I would have given the same review had anyone written this, but to give more context to the review, the author is my best friend’s best friend; she actually gets a very prominent mention in the acknowledgements. Knowing this and knowing them does give this so much additional depth to me, especially given the nature and subject of the novel - sisterhood, but not through blood. You can feel the bond and the love and the beauty and the intricate nature of these relationships that's not linear but is so real.
The pace is not fast, as you’d imagine it would be when a girl is trying to find her sister who has escaped from their whale universe, but it doesn’t drag. Instead your attention is demanded at every turn of the page by snippets of articles and research that build a wider world than the perspectives we’ve been given, while the chapters from the women’s perspectives are so rich and complex, but like floating through a dream.
The space they are in is limitless and has boundaries, a feeling that is indescribable except to say that the edges of this space are mirrors-the space ripples endlessly through it, but you cannot.
There are times where, thanks to what is happening in the book, the reader joins the collective "we", you feel totally immersed in the narrative and part of something bigger than yourself.
We pause here.
We sit down. We rest. We've spent lifetimes in this story-it is not so easy to leave.
Stay.
Breathe.
There is no rush.
I'm not going to forget this book any time soon; now I just need to get my hands on a physical copy as the stunning words inside are matched only by the gorgeous cover!
I highlighted so many passages for both their pure beauty and the simple truths hidden among the words. I'll leave you with a couple more to help convince you to read this book:
Esi is opening up. It is a pomegranate, tearing to reveal millions of ruby worlds within it.
Sister is a careful word. That's what we say in the family. It is a special relationship. You have to love and hate each other. Want to drown them but also burn the world if it threatens them...You have to be slightly mad to love like that.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for a review copy of this book.
The story follows sisters, Myung and Laleh who inhabit the Whale of Babel, a universe in itself that floats through the black sea. Laleh is content to explore the many chambers of their universe, but Myung feels there is more out there, so she leaves the whale to find the people she dreams of. In doing so, she comes across the island of Ojda where we learn about another pairing of sisters, an island shrouded in madness once a century, and eventually, the secrets of the whale.
It is, as others have described, an absolute fever dream, but the most glorious, gorgeous fever dream you’ve ever experienced. You’re carried by the descriptions and the prose through a fathomless universe. Tashan’s imagination truly has no bounds and I was so happy to be along for the ride. I
This isn’t exactly a disclaimer as I would have given the same review had anyone written this, but to give more context to the review, the author is my best friend’s best friend; she actually gets a very prominent mention in the acknowledgements. Knowing this and knowing them does give this so much additional depth to me, especially given the nature and subject of the novel - sisterhood, but not through blood. You can feel the bond and the love and the beauty and the intricate nature of these relationships that's not linear but is so real.
The pace is not fast, as you’d imagine it would be when a girl is trying to find her sister who has escaped from their whale universe, but it doesn’t drag. Instead your attention is demanded at every turn of the page by snippets of articles and research that build a wider world than the perspectives we’ve been given, while the chapters from the women’s perspectives are so rich and complex, but like floating through a dream.
The space they are in is limitless and has boundaries, a feeling that is indescribable except to say that the edges of this space are mirrors-the space ripples endlessly through it, but you cannot.
There are times where, thanks to what is happening in the book, the reader joins the collective "we", you feel totally immersed in the narrative and part of something bigger than yourself.
We pause here.
We sit down. We rest. We've spent lifetimes in this story-it is not so easy to leave.
Stay.
Breathe.
There is no rush.
I'm not going to forget this book any time soon; now I just need to get my hands on a physical copy as the stunning words inside are matched only by the gorgeous cover!
I highlighted so many passages for both their pure beauty and the simple truths hidden among the words. I'll leave you with a couple more to help convince you to read this book:
Esi is opening up. It is a pomegranate, tearing to reveal millions of ruby worlds within it.
Sister is a careful word. That's what we say in the family. It is a special relationship. You have to love and hate each other. Want to drown them but also burn the world if it threatens them...You have to be slightly mad to love like that.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for a review copy of this book.
June 7, 2025
Mad Sisters of Esi by Tashan Mehta
Waves of holographic imagery descend upon my senses. Floating as if my eyes are open underwater, gazing at the sunrays peering through the surface. Tashan Mehta, our maestro of this wonderful ethereal experience, places readers in the belly of the beast, or rather, a whale in this instance. Alongside her sister Myung, Laleh toils within the vastness of the Whale of Babel. In its enormity of undiscovered chambers, readers will bask in the dreamlike state the story offers.
Hopscotching along, the novel travels through time and space. I reached a certain amount of reading vertigo, my mind spinning at newfound discoveries and observations. As the overloading of senses continued, I found myself enthralled with the two sisters. The vivid landscapes of the world nudged me further to explore.
The book is flooded with ancestral roots and traditions passed down from generation to generation. As the sisters unearth more history about this time and place, a clever placement of an island, Ojda, a living, sentient being, begins to tell a story of the past that shockingly intertwines with the present.
Losing our sister is tragic, and the novel tugs at the readers' heartstrings throughout. The emotional highs and lows will seem like riding an emotional roller coaster. Mehta’s writing elicits a spiritual response from the reader. If you have ever practiced mindfulness, you have a keen sense of awareness of your surroundings. The tale has that effect and reminds you of these individual thought patterns of basking in the glow of living flora all around. As real as if you could reach within the pages of the book itself and touch a leaf or eat a piece of fruit.
The book skitters upon this ketamine-induced dreamlike state. Euphoric and nightmarish in delivery, we float. To find the answers within the illusions of the sister’s lineage. For madness is the enemy in this tale. A state that induces fear amongst others in society. What is it to be mad? Crazy? Perhaps it is more than simply making outlandish observations and relaying that message to anyone who will listen. Insane thinking brings forth a certain amount of brilliance.
As I read some comments about this book, it was compared favorably to Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. I can see why the comparison was made. While the novel’s plot is simplistic in its stripped-down form, ultimately our interpretation lends to its uniqueness, hence leading to a varied reading experience for readers. Materializing like a smoky haze, thus allowing one to process the impact scene by scene, page by page.
In parting, the creativity and ambitiousness were off the charts. While I can’t decisively say the entire book resonated with me, I was, however, engaged throughout. Much like Piranesi, there will be individuals who love this type of work, but there will also be people who don’t get it. In my eyes, there is no denying the beauty of the world-building. Complex, dense, and satisfying!
I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars. Recommended for lovers of that cerebral-type endeavor.
Many thanks to DAW for the ARC through NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.
Waves of holographic imagery descend upon my senses. Floating as if my eyes are open underwater, gazing at the sunrays peering through the surface. Tashan Mehta, our maestro of this wonderful ethereal experience, places readers in the belly of the beast, or rather, a whale in this instance. Alongside her sister Myung, Laleh toils within the vastness of the Whale of Babel. In its enormity of undiscovered chambers, readers will bask in the dreamlike state the story offers.
Hopscotching along, the novel travels through time and space. I reached a certain amount of reading vertigo, my mind spinning at newfound discoveries and observations. As the overloading of senses continued, I found myself enthralled with the two sisters. The vivid landscapes of the world nudged me further to explore.
The book is flooded with ancestral roots and traditions passed down from generation to generation. As the sisters unearth more history about this time and place, a clever placement of an island, Ojda, a living, sentient being, begins to tell a story of the past that shockingly intertwines with the present.
Losing our sister is tragic, and the novel tugs at the readers' heartstrings throughout. The emotional highs and lows will seem like riding an emotional roller coaster. Mehta’s writing elicits a spiritual response from the reader. If you have ever practiced mindfulness, you have a keen sense of awareness of your surroundings. The tale has that effect and reminds you of these individual thought patterns of basking in the glow of living flora all around. As real as if you could reach within the pages of the book itself and touch a leaf or eat a piece of fruit.
The book skitters upon this ketamine-induced dreamlike state. Euphoric and nightmarish in delivery, we float. To find the answers within the illusions of the sister’s lineage. For madness is the enemy in this tale. A state that induces fear amongst others in society. What is it to be mad? Crazy? Perhaps it is more than simply making outlandish observations and relaying that message to anyone who will listen. Insane thinking brings forth a certain amount of brilliance.
As I read some comments about this book, it was compared favorably to Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. I can see why the comparison was made. While the novel’s plot is simplistic in its stripped-down form, ultimately our interpretation lends to its uniqueness, hence leading to a varied reading experience for readers. Materializing like a smoky haze, thus allowing one to process the impact scene by scene, page by page.
In parting, the creativity and ambitiousness were off the charts. While I can’t decisively say the entire book resonated with me, I was, however, engaged throughout. Much like Piranesi, there will be individuals who love this type of work, but there will also be people who don’t get it. In my eyes, there is no denying the beauty of the world-building. Complex, dense, and satisfying!
I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars. Recommended for lovers of that cerebral-type endeavor.
Many thanks to DAW for the ARC through NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.
September 8, 2024
Compelling, beautiful, and imaginative. This is one of those "I need everyone to read this right away" books.
September 18, 2025
Review originally on JamReads
Mad Sisters of Esi is a fantasy novel written by Tashan Mehta, published by DAW Books. A book that it's difficult to characterize, which plays with the concept of metafiction while inviting the reader to join into an emotional journey that will be shown in a cyclical way, partly like a matrioshka; a really creative novel that hides many worlds under its cover.
A novel that starts following two sisters, Myung and Laleh, who live in the small world that is the whale of Babel, traversing from chamber to chamber and keeping its records; however, Myung has more questions about the origin and how they appeared. Questions that don't allow her to rest, but that doesn't bother Laleh; Myung takes a determination, leaving the whale and her sister in the search for answers.
A journey that takes both to a new place, Ojda, where they learn a story similar to theirs: the Mad Sisters of Esi. A story that will reveal more about sisterhood, love and creation, pointing the sisters again in the quest to find each other.
Mehta has crafted a complicated book: one that has a lot of storytelling and that jumps between timelines, notes, metaphors and diary entries; it demands the reader's attention, as there are many small dots to connect, all while they are aching for a re-encounter between the sisters, eventually leading to what we could call the meta-cycle that is formed by the Mad Sisters of Esi.
There's also a huge amount of worldbuilding, but it is kept encompassed by the own nature of this world: ethereal and prone to change. Mehta's prose is simply outstanding, creating beauty through her words.
In terms of pacing, it is a relatively slow proposal; but the nature of this journey requires the reader to advance with patience, so it fits.
Mad Sisters of Esi is an excellent novel, one that rewards the attentive reader with a emotional experience that also tells much about fiction, love and sisterhood; a difficult to tag proposal, but one that fully shows how of a talented writer Tashan Mehta is.
Mad Sisters of Esi is a fantasy novel written by Tashan Mehta, published by DAW Books. A book that it's difficult to characterize, which plays with the concept of metafiction while inviting the reader to join into an emotional journey that will be shown in a cyclical way, partly like a matrioshka; a really creative novel that hides many worlds under its cover.
A novel that starts following two sisters, Myung and Laleh, who live in the small world that is the whale of Babel, traversing from chamber to chamber and keeping its records; however, Myung has more questions about the origin and how they appeared. Questions that don't allow her to rest, but that doesn't bother Laleh; Myung takes a determination, leaving the whale and her sister in the search for answers.
A journey that takes both to a new place, Ojda, where they learn a story similar to theirs: the Mad Sisters of Esi. A story that will reveal more about sisterhood, love and creation, pointing the sisters again in the quest to find each other.
Mehta has crafted a complicated book: one that has a lot of storytelling and that jumps between timelines, notes, metaphors and diary entries; it demands the reader's attention, as there are many small dots to connect, all while they are aching for a re-encounter between the sisters, eventually leading to what we could call the meta-cycle that is formed by the Mad Sisters of Esi.
There's also a huge amount of worldbuilding, but it is kept encompassed by the own nature of this world: ethereal and prone to change. Mehta's prose is simply outstanding, creating beauty through her words.
In terms of pacing, it is a relatively slow proposal; but the nature of this journey requires the reader to advance with patience, so it fits.
Mad Sisters of Esi is an excellent novel, one that rewards the attentive reader with a emotional experience that also tells much about fiction, love and sisterhood; a difficult to tag proposal, but one that fully shows how of a talented writer Tashan Mehta is.
June 22, 2025
I felt excited about this, but the writing has worn me out and I am DNF-ing at 29%. I really tried, but the descriptions have grown circular and repetitive. Ornamental exposition without end and, ultimately, lacking a solid enough foundation to make me feel emotionally invested even a third of the way through a 500 page novel. I don’t know where it was going or what the point was, and I just don’t care or have the patience to find out. In fact, I have the sense it may end up being the same note that it already conveyed: stories matter, but can’t always be trusted because they are ever evolving, and the messy complicated love between sisters.
(Had to really remind myself of the sunk cost fallacy here and that I could be reading something I enjoy with my time instead.)
(Had to really remind myself of the sunk cost fallacy here and that I could be reading something I enjoy with my time instead.)
Want to read
July 7, 2025The whale of babel. 🐋 Cosmic chambers. 🌟 Shapeshifting islands and ancient maps 🏝️🗺️. A festival of madness.🎪 WHY ISN'T THIS BOOK OUT NOW? 😫
April 3, 2025
Characters 3
Setting 4
Plot 3
Themes 2
emotional impact 3
Personal enjoyment 3
Overall 3
I really wanted to like this. The first 40 percent had me HOOKED. I was invested and intrigued by the world Mehta built, its uniqueness and abstract nature that made me feel like I was reading a fever dream. I enjoyed the way sisterly relationships were portrayed in all their depth and the setting felt so ethereal. Although the premise of this book and the introduction to the plot were nothing short of fantastic, post introduction it started to go down hill.
After the 40% mark we go into a very extensive flash back lasting at least 100 pages, and by that point the emotional investment I had in the characters from the beginning was partially lost. This on top of the integration of fictional scholarly articles that I had not anticipated really threw me off. I understand how these could have made the story feel more real and detailed but the way they were written left me skimming them at best. I can see how some would enjoy their inclusion but I did not sign up to read academic articles regardless of brevity.
At times I felt like I was being beat over the head with themes, and not just one theme but many, it made the plot not as interesting or engaging since the sole focus felt directed towards getting messaging across. While generally I enjoy reading for themes, the way these were incorporated felt too direct for me on top of the extraordinarily flowery language and poetic style: the importance of memory, loneliness, family values, and being different from ones community.
I feel that if you enjoy poetic writing, and stories loaded with impactful themes you would really enjoy this, the writing reminded me much of Madeline Miller and The Song of Achilles. If the organization of the plot had been done differently I believe my review would be written very differently, I enjoyed parts, but was expecting more emotional impact.
Setting 4
Plot 3
Themes 2
emotional impact 3
Personal enjoyment 3
Overall 3
I really wanted to like this. The first 40 percent had me HOOKED. I was invested and intrigued by the world Mehta built, its uniqueness and abstract nature that made me feel like I was reading a fever dream. I enjoyed the way sisterly relationships were portrayed in all their depth and the setting felt so ethereal. Although the premise of this book and the introduction to the plot were nothing short of fantastic, post introduction it started to go down hill.
After the 40% mark we go into a very extensive flash back lasting at least 100 pages, and by that point the emotional investment I had in the characters from the beginning was partially lost. This on top of the integration of fictional scholarly articles that I had not anticipated really threw me off. I understand how these could have made the story feel more real and detailed but the way they were written left me skimming them at best. I can see how some would enjoy their inclusion but I did not sign up to read academic articles regardless of brevity.
At times I felt like I was being beat over the head with themes, and not just one theme but many, it made the plot not as interesting or engaging since the sole focus felt directed towards getting messaging across. While generally I enjoy reading for themes, the way these were incorporated felt too direct for me on top of the extraordinarily flowery language and poetic style: the importance of memory, loneliness, family values, and being different from ones community.
I feel that if you enjoy poetic writing, and stories loaded with impactful themes you would really enjoy this, the writing reminded me much of Madeline Miller and The Song of Achilles. If the organization of the plot had been done differently I believe my review would be written very differently, I enjoyed parts, but was expecting more emotional impact.
October 24, 2023
"Mad Sisters of Esi," fantasy finds a captivating and distinctive expression, transforming mythology into a narrative that is both recognizable and fresh. The intricate world-building seamlessly intertwines with the story, immersing readers in the journeys of compelling characters. Tashan Mehta's language mastery is evident, treating the prose with care and elegance, turning each page into a delightful experience. The novel's focus on sisterhood is a standout feature, portraying these women with beauty and strength, fostering a deep connection between readers and characters.
What truly distinguishes this novel is the palpable passion and energy poured into its creation. The writing exudes confidence, propelling readers forward with every word. It's a joy to read, leaving a lingering anticipation for a return to its world. Tashan Mehta's exploration of madness as a force for creating reality, rather than losing touch with it, adds a thought-provoking dimension. While some aspects of world-building and plot might be perceived as vague or convenient, the author's conviction and storytelling prowess make suspension of disbelief effortless.
"Mad Sisters of Esi" is a must-read for fantasy aficionados seeking stories driven by emotion and enigmatic magic. It may not adhere to traditional high fantasy structures, but it offers a personal and intimate narrative that zeroes in on interpersonal dynamics. Tashan Mehta's novel stands as an exciting addition to the fantasy genre, delivering a refreshing departure from formulaic storytelling. It beckons readers into a realm of emotion, peculiar magic, and compelling character connections, ensuring a captivating and intriguing read.
What truly distinguishes this novel is the palpable passion and energy poured into its creation. The writing exudes confidence, propelling readers forward with every word. It's a joy to read, leaving a lingering anticipation for a return to its world. Tashan Mehta's exploration of madness as a force for creating reality, rather than losing touch with it, adds a thought-provoking dimension. While some aspects of world-building and plot might be perceived as vague or convenient, the author's conviction and storytelling prowess make suspension of disbelief effortless.
"Mad Sisters of Esi" is a must-read for fantasy aficionados seeking stories driven by emotion and enigmatic magic. It may not adhere to traditional high fantasy structures, but it offers a personal and intimate narrative that zeroes in on interpersonal dynamics. Tashan Mehta's novel stands as an exciting addition to the fantasy genre, delivering a refreshing departure from formulaic storytelling. It beckons readers into a realm of emotion, peculiar magic, and compelling character connections, ensuring a captivating and intriguing read.
August 5, 2025
If you like your books to be lyrical, atmospheric, dream like, creative and so much more, please consider reading this one! While I'll say I was initially intrigued and loved the way this book was taking shape, I just could not stick with it after a certain point and decided to DNF at 50%. However, I don't think that should deter readers as I'm definitely glad I gave this book a shot and I may consider trying it again one day. I feel that readers are going to love this book with is creative imagery and relationships and even though I didn't finish it (for now) I can see how this book will be beloved by many.
Thank you NetGalley and DAW for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 8/5/25
Thank you NetGalley and DAW for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 8/5/25
July 9, 2024
A masterpiece of boundary-breaking fantasy. Absolutely breathtaking, stunning, utterly perfect. US/UK/World publishers need to get on this and bring MAD SISTERS OF ESI to the whole English-speaking world.
Then translate it into every possible language so everyone else can read it too!!!
9th July 2024: IT IS HAPPENING!!!
Then translate it into every possible language so everyone else can read it too!!!
9th July 2024: IT IS HAPPENING!!!
December 15, 2025
Actual Rating: 3.75/5 stars
“So we wander down the giant corridors in search of what we didn’t know we were missing. We seek to become whole”.
I’m starting this review off bold by comping this “Piranesi meets The Spear Cuts Through Water”. You're going to have to hear me out on that one, though, because it's not as straigh-forward of a comparison as that may seem.
Ambitious, original and slightly ethereal – Mad Sisters of Esi is one of the more original fantasy releases I’ve come across recently. Maybe for that reason, it took me a while to gather my thoughts about it, and a few weeks after finishing it I’m still not convinced I’ve cemented my opinion in stone.
What I loved:
Whenever authors have the ambition to deliver truly original fantasy-works, I’ll be the first to cheer on their endevours. Whether that means taking inspiration from non-western mythology, exploring non-traditional story structures or featuring themes not typically explored. Mad Sisters of Esi does all of those things. In gorgeous, luscious prose it weaves a dreamlike tale that reads like a forgotten divine myth.
It explores themes of sisterhood (whether chosen or by blood), love, storytelling and the way our myths shape the world around us. Additionally it dives into the concept of madness and mad Gods. What does it truly mean to be “mad”? Is it a bad thing, or is it the ultimate shape of freedom? In doing so, it incorporates philosophical themes that will have you chewing on them long after finishing the book.
One of the most confounding but interesting aspects of the book – apart from the ethereal, dreamlike quality to it all - was the emotions it evoked. Its ranges from a hypnotic euphoria experienced by the characters exploring the wonderous landscapes of chambers of the Whale of Babel, to a deep sense of melancholia over the impermanence of things, and the cyclical nature of the story at hand. It touches a level of ambition and emotional range that’s rare in most traditional fantasy.
What I didn’t love:
That ethereal quality is simultaneously my biggest point of critique. Like a half-remembered dream, this book has a tendency to slip through your fingers as you’re reading it. As such, its hard to get a grasp of the story, or to have the story truly grasp you. Whenever I put this book down, I felt like the story escaped me, and I had to push myself over a threshold to pick it back up again. I was often lost in the meandering haze of abstractness and neither the stories, nor the characters, fully managed to capture me enough to stay grounded.
Perhaps this was the intend, considering the thematic focus on madness, impermanence and the ability of storytelling to shape reality, but for a character-focused reader like myself, it was a hurdle.
Additionally, it might be worth mentioning that there are frequent POV-shifts, changes from first- to second- to third-person narrative, and fourth-wall-breaks that may putt some people off. Any spoken dialogue is formatted in italics, rather than in quotations. This didn’t particularly bother me, but I realize it’s a dealbreaker for some readers.
Overall, this book won’t be for everybody, but those who click with it will likely love it. If any of this piqued your interest though, and you’re in the market for something non-traditional: this book might be your new favourite.
Many thanks to DAW for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
“So we wander down the giant corridors in search of what we didn’t know we were missing. We seek to become whole”.
I’m starting this review off bold by comping this “Piranesi meets The Spear Cuts Through Water”. You're going to have to hear me out on that one, though, because it's not as straigh-forward of a comparison as that may seem.
Ambitious, original and slightly ethereal – Mad Sisters of Esi is one of the more original fantasy releases I’ve come across recently. Maybe for that reason, it took me a while to gather my thoughts about it, and a few weeks after finishing it I’m still not convinced I’ve cemented my opinion in stone.
What I loved:
Whenever authors have the ambition to deliver truly original fantasy-works, I’ll be the first to cheer on their endevours. Whether that means taking inspiration from non-western mythology, exploring non-traditional story structures or featuring themes not typically explored. Mad Sisters of Esi does all of those things. In gorgeous, luscious prose it weaves a dreamlike tale that reads like a forgotten divine myth.
It explores themes of sisterhood (whether chosen or by blood), love, storytelling and the way our myths shape the world around us. Additionally it dives into the concept of madness and mad Gods. What does it truly mean to be “mad”? Is it a bad thing, or is it the ultimate shape of freedom? In doing so, it incorporates philosophical themes that will have you chewing on them long after finishing the book.
One of the most confounding but interesting aspects of the book – apart from the ethereal, dreamlike quality to it all - was the emotions it evoked. Its ranges from a hypnotic euphoria experienced by the characters exploring the wonderous landscapes of chambers of the Whale of Babel, to a deep sense of melancholia over the impermanence of things, and the cyclical nature of the story at hand. It touches a level of ambition and emotional range that’s rare in most traditional fantasy.
What I didn’t love:
That ethereal quality is simultaneously my biggest point of critique. Like a half-remembered dream, this book has a tendency to slip through your fingers as you’re reading it. As such, its hard to get a grasp of the story, or to have the story truly grasp you. Whenever I put this book down, I felt like the story escaped me, and I had to push myself over a threshold to pick it back up again. I was often lost in the meandering haze of abstractness and neither the stories, nor the characters, fully managed to capture me enough to stay grounded.
Perhaps this was the intend, considering the thematic focus on madness, impermanence and the ability of storytelling to shape reality, but for a character-focused reader like myself, it was a hurdle.
Additionally, it might be worth mentioning that there are frequent POV-shifts, changes from first- to second- to third-person narrative, and fourth-wall-breaks that may putt some people off. Any spoken dialogue is formatted in italics, rather than in quotations. This didn’t particularly bother me, but I realize it’s a dealbreaker for some readers.
Overall, this book won’t be for everybody, but those who click with it will likely love it. If any of this piqued your interest though, and you’re in the market for something non-traditional: this book might be your new favourite.
Many thanks to DAW for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 29, 2025
Gros gros gros coup de cœur !!!!
C'était si beau, bien écrit, une plume magnifique, un texte lyrique et onirique, un voyage au-delà des mots et du réel.
C'était si beau, bien écrit, une plume magnifique, un texte lyrique et onirique, un voyage au-delà des mots et du réel.
September 29, 2025
about 17 pages into this i put the book down to google if the author had been caught up in any kind of plagirism scandal, because this is an almost blatant rip off of susanna clarke's novel piranesi, and i'm not just talking about the concept, it's writing is very much a case of 'of you slightly rejiggled a sentence and would hope it would slide by without anyone noticing' like....page 5 the whale is described as a 'creature of boundless generosity' and 'the whale's wonder are infinite' which is nigh on idenTICAL to 'the Beauty of the House is immesurable, its Kindness infinite.'
the writing style, the structure, the imagery....all of it is a far worse rendition of susanna clarkes book. i assume the only reason its getting away with it is because genre readers wouldnt touch literary fiction with a barge pole this days and have never looked at piranesi once
the writing style, the structure, the imagery....all of it is a far worse rendition of susanna clarkes book. i assume the only reason its getting away with it is because genre readers wouldnt touch literary fiction with a barge pole this days and have never looked at piranesi once
November 1, 2024
A few years ago my cousin's grandfather said in between things - how do you know this is real? how do you know what you experience in your dreams isn't real also? how are you so confident that the time is linear and that it isn't a crisscross mash of threads tightly woven? This conversation has stayed with me and it resurfaced when I was reading this book.
Mad Sisters of Esi is spectacular in its creative exploration of sisterly love, love of all beings, time and its components, and the magic that binds it all. An island that's more than an island with its inhabitants aware of land, trees and the organisms that it contains. The island once had people, Alchemists - a generation of people who made time that led to building of worlds. Once a century, the island experiences a seven day event filled with madness where the fabric of time thins and in between the cobwebs, the worlds can be seen.
The book is an immersive reading experience where things are to be read and absorbed as they are presented. Trying to put in argumentative boundaries wouldn't work in this tale nor would it elevate the experience. Its best to consume as it is and just be.
Tashan Mehta is an incredible writer and her sense of weaving the tale is just gorgeous. I first read her work in Magical Women - Rule book for creating a universe. It was my favorite story from the collection and I can see the novel's threads going back to that short story.
Loved reading, a day well spent.
Mad Sisters of Esi is spectacular in its creative exploration of sisterly love, love of all beings, time and its components, and the magic that binds it all. An island that's more than an island with its inhabitants aware of land, trees and the organisms that it contains. The island once had people, Alchemists - a generation of people who made time that led to building of worlds. Once a century, the island experiences a seven day event filled with madness where the fabric of time thins and in between the cobwebs, the worlds can be seen.
The book is an immersive reading experience where things are to be read and absorbed as they are presented. Trying to put in argumentative boundaries wouldn't work in this tale nor would it elevate the experience. Its best to consume as it is and just be.
Tashan Mehta is an incredible writer and her sense of weaving the tale is just gorgeous. I first read her work in Magical Women - Rule book for creating a universe. It was my favorite story from the collection and I can see the novel's threads going back to that short story.
Loved reading, a day well spent.
March 21, 2025
Received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for honest opinion, thanks!
You ought to be mad to fell in love with this book.
Tashan Mehta weaves a beautiful, but peculiar family saga into a cloth made from whales, skies and academic papers. It starts with two sisters, but reaches far beyond it, mixing the study of indigenous cultures (bloodlines?) with fantastic tale about magic and higher instances. It's strange, but between weirdness and variegation it finds the way to your heart.
I certainly adored every inch of it.
You ought to be mad to fell in love with this book.
Tashan Mehta weaves a beautiful, but peculiar family saga into a cloth made from whales, skies and academic papers. It starts with two sisters, but reaches far beyond it, mixing the study of indigenous cultures (bloodlines?) with fantastic tale about magic and higher instances. It's strange, but between weirdness and variegation it finds the way to your heart.
I certainly adored every inch of it.
October 12, 2025
My first DNF at just over 50%: This is the first book I’ve ever given up on. Over halfway through and 90% of the book is just character descriptions and vague magical events. I held out hope that it would come together like the movie/novel Paprika, because that’s the energy it had sometimes. And I love that movie!! It’s fantastical, imaginative, and super rewatchable. But this book just isn’t finding its way for me.
October 29, 2023
Two sisters. Wisa and Magali. Separated across time and space but desperate to find each other again.
Somewhere in this large universe are two more sisters. Myung and Laleh. Two girls who grow up within the Whale of the Babel, a universe that’s so big but still feels small to Myung.
There are talking animals and trees, lands that tests and then trusts you, people who are cursed to live on their island forever and then there’s this humongous purple whale in the Black Sea which sings when it’s angry or sad or loved.
Tashan Mehta creates a mesmerising world about sisterhood, love and sadness. But there’s also wonder and madness. A madness that makes people feel skittish and scared. This madness makes one want to build worlds and Wisa goes mad.
This story is layered, a never ending tale of everything beautiful. Dreams that takes you across islands and makes you meet your dead ancestors. Every island has a story of its own. But there’s a tale about the festival of madness that connects the dots together about why Wisa and Magali had to part all those years ago.
Mad Sisters of Esi is a captivating novel that exceeds one’s imagination. The descriptions are so vivid that it plays in front of your eyes like a technicolor movie. My only qualm was how complex the layered story was. At one point, it started to feel chaotic. A lot of things and characters were thrown in together to keep the story going.
But I do believe that this book will be a delicious treat for fantasy lovers. Brownie points for this gorgeous cover.
Quir, it’s hard to not fall in love with you and you’re the best bat 🦇
Somewhere in this large universe are two more sisters. Myung and Laleh. Two girls who grow up within the Whale of the Babel, a universe that’s so big but still feels small to Myung.
There are talking animals and trees, lands that tests and then trusts you, people who are cursed to live on their island forever and then there’s this humongous purple whale in the Black Sea which sings when it’s angry or sad or loved.
Tashan Mehta creates a mesmerising world about sisterhood, love and sadness. But there’s also wonder and madness. A madness that makes people feel skittish and scared. This madness makes one want to build worlds and Wisa goes mad.
This story is layered, a never ending tale of everything beautiful. Dreams that takes you across islands and makes you meet your dead ancestors. Every island has a story of its own. But there’s a tale about the festival of madness that connects the dots together about why Wisa and Magali had to part all those years ago.
Mad Sisters of Esi is a captivating novel that exceeds one’s imagination. The descriptions are so vivid that it plays in front of your eyes like a technicolor movie. My only qualm was how complex the layered story was. At one point, it started to feel chaotic. A lot of things and characters were thrown in together to keep the story going.
But I do believe that this book will be a delicious treat for fantasy lovers. Brownie points for this gorgeous cover.
Quir, it’s hard to not fall in love with you and you’re the best bat 🦇
March 14, 2025
This book truly reads like a fever dream. Fluid, poetic, and deeply immersive. Unfolding in such a mesmerizing rhythm, with imagery that will live rent free in my mind forever. There’s a quiet sadness woven throughout the book I was not expecting. But it’s also balanced by resilience, self discovery, and an otherworldly magic.
At its core, this is a story about perception, madness, and the invisible threads that bind us. The characters feel so rich and real. Each carrying their own fears, hopes, and secrets. This book doesn’t explain everything at times, but I think that’s part of the magic. You find yourself sitting with the mysteries sometimes, rather than having them spelled out. Some stories are meant to be unraveled slowly, and this is one of them.
There’s also something powerful in the way the author captures memory and connection. The writing has a way of making you pause, often times to reread a sentence. Not because it’s difficult, but because it resonates so deeply. I found myself highlighting dozens and dozens of passages. This isn’t just a book you read, it’s a book you feel. And when you reach the final page, you’re left with the quiet certainty that it will stay with you for awhile.
I cannot thank NetGalley and DAW enough for an ARC! What a joy it has been to read this.
At its core, this is a story about perception, madness, and the invisible threads that bind us. The characters feel so rich and real. Each carrying their own fears, hopes, and secrets. This book doesn’t explain everything at times, but I think that’s part of the magic. You find yourself sitting with the mysteries sometimes, rather than having them spelled out. Some stories are meant to be unraveled slowly, and this is one of them.
There’s also something powerful in the way the author captures memory and connection. The writing has a way of making you pause, often times to reread a sentence. Not because it’s difficult, but because it resonates so deeply. I found myself highlighting dozens and dozens of passages. This isn’t just a book you read, it’s a book you feel. And when you reach the final page, you’re left with the quiet certainty that it will stay with you for awhile.
I cannot thank NetGalley and DAW enough for an ARC! What a joy it has been to read this.
January 10, 2025
It's always very special when you know a book is going to be one of your ultimate top three favourite novels when you're only 10 pages in. That's how I felt with Mad Sisters of Esi, and I never stopped feeling that way. I happened upon this book by chance and I am fully convinced I was meant to find it. I'm so glad that the North American rights have now sold, and I hope the UK rights follow so that I can buy every edition possible. (I bought this without realising it wasn't supposed to be sold outside the Indian subcontinent—whoops! Sorry. But also not sorry. I love this book.)
This is one of the single most stunning books I have ever read. It is a story of sisterhood, the family you choose and who choose you, what you would do for them, without them, and how you miss them, of the nature of time and memory and how those things can turn into fairy tales. The worlds Tashan Mehta creates in this book are wonderful, and I want to walk through them. The writing feels both beautiful and effortless. I'm in love with this book, wholly, completely, and truly in love.
I've already bought Mehta's debut novel and I look forward to devouring everything else she writes. Ever.
This is one of the single most stunning books I have ever read. It is a story of sisterhood, the family you choose and who choose you, what you would do for them, without them, and how you miss them, of the nature of time and memory and how those things can turn into fairy tales. The worlds Tashan Mehta creates in this book are wonderful, and I want to walk through them. The writing feels both beautiful and effortless. I'm in love with this book, wholly, completely, and truly in love.
I've already bought Mehta's debut novel and I look forward to devouring everything else she writes. Ever.
Read
June 3, 2025i was really exciting about the release of this book because the premise sounded like my cup of tea, this was recommended to me by multiple ppl saying it is exactly my kind of a book, and i enjoy tashan mehta's writing too. i was never in the right mental space to pick it up when this was released (i remember thinking i could've included it in my best books of the year had i read it by then). but, this book did not work for me as well as i hoped it would. the writing is good, no doubt; it has all the elements i gravitate towards, but i found myself restless when the book meanders (i don't usually mind meandering books), and sometimes i found myself searching for a reason (not something to do in a dream-like surreal-like book). which makes me wonder if i am still not in the right space for this book (or may be i am). i am confused about myself as a reader now. so that was my experience with mad sisters of esi—loved the fables, the intertwined stories of many characters, the new universe, but i simply found myself questioning the way the book unravels.
September 2, 2025
✨️𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 & 🍵𝗧𝗲𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
Myung and Laleh live within the ever-shifting corridors of the Whale of Babel—a cosmic vessel brimming with countless worlds, dreams, and whispered memories. Myung yearns for more: answers, people, meaning—and so she ventures beyond their shared sanctuary. Her journey takes her across the black sea to Ojda, a sentient island where the haunting legend of Magali and Wisa, the “mad sisters of Esi,” unfolds. Through myth, memory, fragmented diaries, academic snippets, and folklore, Mehta weaves a labyrinthine tapestry of magic, longing, and the ties that bind.
Okay, this book is like being dropped into someone’s fever dream at 3 a.m.—but in a good way. It’s weird, trippy, and kind of messy, but it owns it. The timelines glitch, the prose hits you with poetic one-liners out of nowhere, and the worldbuilding is straight-up vibes-based magic. You don’t just “read” it, you wander around in it, half-lost, half in awe, wondering if you’ve accidentally joined a cosmic cult of storytellers.
🦋 Cosmic “whale of worlds”
🌌 Myth, memory, and fragmented storytelling
👭 Dual sisterhoods, echoing across time
🏛 Experimental structure: journals, lore, academic fragments
🎭 Dreamlike, lyrical prose—immersive and elusive
⚠ For readers who embrace ambiguity and wonder
Myung and Laleh live within the ever-shifting corridors of the Whale of Babel—a cosmic vessel brimming with countless worlds, dreams, and whispered memories. Myung yearns for more: answers, people, meaning—and so she ventures beyond their shared sanctuary. Her journey takes her across the black sea to Ojda, a sentient island where the haunting legend of Magali and Wisa, the “mad sisters of Esi,” unfolds. Through myth, memory, fragmented diaries, academic snippets, and folklore, Mehta weaves a labyrinthine tapestry of magic, longing, and the ties that bind.
Okay, this book is like being dropped into someone’s fever dream at 3 a.m.—but in a good way. It’s weird, trippy, and kind of messy, but it owns it. The timelines glitch, the prose hits you with poetic one-liners out of nowhere, and the worldbuilding is straight-up vibes-based magic. You don’t just “read” it, you wander around in it, half-lost, half in awe, wondering if you’ve accidentally joined a cosmic cult of storytellers.
🦋 Cosmic “whale of worlds”
🌌 Myth, memory, and fragmented storytelling
👭 Dual sisterhoods, echoing across time
🏛 Experimental structure: journals, lore, academic fragments
🎭 Dreamlike, lyrical prose—immersive and elusive
⚠ For readers who embrace ambiguity and wonder
October 17, 2023
Some delightful excerpts from the book:
"We chose our names because of each other, for what use is a name if there is no one to say it?"
"Have you ever been lonely and not realized it until your loneliness was sated? Do you remember seeing your reflection for the first time and the uncanny feeling that accompanied it—of standing both outside yourself and inside?"
"In our third chamber, a new word appeared to me. SISTER, two syllables. Meaning to belong to and love forever."
"That which seems empty is only invisible, it sings. What appears story-less is only unknown."
"So she had left. It broke her, but she had to. Staying with Laleh was like staring at a glass of water when you are parched, but you are unable to pick it up and drink because your sister wants to keep holding your hands."
"It’s mad, she whispered to her mother, frightened. It’s turning mad. Her mother tapped her nose and said, Aren’t we all?"
"Conversation has died, and Blajine feels bad for overreacting and then feels bad for feeling bad."
"Blajine dresses the traveller’s wounds and carries her to the Rock of Respectability, which is named such because it is only a rock. Which on Ojda—where you cannot trust anything to be what it looks like—is very respectable of it."
"Even as a statue, he looks patient. Blajine supposes he had to be, being married to Mad Magali."
"Wait. Watch. Move as slowly as you can. Don’t move at all. Islands don’t like you being on them. They’d like to know why you’re here. Human time is wrong: you walk too fast, speak too loudly, die too quickly. It is irksome. Islands like change as a slow curve, the build and break of a gentle wave. To befriend an island, sit still. If you must walk, tread as if on a butterfly. Ossify to become a part of them. Show them you can change your time, even if it brings you close to your death."
"Love makes you do mad things."
"You write warmly, she murmurs. Like a fire on a cold beach night."
"She rolls the possibility in her mind like a loose tooth."
"Sometimes it annoys her how well he understands even the most mysterious parts of her. Sometimes she loves him for it."
"She and Jinn are no longer friends, but they haven’t lost the ability to pick up in the middle of a conversation that never started."
"Always look for the small things, little Wisa, he says, never lifting his brush from the paper. They are what matter."
"(She) had what few children possessed in bright, sparkling quantity: wonder and curiosity."
"I want to draw the feeling,"
"Things must end, his mother used to say. Even memories. Only then can they become something new."
"So much of the present has been pushed and set into motion by the past."
"A tree is found in the forest but the forest is also found in the tree."
‘What we remember and what is true are very different things.’
"It is human nature to look at your life and only your life; you see yourself as the centre and everyone else as the periphery."
"But to someone else, you are the periphery of their life."
"Magali is sure it is his mother’s fault, but she doesn’t say it. Families are careful subjects."
"But there is a quality to Wisa that reminds you of a lotus leaf; everything runs off her."
"The men look content, the strange pleasure we derive from rituals that make sense only to ourselves."
"Everything is more powerful when you don’t understand it."
"Is there something we are born with, soft and malleable, that hardens as we age?"
".. cannot shake the feeling that gibberish is nothing but words ordered on a logic that’s beyond us, and I press my ears to my toddler’s lips as she gurgles the secrets of the universe."
"I believe that when we read we are searching for a smooth and polished mirror so that we may better see our reflections. This is the fascination all narratives hold over us: we are looking for ourselves. But I believe it is not just mirrors that we seek—it is magic mirrors. We don’t only want reflections of ourselves; we want to know if there is the possibility of change in our future, whether there is more to this reality than we can touch and smell, more to ourselves. We seek potential, our wilderness. This is why fairy tales are more beloved than most. These are stories that let us stare at ourselves, the essential parts of our humanness, before we step through into a new world; before we become something more."
"All worlds are empty beyond a point if you have no one to share them with."
"We never truly leave the ones we love."
"It is what happens when you wait for someone to come back to you or you make a map to go somewhere you once loved: they change. Nothing is ever as you left it."
I must disclose that I am related to Tashan Mehta. But, therefore, I have not expressed my opinion on the book, as it might be considered biased. I have only reproduced excerpts from the book which delighted me. And for that itself I give the book five stars.
"We chose our names because of each other, for what use is a name if there is no one to say it?"
"Have you ever been lonely and not realized it until your loneliness was sated? Do you remember seeing your reflection for the first time and the uncanny feeling that accompanied it—of standing both outside yourself and inside?"
"In our third chamber, a new word appeared to me. SISTER, two syllables. Meaning to belong to and love forever."
"That which seems empty is only invisible, it sings. What appears story-less is only unknown."
"So she had left. It broke her, but she had to. Staying with Laleh was like staring at a glass of water when you are parched, but you are unable to pick it up and drink because your sister wants to keep holding your hands."
"It’s mad, she whispered to her mother, frightened. It’s turning mad. Her mother tapped her nose and said, Aren’t we all?"
"Conversation has died, and Blajine feels bad for overreacting and then feels bad for feeling bad."
"Blajine dresses the traveller’s wounds and carries her to the Rock of Respectability, which is named such because it is only a rock. Which on Ojda—where you cannot trust anything to be what it looks like—is very respectable of it."
"Even as a statue, he looks patient. Blajine supposes he had to be, being married to Mad Magali."
"Wait. Watch. Move as slowly as you can. Don’t move at all. Islands don’t like you being on them. They’d like to know why you’re here. Human time is wrong: you walk too fast, speak too loudly, die too quickly. It is irksome. Islands like change as a slow curve, the build and break of a gentle wave. To befriend an island, sit still. If you must walk, tread as if on a butterfly. Ossify to become a part of them. Show them you can change your time, even if it brings you close to your death."
"Love makes you do mad things."
"You write warmly, she murmurs. Like a fire on a cold beach night."
"She rolls the possibility in her mind like a loose tooth."
"Sometimes it annoys her how well he understands even the most mysterious parts of her. Sometimes she loves him for it."
"She and Jinn are no longer friends, but they haven’t lost the ability to pick up in the middle of a conversation that never started."
"Always look for the small things, little Wisa, he says, never lifting his brush from the paper. They are what matter."
"(She) had what few children possessed in bright, sparkling quantity: wonder and curiosity."
"I want to draw the feeling,"
"Things must end, his mother used to say. Even memories. Only then can they become something new."
"So much of the present has been pushed and set into motion by the past."
"A tree is found in the forest but the forest is also found in the tree."
‘What we remember and what is true are very different things.’
"It is human nature to look at your life and only your life; you see yourself as the centre and everyone else as the periphery."
"But to someone else, you are the periphery of their life."
"Magali is sure it is his mother’s fault, but she doesn’t say it. Families are careful subjects."
"But there is a quality to Wisa that reminds you of a lotus leaf; everything runs off her."
"The men look content, the strange pleasure we derive from rituals that make sense only to ourselves."
"Everything is more powerful when you don’t understand it."
"Is there something we are born with, soft and malleable, that hardens as we age?"
".. cannot shake the feeling that gibberish is nothing but words ordered on a logic that’s beyond us, and I press my ears to my toddler’s lips as she gurgles the secrets of the universe."
"I believe that when we read we are searching for a smooth and polished mirror so that we may better see our reflections. This is the fascination all narratives hold over us: we are looking for ourselves. But I believe it is not just mirrors that we seek—it is magic mirrors. We don’t only want reflections of ourselves; we want to know if there is the possibility of change in our future, whether there is more to this reality than we can touch and smell, more to ourselves. We seek potential, our wilderness. This is why fairy tales are more beloved than most. These are stories that let us stare at ourselves, the essential parts of our humanness, before we step through into a new world; before we become something more."
"All worlds are empty beyond a point if you have no one to share them with."
"We never truly leave the ones we love."
"It is what happens when you wait for someone to come back to you or you make a map to go somewhere you once loved: they change. Nothing is ever as you left it."
I must disclose that I am related to Tashan Mehta. But, therefore, I have not expressed my opinion on the book, as it might be considered biased. I have only reproduced excerpts from the book which delighted me. And for that itself I give the book five stars.
July 26, 2025
I like to think I read a wider variety of fantasy, but Mad Sisters of Esi made me realize I'm missing more weird, speculative fantasy. This was so strange and wonderful. I've seen the words "fever dream" in quite a few reviews, and that is the perfect description for how I felt reading this book!
This book is surreal, lyrical, and just the right kind of confusing. The worldbuilding is more about vibes, but it works. It's hard for me to let go of needing all the answers, but I was still able to enjoy the ride. I think this is a book that is best gone into blind
I will admit, it took a minute to settle into the rhythm of the writing style. Mehta mixes first person, second person, and even fictional scholarly texts with citations woven in. This adds to that fever dream feeling! It won’t be for everyone, but if you like your fantasy poetic, odd, and a little unhinged, Mad Sisters of Esi is worth the read.
Thank you, NetGalley and DAW, for an early copy in exchange for this honest review.
This book is surreal, lyrical, and just the right kind of confusing. The worldbuilding is more about vibes, but it works. It's hard for me to let go of needing all the answers, but I was still able to enjoy the ride. I think this is a book that is best gone into blind
I will admit, it took a minute to settle into the rhythm of the writing style. Mehta mixes first person, second person, and even fictional scholarly texts with citations woven in. This adds to that fever dream feeling! It won’t be for everyone, but if you like your fantasy poetic, odd, and a little unhinged, Mad Sisters of Esi is worth the read.
Thank you, NetGalley and DAW, for an early copy in exchange for this honest review.
August 5, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and DAW for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review
Unfortunately I had to DNF this one 10% in. The writing style and the story telling was truly not for me. It felt like a fever dream and it felt way too smart for me. I kept forcing myself to keep going but i felt like I absorbed none of it. Maybe I will try again when the audiobook is release later this month to listen while I read and it might be a better experience for me but for now I need to put it down.
Unfortunately I had to DNF this one 10% in. The writing style and the story telling was truly not for me. It felt like a fever dream and it felt way too smart for me. I kept forcing myself to keep going but i felt like I absorbed none of it. Maybe I will try again when the audiobook is release later this month to listen while I read and it might be a better experience for me but for now I need to put it down.
October 23, 2023
Welcome to the realm of Madness! If you think you know madness, think again! This is a different kind, the kind which makes you ponder about the minutest things about your life. It’s the kind of madness that involves love which has an unimaginable quality making you wander the seven seas in search of your loved one!
Tashan Mehta's book is a love letter to this madness, and I was so captivated by the story that I found myself speaking gibberish to my friends as I attempted to explain it, leading them to believe I had gone completely, railing mad!
Tashan taught me to think outside the box, to dream of stories which pop out of the mouth transformed into creatures - pelicans, dragonflies, pomfrets. She made me see that time may not progress linearly; everything might be happening simultaneously.
The lyrical lines reverberate within me, their echo so strong, it makes me ponder the tiniest detail and the profound meaning fills me with a radiant glow.
The story of Wisa and Magali, the girls who chose each other as sisters, has burrowed inside my heart. Jinn’s love for Magali is surreal and pure. The purple whale of Babel singing in the Black Sea is not a thing of lore, but real. The love, the sense of belonging, and the yearning between the Esiites, Kiltas and the sisters, are so real I felt I experienced them myself.
Tashan has written this fantastical book with so much passion & conviction, that it is hard to believe this impossible universe contained within it doesn’t exist. Each sentence so profound, dripping with meaning and resplendent with love. I feel it has some secrets of the universe embedded in it in a cryptic form.
You will need to read this book to experience what I did. I lived through the Festival of Madness and survived to tell the tale. Do you think you are up for the adventure?
Tashan Mehta's book is a love letter to this madness, and I was so captivated by the story that I found myself speaking gibberish to my friends as I attempted to explain it, leading them to believe I had gone completely, railing mad!
Tashan taught me to think outside the box, to dream of stories which pop out of the mouth transformed into creatures - pelicans, dragonflies, pomfrets. She made me see that time may not progress linearly; everything might be happening simultaneously.
The lyrical lines reverberate within me, their echo so strong, it makes me ponder the tiniest detail and the profound meaning fills me with a radiant glow.
The story of Wisa and Magali, the girls who chose each other as sisters, has burrowed inside my heart. Jinn’s love for Magali is surreal and pure. The purple whale of Babel singing in the Black Sea is not a thing of lore, but real. The love, the sense of belonging, and the yearning between the Esiites, Kiltas and the sisters, are so real I felt I experienced them myself.
Tashan has written this fantastical book with so much passion & conviction, that it is hard to believe this impossible universe contained within it doesn’t exist. Each sentence so profound, dripping with meaning and resplendent with love. I feel it has some secrets of the universe embedded in it in a cryptic form.
You will need to read this book to experience what I did. I lived through the Festival of Madness and survived to tell the tale. Do you think you are up for the adventure?
October 27, 2023
Tashan Mehta's book is a mind-bending journey through enchanting realms. It weaves a tapestry of cosmic secrets, shape-shifting wonders, and ancient mysteries. Prepare to be captivated and question the very nature of reality.
August 5, 2025
Thank you @dawbooks and @astrapublishinghouse for the ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋/5⭐️
My thoughts: A book with a story within a story, where words and sentences form more stories, is a literal work of stories. In a way that waves make the ocean, it compels you to dive deeper and establish what’s real, what’s a fairy tale. This story feels more like an idea, not tangible, moving and changing rather than a literary collection of beginnings, middles, and ends. It’s the ideas, philosophies, and emotions you must ponder, not merely themes and plots. This story is the feeling of family, the feeling of connection, the feeling of loneliness, dread, and love. It’s feelings, ideas, and philosophies mixed to form a story of two sisters searching for each other and themselves.
The author does a beautiful thing: she captures feelings and can put them so vividly and openly on paper. The intangibility of ideas and emotions is made real in this story to make you genuinely connect with the characters. The characters are constantly growing, changing, and becoming. The story forces the reader to see the growth and the pain, joy, and sadness that come with it. Bonds like family, sisterhood, and love are made real and are delicately described on every page. Familial relationships and history of the worlds and universes are woven poetically and academically to create a tapestry of philosophies and understandings of the intangible.
Ultimately, that’s how the story felt. The author morphs concepts that you can’t hold in your hand, that aren’t simple facts, and shows them bare. It was an emotional rollercoaster, thought-provoking, and the world-building had more meaning than simple locations. Everything was written deliberately and made real. If you enjoy stories of family, sisterhood, philosophy, grand worlds and adventure, this one is definitely for you.
🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋/5⭐️
My thoughts: A book with a story within a story, where words and sentences form more stories, is a literal work of stories. In a way that waves make the ocean, it compels you to dive deeper and establish what’s real, what’s a fairy tale. This story feels more like an idea, not tangible, moving and changing rather than a literary collection of beginnings, middles, and ends. It’s the ideas, philosophies, and emotions you must ponder, not merely themes and plots. This story is the feeling of family, the feeling of connection, the feeling of loneliness, dread, and love. It’s feelings, ideas, and philosophies mixed to form a story of two sisters searching for each other and themselves.
The author does a beautiful thing: she captures feelings and can put them so vividly and openly on paper. The intangibility of ideas and emotions is made real in this story to make you genuinely connect with the characters. The characters are constantly growing, changing, and becoming. The story forces the reader to see the growth and the pain, joy, and sadness that come with it. Bonds like family, sisterhood, and love are made real and are delicately described on every page. Familial relationships and history of the worlds and universes are woven poetically and academically to create a tapestry of philosophies and understandings of the intangible.
Ultimately, that’s how the story felt. The author morphs concepts that you can’t hold in your hand, that aren’t simple facts, and shows them bare. It was an emotional rollercoaster, thought-provoking, and the world-building had more meaning than simple locations. Everything was written deliberately and made real. If you enjoy stories of family, sisterhood, philosophy, grand worlds and adventure, this one is definitely for you.
July 30, 2025
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this on ebook from NetGalley for review.
Thoughts: This was an amazing and unique book that I will think about for a long time. It is magical and creative and carries some strong messages. Was it easy to read? No, not really. Some of the descriptions are a bit much, and the story feels very ambiguous at times. Was it worth the read? Definitely, this book is a journey through fables and fairy tales and about how the love between two sisters was powerful enough to create worlds.
This story changes POV quite frequently. We initially alternate between two sisters who start their life on the Whale of Babel, Laleh and Myung. Laleh loves her life on the Whale, but Myung yearns to leave. Myung leaves to go on many adventures but finds herself drawn to a strange shape-shifting island as she seeks out the story of the mad sisters of Esi. We then shift in two different POVs as we learn the story of two sisters on the strange island of Esi. It is an island where the inhabitants go mad at long intervals. Then we hear a bit from the father of the two girls on the Island of Esi, and then back to the sisters on Esi, and then finally back to the original sisters we started with.
I don't think this is going to be for everyone. However, it was a spectacular and unique read. It takes some work to get through, but I felt like it was worth it. The imagination and wondrous description throughout this novel is amazing. Mehta did a wonderful job creating colorful and fantastic worlds for us to journey through. Sometimes things are a bit hard to picture just because they are so fantastical, and the story can feel a bit ambiguous.
This story is definitely a winding journey but I was impressed with how everything wove together and with how we ended up kind of back where we started but with so much more understanding. There were a few times where I was completely confused about what the point was and where things were going, but sticking with it led to understanding, and I as impressed with how it all came together.
This story is about sisters, madness, fables, world-building, and family. It is fantastical and imaginative and intriguing and bittersweet. It was definitely something special, and I will be following Mehta to see what else she writes.
My Summary (5/5): Overall I ended up being impressed by this and really loving it. This book takes some effort and patience to read. However, I was amazed by the spectacular, fantastical, and imaginative journey you end up taking throughout the story. The story can get a bit ambiguous at times and there were a few times where I had no idea where things were going. I ended up being impressed with how everything wove together. I believed that there was a Whale of Babel by the end. I am excited to see what Mehta will write next, this was a special and unique book.
Thoughts: This was an amazing and unique book that I will think about for a long time. It is magical and creative and carries some strong messages. Was it easy to read? No, not really. Some of the descriptions are a bit much, and the story feels very ambiguous at times. Was it worth the read? Definitely, this book is a journey through fables and fairy tales and about how the love between two sisters was powerful enough to create worlds.
This story changes POV quite frequently. We initially alternate between two sisters who start their life on the Whale of Babel, Laleh and Myung. Laleh loves her life on the Whale, but Myung yearns to leave. Myung leaves to go on many adventures but finds herself drawn to a strange shape-shifting island as she seeks out the story of the mad sisters of Esi. We then shift in two different POVs as we learn the story of two sisters on the strange island of Esi. It is an island where the inhabitants go mad at long intervals. Then we hear a bit from the father of the two girls on the Island of Esi, and then back to the sisters on Esi, and then finally back to the original sisters we started with.
I don't think this is going to be for everyone. However, it was a spectacular and unique read. It takes some work to get through, but I felt like it was worth it. The imagination and wondrous description throughout this novel is amazing. Mehta did a wonderful job creating colorful and fantastic worlds for us to journey through. Sometimes things are a bit hard to picture just because they are so fantastical, and the story can feel a bit ambiguous.
This story is definitely a winding journey but I was impressed with how everything wove together and with how we ended up kind of back where we started but with so much more understanding. There were a few times where I was completely confused about what the point was and where things were going, but sticking with it led to understanding, and I as impressed with how it all came together.
This story is about sisters, madness, fables, world-building, and family. It is fantastical and imaginative and intriguing and bittersweet. It was definitely something special, and I will be following Mehta to see what else she writes.
My Summary (5/5): Overall I ended up being impressed by this and really loving it. This book takes some effort and patience to read. However, I was amazed by the spectacular, fantastical, and imaginative journey you end up taking throughout the story. The story can get a bit ambiguous at times and there were a few times where I had no idea where things were going. I ended up being impressed with how everything wove together. I believed that there was a Whale of Babel by the end. I am excited to see what Mehta will write next, this was a special and unique book.
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