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The Vishakanya's Choice
“Did we have a choice? An honest one. A real Choice.”
Who would you be if you had a choice? What would you do?
Early in her life, Sudha's fate was divined to be a lonely, fruitless future of young widowhood. So, it was considered a blessing when she was brought to the Hastinapur harem to become a vishakanya--a weapon, an assassin, a poison maiden whose very touch is toxic.
Sudha has never had a choice, has never known anything except the cold beauty of the harem's stone walls.
After years of living in isolation with her vishakanya sisters, Sudha is given her first to end the life of a great man. Someone who, unlike her, leads a life full of glittering Choices fit for an emperor.
In their fateful encounter, a vishakanya meets a conqueror and a weapon creates a legend.
Who would you be if you had a choice? What would you do?
Early in her life, Sudha's fate was divined to be a lonely, fruitless future of young widowhood. So, it was considered a blessing when she was brought to the Hastinapur harem to become a vishakanya--a weapon, an assassin, a poison maiden whose very touch is toxic.
Sudha has never had a choice, has never known anything except the cold beauty of the harem's stone walls.
After years of living in isolation with her vishakanya sisters, Sudha is given her first to end the life of a great man. Someone who, unlike her, leads a life full of glittering Choices fit for an emperor.
In their fateful encounter, a vishakanya meets a conqueror and a weapon creates a legend.
27 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2015
14 people are currently reading
1464 people want to read
About the author
Roshani Chokshi
44 books11.3k followersRoshani Chokshi is the award-winning author of the New York Times bestselling series The Star-Touched Queen, The Gilded Wolves and Aru Shah and The End of Time, which Time Magazine named one of the Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time. Her adult debut, The Last Tale of The Flower Bride, was a #1 Sunday Times bestseller. Her novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages and often draw upon world mythology and folklore. Chokshi is a member of the National Leadership Board for the Michael C. Carlos Museum and lives in Georgia with her husband and their cat whose diabolical plans must regularly be thwarted.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
September 29, 2020
The Vishakanya's Choice was a pretty great short read. Chokshi did an amazing job to create the world, present the main character and finish the story in such a short time. The main story itself was really good, centered around the main character, a female assassin, who was, despite her role, tragic, likable and compelling. Recommended for those who enjoy short stories.
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August 18, 2015We published it so we can't star it! But this is another beautiful story, with gorgeous writing and the incredible cover art by M Sereno.
December 22, 2016
I loved this short story! I am a huge fan of Chokshi's writing style, and the world-building was brilliant despite it being such a short tale. I really felt like I could imagine the setting in ancient India.
The main character Sudha is a Vishakanya, a poison assassin, and I loved reading about her! I could happily have read a 400 page book about her. I loved that this book introduced me to an aspect of Indian folklore that I had never heard of before!
I really liked the message this short story portrayed about choice, and I definitely recommend!
The main character Sudha is a Vishakanya, a poison assassin, and I loved reading about her! I could happily have read a 400 page book about her. I loved that this book introduced me to an aspect of Indian folklore that I had never heard of before!
I really liked the message this short story portrayed about choice, and I definitely recommend!
September 18, 2018
I wanted to read this for so long but finally had a chance to finish this short story from my favorite Roshani Chokshi.
Though this is a short story, it's ripe with mythology and her writing is awesome as usual. This is a short story about how we make our own Choices.
Though this is a short story, it's ripe with mythology and her writing is awesome as usual. This is a short story about how we make our own Choices.
March 9, 2019
I really need a shelf for LeVar Burton Reads Podcast entries. But I digress.
This one was AMAZING. I loved the world, the MC, her sisters, The Choice, all was lovely and colorful and listening to LeVar Burton read this was off the charts amazing.
5, highly recommended, stars.
This one was AMAZING. I loved the world, the MC, her sisters, The Choice, all was lovely and colorful and listening to LeVar Burton read this was off the charts amazing.
5, highly recommended, stars.
April 28, 2017
“Perhaps Choices spring up when history makes way for them. Perhaps they will grow, like legends upon dead conquerors.”
Roshani Chokshi makes everything glitter and look splendid. I love how she probe the concept, "Choice." This is lush, and beautiful. As you can see this is my first read in a while! This is not exactly a novel, but a short story. Though, it drastically helped in lifting my mood. I'm always here for lyrical writings.
Roshani Chokshi makes everything glitter and look splendid. I love how she probe the concept, "Choice." This is lush, and beautiful. As you can see this is my first read in a while! This is not exactly a novel, but a short story. Though, it drastically helped in lifting my mood. I'm always here for lyrical writings.
August 25, 2015
A very lyrical and gorgeously written short story about Fate vs Choice and how even when choices seem to be made for us we can still find a way to find our own choices to make.
May 11, 2021
I'm never a fan of short stories but this was really good! Chokshi does a fine job with seamlessly embedding Hindu mythology into her work.
August 26, 2015
A truly powerful story about a young assassin, her first kill, and the concept of choice as an actual possession. The author's imagery was lovely and the idea of a choice as something you can own is fascinating. I can't wait to see more from her!
November 23, 2015
Really interesting ideas and beautiful language. Will definitely check out The Star-Touched Queen.
February 13, 2017
A charmingly dark short story involving fantastical creatures, a historic emperor, and instant immersion into a complex world (without a ton of introduction). I would love to see this expanded on, as rocky as the first handful of pages were for me.
May 9, 2017
Appreciated the significance of "Choice". And the concept of Vishkanyas has always fascinated me. Not much to the story other than that.
February 25, 2018
Well-written. Uncomfortable.
December 16, 2018
Interesting read
Spoilers-Did we have a choice? An honest one. A real Choice.”
Who would you be if you had a choice? What would you do?
Early in her life, Sudha's fate was divined to be a lonely, fruitless future of young widowhood. So, it was considered a blessing when she was brought to the Hastinapur harem to become a vishakanya--a weapon, an assassin, a poison maiden whose very touch is toxic.
Sudha has never had a choice, has never known anything except the cold beauty of the harem's stone walls.
After years of living in isolation with her vishakanya sisters, Sudha is given her first mission: to end the life of a great man. Someone who, unlike her, leads a life full of glittering Choices fit for an emperor.
In their fateful encounter, a vishakanya meets a conqueror and a weapon creates a legend.
Spoilers-Did we have a choice? An honest one. A real Choice.”
Who would you be if you had a choice? What would you do?
Early in her life, Sudha's fate was divined to be a lonely, fruitless future of young widowhood. So, it was considered a blessing when she was brought to the Hastinapur harem to become a vishakanya--a weapon, an assassin, a poison maiden whose very touch is toxic.
Sudha has never had a choice, has never known anything except the cold beauty of the harem's stone walls.
After years of living in isolation with her vishakanya sisters, Sudha is given her first mission: to end the life of a great man. Someone who, unlike her, leads a life full of glittering Choices fit for an emperor.
In their fateful encounter, a vishakanya meets a conqueror and a weapon creates a legend.
May 26, 2017
*3.5 stars*
POISON WOMEN DOING ASSASSINATIONS! Man, I'd forgotten about this particular legend.
Hindu Mythology is my favourite mythology, and I appreciated how very atmospheric this story was. That said, it was entirely too short, and the worldbuilding concept (choices) was not explained well enough. I realize that the concept of the vishakanya needs to be explained too, but I wanted the Choices to be explained more.
Still, I like it.
POISON WOMEN DOING ASSASSINATIONS! Man, I'd forgotten about this particular legend.
Hindu Mythology is my favourite mythology, and I appreciated how very atmospheric this story was. That said, it was entirely too short, and the worldbuilding concept (choices) was not explained well enough. I realize that the concept of the vishakanya needs to be explained too, but I wanted the Choices to be explained more.
Still, I like it.
February 15, 2017
Beautifully thought out
This short story was so beautifully thought out. Making a decision into something tangible, especially in this case, created an intriguing tale of choices, and how valuable they truly are.
This short story was so beautifully thought out. Making a decision into something tangible, especially in this case, created an intriguing tale of choices, and how valuable they truly are.
September 14, 2015
Beautiful, haunting, hopeful. Really loved it. Want more from the author.
September 11, 2015
Great, gorgeously written story about Choices (tangible, ownable things here) and, of course, poisonous assassins. Only beef is that it wasn't longer ^__^
May 11, 2016
Definitely didn't get the "Choices" were physical items. That should've been explained sooner.
Otherwise, I liked it, but it is a short story and maybe not worth my 99 cents.
Otherwise, I liked it, but it is a short story and maybe not worth my 99 cents.
January 2, 2017
Chokshi may well become one of my favourite authors.
February 11, 2022
"A murderess that makes bargains? I didn't count on that."
Jestem tak wdzięczna, że te kilka lat temu za osobą Ricka Riordana natknęłam się na Roshani Chokshi, to jedno z moich ulubionych odkryć literackich moich dorosłych lat i zawsze znajdzie u mnie dla siebie miejsce.
W króciutkim opowiadaniu "The Vishakanya's Choice" podążamy za vishakanyą Sudhą; jeśli ktoś jeszcze nie spotkał się z tym określeniem (co całkowicie normalne, bo sama znam je niestety tylko z innych opowieści Rosh), to pędzę tłumaczyć, że vishakanye to legendarne postacie z kultury Indii, zabójczynie, urodziwe kobiety podobno zabijające wszelkie żywe istoty za ledwie dotknięciem. Sudha stała się vishakanyą po usłyszeniu ponurej przepowiedni, wróżące jej wdowieństwo po miłości, której nawet jeszcze nie poznała. W opowiadaniu przygotowuje się do swojego pierwszego zleconego zabójstwa.
Ostatnia lektura duologii "The Star-Touched Queen" Chokshi oraz właśnie tego opowiadania tknęła mnie zwłaszcza pod względem tego, jaki hołd Rosh oddaje swojej kulturze, wiążąc raz po raz należące do jej legendy z własnymi uczuciami i rodzącymi się z nich opowieściami. Na początku mojej znajomości z tą autorką (a była to pierwsza część serii o Aru Shah) myślałam, że to tylko trend przejęty od wcześniej wspomnianego Ricka Riordana, ale nie, Chokshi tak właśnie rozpoczęła lata przedtem swoją karierę i dokonała tego na własny całkowicie oryginalny, cudowny sposób. I na dodatek bardzo dojrzały. A w "The Vishakanya's Choice" dodaje jeszcze do aspektu legendy konkretny historyczny kontekst, i to tak sprytny i niespodziewany, że jak się z niego zorientowałam, to wyskoczył mi ogromny uśmiech na twarzy i poczułam niesamowitą satysfakcję. To było świetne posunięcie.
Tak jak wspomniałam wczoraj przy recenzji "Star-Touched Stories", Roshani łączy legendy z wątkami prostych ludzkich wątpliwości, dotyczących czy to miłości, czy to tożsamości, czy przyszłości, i tutaj znowu to zrobiła, bardzo wdzięcznie, i znowu dotknęło to pewnej wrażliwej części mojego serca. A potem czytam o tym, że pisanie tych historii pomogło również Rosh zmierzyć się z tymi specyficznymi uczuciami, i przeżywacie to razem, autorka, czytelnik i postacie.
Jakiś czas po premierze ostatniej części trylogii "The Gilded Wolves" Roshani odpowiedziała na pytanie, czy jeszcze kiedyś spotkamy się z postaciami. Pomimo ciepłych uczuć wobec tych postaci, wyznała, że odpowiedź na te książki była dla niej traumatyczna. Wypowiedziała się o podwójnych standardach wobec autorów POC, zwłaszcza w kontekście "czystości", i serce mi się łamie na samą myśl, bo widzę ile własnej duszy wkłada w te historie.
Zazwyczaj tego nie robię, bo wychodzę z założenia, że każdy czyta co chce, ale ponawiam prośbę, byście w tym roku sięgnęli po choć jedną książkę autora z obcej dla nas kultury, uważam, że bardzo ważne i wartościowe jest zetknięcie się z takimi historiami.
A z Roshani Chokshi chyba widzę się następnym razem dopiero na wiosnę przy okazji premiery ostatniej części serii o Aru Shah - i nie mogę się doczekać, nie sądziłam, że książki dla młodszej grupy wiekowej teraz aż tak mnie wciągną.
Jestem tak wdzięczna, że te kilka lat temu za osobą Ricka Riordana natknęłam się na Roshani Chokshi, to jedno z moich ulubionych odkryć literackich moich dorosłych lat i zawsze znajdzie u mnie dla siebie miejsce.
W króciutkim opowiadaniu "The Vishakanya's Choice" podążamy za vishakanyą Sudhą; jeśli ktoś jeszcze nie spotkał się z tym określeniem (co całkowicie normalne, bo sama znam je niestety tylko z innych opowieści Rosh), to pędzę tłumaczyć, że vishakanye to legendarne postacie z kultury Indii, zabójczynie, urodziwe kobiety podobno zabijające wszelkie żywe istoty za ledwie dotknięciem. Sudha stała się vishakanyą po usłyszeniu ponurej przepowiedni, wróżące jej wdowieństwo po miłości, której nawet jeszcze nie poznała. W opowiadaniu przygotowuje się do swojego pierwszego zleconego zabójstwa.
Ostatnia lektura duologii "The Star-Touched Queen" Chokshi oraz właśnie tego opowiadania tknęła mnie zwłaszcza pod względem tego, jaki hołd Rosh oddaje swojej kulturze, wiążąc raz po raz należące do jej legendy z własnymi uczuciami i rodzącymi się z nich opowieściami. Na początku mojej znajomości z tą autorką (a była to pierwsza część serii o Aru Shah) myślałam, że to tylko trend przejęty od wcześniej wspomnianego Ricka Riordana, ale nie, Chokshi tak właśnie rozpoczęła lata przedtem swoją karierę i dokonała tego na własny całkowicie oryginalny, cudowny sposób. I na dodatek bardzo dojrzały. A w "The Vishakanya's Choice" dodaje jeszcze do aspektu legendy konkretny historyczny kontekst, i to tak sprytny i niespodziewany, że jak się z niego zorientowałam, to wyskoczył mi ogromny uśmiech na twarzy i poczułam niesamowitą satysfakcję. To było świetne posunięcie.
Tak jak wspomniałam wczoraj przy recenzji "Star-Touched Stories", Roshani łączy legendy z wątkami prostych ludzkich wątpliwości, dotyczących czy to miłości, czy to tożsamości, czy przyszłości, i tutaj znowu to zrobiła, bardzo wdzięcznie, i znowu dotknęło to pewnej wrażliwej części mojego serca. A potem czytam o tym, że pisanie tych historii pomogło również Rosh zmierzyć się z tymi specyficznymi uczuciami, i przeżywacie to razem, autorka, czytelnik i postacie.
Jakiś czas po premierze ostatniej części trylogii "The Gilded Wolves" Roshani odpowiedziała na pytanie, czy jeszcze kiedyś spotkamy się z postaciami. Pomimo ciepłych uczuć wobec tych postaci, wyznała, że odpowiedź na te książki była dla niej traumatyczna. Wypowiedziała się o podwójnych standardach wobec autorów POC, zwłaszcza w kontekście "czystości", i serce mi się łamie na samą myśl, bo widzę ile własnej duszy wkłada w te historie.
Zazwyczaj tego nie robię, bo wychodzę z założenia, że każdy czyta co chce, ale ponawiam prośbę, byście w tym roku sięgnęli po choć jedną książkę autora z obcej dla nas kultury, uważam, że bardzo ważne i wartościowe jest zetknięcie się z takimi historiami.
A z Roshani Chokshi chyba widzę się następnym razem dopiero na wiosnę przy okazji premiery ostatniej części serii o Aru Shah - i nie mogę się doczekać, nie sądziłam, że książki dla młodszej grupy wiekowej teraz aż tak mnie wciągną.
January 19, 2018
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I had been thinking of reading The Vishakanya’s Choice for quite a while and was quite happy when it fit to one of the prompts for Asian Lit Bingo. I want to make sure I mention that it is a short story, before anything else, because I don’t want you to be surprised when you start reading it and realise it’s not that long.
This book is #ownvoices for South Asian representation.
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I am always very interested in stories about choice. This book doesn’t discuss whether choices have been foretold or not, but rather what it is like to not have a choice and what is the point in being able to have a choice in life.
The writing is rich, lyrical and very vivid, as I’ve come to expect of Roshani Chokshi’s writing. I am always in awe of the author’s descriptions of clothes and she certainly didn’t disappoint here. I would love to wear the “oxblood lehnga” and the “choker of rubies” – and I am saying this as someone who hardly ever wears the colour red. What can I say? The description is very convincing. The world-building was amazing in this story, it felt so real.
I really feel like the book should have been a bit longer. I’m not saying that it should have been a full-length story but I feel like it ended very abruptly, even for a short story.
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The Vishakanya’s Choice was a lovely, quick read for me and impacted me a lot more than most longer novels have. If you’re looking for a short and beautiful read, I recommend getting this book.
I had been thinking of reading The Vishakanya’s Choice for quite a while and was quite happy when it fit to one of the prompts for Asian Lit Bingo. I want to make sure I mention that it is a short story, before anything else, because I don’t want you to be surprised when you start reading it and realise it’s not that long.
This book is #ownvoices for South Asian representation.
__
I am always very interested in stories about choice. This book doesn’t discuss whether choices have been foretold or not, but rather what it is like to not have a choice and what is the point in being able to have a choice in life.
The writing is rich, lyrical and very vivid, as I’ve come to expect of Roshani Chokshi’s writing. I am always in awe of the author’s descriptions of clothes and she certainly didn’t disappoint here. I would love to wear the “oxblood lehnga” and the “choker of rubies” – and I am saying this as someone who hardly ever wears the colour red. What can I say? The description is very convincing. The world-building was amazing in this story, it felt so real.
I really feel like the book should have been a bit longer. I’m not saying that it should have been a full-length story but I feel like it ended very abruptly, even for a short story.
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The Vishakanya’s Choice was a lovely, quick read for me and impacted me a lot more than most longer novels have. If you’re looking for a short and beautiful read, I recommend getting this book.
October 20, 2019
In this short story by Roshani Chokshi, Sudha is a Vishakanya, a poison maiden who is utilized as an assassin in the Middle East. She is forced into this role, for her fates said she would be a young widow, so Sudha is told she will serve her king better in this role. Assigned to kill a rival king, Sudha reluctantly heads to his kingdom to do so, but finds him ill and almost at death's door. He recognizes her purpose and the two come to an agreement of how they both can help one another. I found this story a perfect length, as Chokshi is a lyrical writer who brings her culture's folklore to life but can tend to purple prose in a full-length novel.
February 26, 2016
A very quick read (only 27 pages on Kindle). It tells the story of Sudha, an assassin who was sent to kill a powerful emperor. There was no action or love story involved here, but tons of dialogues and metaphors about making choices. I love the lyrical prose and the touch of Indian beliefs on horoscopes. It prepped me for the author's debut fantasy novel (with romance, yay!), THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN.
January 31, 2017
This was a short story and it was great.
Roshani Chokshi gives a lush, dreamlike tale of a femme fatale who one she killed is summoned back to the Harem for her next assignment.
the words flowed creating the world that felt full and vibrate and I could see in my mind.
loved every second of it.
Roshani Chokshi gives a lush, dreamlike tale of a femme fatale who one she killed is summoned back to the Harem for her next assignment.
the words flowed creating the world that felt full and vibrate and I could see in my mind.
loved every second of it.
September 15, 2018
The writing was so MAGICAL. I want more of this world. Roshani is known to captivate your senses and pull you into the book. Even though this is a short story, she did an amazing job. Can we take a moment to appreciate the cover of this book!!! It's one of the most gorgeous covers' I've ever seen. Love it!
March 17, 2016
No idea why I didn't record this properly and now I can only guess at the dates - it was December though. I really liked this, it was both sweet and creepy and I really loved the strength of the fundamental underlying promise of choice. Great short, highly recommended.
September 8, 2016
This short story was so beautifully written and explores what it means to take someone's choices into their own hands wonderfully. I don't have much else to say other than I can't wait to read Roshani's full-length novel, The Star-Touched Queen, after reading this.
September 18, 2017
I'm not big on short stories but in my opinion Roshani Chokshi can do no wrong. Not much to say about it, other than repeating what everyone else said already, I would read a full 500 pages set in this world, with this premise.
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September 1, 2015i wish so much that this had been longer.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews