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The Ivory Key Duology #2
The Crimson Fortress
In this thrilling, action-packed sequel and conclusion to the critically acclaimed Ivory Key duology, royal siblings Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya battle vengeful enemies, centuries-old mysteries, and their own personal demons in order to save their country from ruin.
The search for the Ivory Key has brought royal siblings Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya closer than they have been in years as they try to restore magic and stability to Ashoka. But despite finally getting their hands on the long-lost key, uncovering its cipher has proved more complicated and dangerous than they ever expected.
Their missions force them to split up and disperse them across Ashoka and beyond. When a rash decision by the council strips Vira of her power, her journey to reclaim her throne takes on new meaning. Kaleb travels to the neighboring country of Lyria to uncover its emperor’s motives and meets a prince seeking answers of his own. Ronak’s efforts to escape his arranged marriage and exonerate his brother lead to a series of risky deals that only bring him closer to what he’s running from. And Riya’s newfound power has turned unpredictable, but her search for answers only raises more questions.
When their attempts at decoding the key release an ancient power, the siblings must align to face the past and save their future once and for all. In a quest that culminates in a deadly labyrinth, there’s only one way they will succeed: together.
The search for the Ivory Key has brought royal siblings Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya closer than they have been in years as they try to restore magic and stability to Ashoka. But despite finally getting their hands on the long-lost key, uncovering its cipher has proved more complicated and dangerous than they ever expected.
Their missions force them to split up and disperse them across Ashoka and beyond. When a rash decision by the council strips Vira of her power, her journey to reclaim her throne takes on new meaning. Kaleb travels to the neighboring country of Lyria to uncover its emperor’s motives and meets a prince seeking answers of his own. Ronak’s efforts to escape his arranged marriage and exonerate his brother lead to a series of risky deals that only bring him closer to what he’s running from. And Riya’s newfound power has turned unpredictable, but her search for answers only raises more questions.
When their attempts at decoding the key release an ancient power, the siblings must align to face the past and save their future once and for all. In a quest that culminates in a deadly labyrinth, there’s only one way they will succeed: together.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 14, 2023
34 people are currently reading
6070 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
February 20, 2024
4/5
Hiding history never solves problems. The mistakes of the past are best avoided by teaching it truthfully.
Thank you Bonnier Books UK for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was a great ending to this duology. It's the perfect fun, adventure fantasy and makes for a very quick read. I loved the world-building, I particularly loved magic as a mineable, tangible asset and how that affects the world and its politics. But the best parts of this series were the relationships.
I adore sibling relationships in stories, primarily because they have the ability to be so much more complicated and heartfelt. This series has four siblings with very distinct personalities and voices, with their own unique and conflicting motivations. I loved how fraught all their interactions were, how many layers there were to them. They were each forced to reconcile their duty for their country, Ashoka, with their love and care for each other. It was a love that was upheld even through treacheries and betrayals because of the simple fact that they were family. These dynamics were so interesting to me.
As I found with the first book, however, this story was incredibly fast-paced. There was therefore lots that I thought might have benefitted from being fleshed out more or approached with more detail. This series does leave me wanting a little because of how quickly we seem to rush through its events. But I think these factors might be easier to overlook for the YA audience that it's meant for.
If you want fun, adventure fantasy books that are easy reads and feature complex sibling dynamics, I'm sure you'll have a brilliant time reading this series!
"I'll follow you to the end of the world."
"The world has no end."
"Then I suppose I'll never stop following you."
Hiding history never solves problems. The mistakes of the past are best avoided by teaching it truthfully.
Thank you Bonnier Books UK for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was a great ending to this duology. It's the perfect fun, adventure fantasy and makes for a very quick read. I loved the world-building, I particularly loved magic as a mineable, tangible asset and how that affects the world and its politics. But the best parts of this series were the relationships.
I adore sibling relationships in stories, primarily because they have the ability to be so much more complicated and heartfelt. This series has four siblings with very distinct personalities and voices, with their own unique and conflicting motivations. I loved how fraught all their interactions were, how many layers there were to them. They were each forced to reconcile their duty for their country, Ashoka, with their love and care for each other. It was a love that was upheld even through treacheries and betrayals because of the simple fact that they were family. These dynamics were so interesting to me.
As I found with the first book, however, this story was incredibly fast-paced. There was therefore lots that I thought might have benefitted from being fleshed out more or approached with more detail. This series does leave me wanting a little because of how quickly we seem to rush through its events. But I think these factors might be easier to overlook for the YA audience that it's meant for.
If you want fun, adventure fantasy books that are easy reads and feature complex sibling dynamics, I'm sure you'll have a brilliant time reading this series!
"I'll follow you to the end of the world."
"The world has no end."
"Then I suppose I'll never stop following you."
Want to read
July 28, 2022Absolutely loved the first book, The Ivory Key! Can't wait to see what happens in book two.
September 26, 2024
This is the second and final instalment in The Ivory Key duology.
Review to follow.
Review to follow.
December 12, 2023
The majority of this book was fine, a solid 4/5 YA fantasy quest book. But then the last 100 pages were just one continuous eye-roll. It legitimately felt like something someone had written in a fever dream, run spell check over, and then just published as is. It was lost and verging on nonsensical and every single chapter had to end on someone being knocked out or ‘the world going dark’ or some dramatic reveal and I just stopped caring.
The cast could have been halved, and simply been Vira and Kaleb with some minor tweaks and run the exact same and been much more interesting. All the POVs had the exact same voice and so switching between all 4 added exactly nothing to the story, particularly when so many of them spent so much time together.
Kaleb is the only one who could have had an interesting sub-plot, but it was just abandoned for the sake of this one super-evil-goddess-turned-demon plot line that was literally solved with 2 daggers. Stop it.
I also have so much beef with feeling the need to pair everyone up. 4 siblings and you’re telling me they all get with someone at the exact same time? Be so for real.
The cast could have been halved, and simply been Vira and Kaleb with some minor tweaks and run the exact same and been much more interesting. All the POVs had the exact same voice and so switching between all 4 added exactly nothing to the story, particularly when so many of them spent so much time together.
Kaleb is the only one who could have had an interesting sub-plot, but it was just abandoned for the sake of this one super-evil-goddess-turned-demon plot line that was literally solved with 2 daggers. Stop it.
I also have so much beef with feeling the need to pair everyone up. 4 siblings and you’re telling me they all get with someone at the exact same time? Be so for real.
December 5, 2023
*Source* Library
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
The Crimson Fortress, by Akshaya Raman, is the second and final installment in the authors The Ivory Key duology. In this action-packed sequel, royal siblings Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya battle vengeful enemies, centuries-old mysteries, and their own personal demons in order to save their country from ruin. The search for the Ivory Key has brought royal siblings Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya closer than they have been in years as they try to restore magic and stability to Ashoka.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
The Crimson Fortress, by Akshaya Raman, is the second and final installment in the authors The Ivory Key duology. In this action-packed sequel, royal siblings Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya battle vengeful enemies, centuries-old mysteries, and their own personal demons in order to save their country from ruin. The search for the Ivory Key has brought royal siblings Vira, Ronak, Kaleb, and Riya closer than they have been in years as they try to restore magic and stability to Ashoka.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
Want to read
February 23, 2022Hi I need this in my life right now thanks
August 5, 2024
The ending felt a bit rushed. While it wraps up the plot neatly, it still also leaves space open for more books but it's marked as a duology so I'm confused?
But I enjoyed it overall.
But I enjoyed it overall.
November 23, 2023
As I felt with the first one, while I like all the siblings and their POVs, I think there are TOO many POVs for this short of a book/story. Normally I'm all for a duology (MORE DUOLOGIES, PLEASE), but I think this series would have benefited from a trilogy to spread out some of the POVs and the explanation of the world. There are a lot of personal relationships and machinations with each of the 4 siblings and then with them as a unit and then the actual story plot. I did enjoy how we saw the siblings more "cohesive" this book than the first and how they learned to be a family even with all their differences.
June 20, 2024
A great end?
I read/listened to The Ivory Key and immediately started The Crimson Fortress. What a great read. It rushed from sibling to sibling, from place to place in Ashoka, while the magic was being understood.
YA in nature as it moves quickly, most of the world building being done in the first book. The chapters, each one a different sibling, are quite short, so it's easy to remember where each person was.
It's got a couple of loosish ends - perhaps another book? However, it ended well. Romantasy? Yes, a little, but not major to the story. No too much angst either. All in all, a great read and one I recommend.
I read/listened to The Ivory Key and immediately started The Crimson Fortress. What a great read. It rushed from sibling to sibling, from place to place in Ashoka, while the magic was being understood.
YA in nature as it moves quickly, most of the world building being done in the first book. The chapters, each one a different sibling, are quite short, so it's easy to remember where each person was.
It's got a couple of loosish ends - perhaps another book? However, it ended well. Romantasy? Yes, a little, but not major to the story. No too much angst either. All in all, a great read and one I recommend.
November 9, 2023
Okay, I'm so freaking in awe of the author for handling SO MANY character arcs and plotlines, and making them all converge and diverge and converge again, with perfect timing throughout this book.
At the end of book 1, the characters were pretty much in multiple (individual and collective) messes and emotional turmoils - this book picks up where all that was left off, and every plot/character arc was led to a satisfying completion. We get a good resolution to the political issues which have served as the forefront of this duology, and we also get very cute hea's (personally and/or relationship wise) for all the 4 siblings, it was so wholesome 😭
On a personal note, I was particularly excited for this duology since the author is Tamil (which is my mother tongue as well!). I have to say that both books in the duology had so many cool Tamil words and dresses and foods 😭 the rep was seriously so good.
TWs - violence, death
-- ty to @akshraman @clarionteen @epicreads for the gifted copy!
At the end of book 1, the characters were pretty much in multiple (individual and collective) messes and emotional turmoils - this book picks up where all that was left off, and every plot/character arc was led to a satisfying completion. We get a good resolution to the political issues which have served as the forefront of this duology, and we also get very cute hea's (personally and/or relationship wise) for all the 4 siblings, it was so wholesome 😭
On a personal note, I was particularly excited for this duology since the author is Tamil (which is my mother tongue as well!). I have to say that both books in the duology had so many cool Tamil words and dresses and foods 😭 the rep was seriously so good.
TWs - violence, death
-- ty to @akshraman @clarionteen @epicreads for the gifted copy!
March 26, 2024
(2.5)
Am I the only person who feels personally betrayed when I love a book and then hate the sequel?
No? Just me...?
Here is the thing. I vouched for the Ivory Key! I thought the writing style was perfect, and a quest that was sibling-centric and not romance focused was so refreshing! But I did make my fears for the sequel very clear too.
You know it's a bad sign when a debut author starts the acknowledgments with "This book was nine years in the making..." Oh honey, 9 years for the first, 9 MONTHS for the sequel? Good luck, soldier. The publication of this book was pushed back from April to November, so deadlines were obviously a struggle. Props for actually still making it within the next year!
Want to know what the acknowledgments started with on this book? "Second books are hard." Yeah, we could tell.
Here are my issues.
The 4 siblings in this book aren't all in a scene together until page 300/400 (and then only briefly). Instead, they are all on very convenient side quests (things fall into place like a middle grade) and they barely interact with each other. Instead, we meet a host of side characters, most of which are really half baked attempts at love interests. I don't care when these side characters betray, kiss, do ANYTHING with our MC's. All I wanted was to see the dynamics between the 4 siblings.
Their dynamics are done so well you just know this author is writing from personal experience. The cruel mother who chose a favourite and pitted them against each other? It was just done so well and formed very 3-D and relatable characters.Everyone else was stupid. Well, maybe Lukas was an okay love interest for sweet Kaleb, but still! Don't get me wrong, romance does not need to be at ALL physical to be a 'good' romance, but these characters barely even talk to each other? Very unnecessary.
I also think this book glossed over who was a bad guy? We hear all about the Kamala society in the first book, but now they are okay? And now we hate this order/cult? Oh and
Now for the sibling ranking.
*Note this is hard as this is only a 400 page book and these characters are all separated, so basically we got 4, 100 page plot lines
The first book was:
1)Kaleb
2)Riya
3)Vira
4) Ronak
The second book:
1) Ronak
2)Riya
3)Kaleb
4)Vira
What the comeback for Ronak amirite? I don't know if he grew on me as much as everyone else got worse? This isn't my ranking of how well written they were, just my ranking of them as humans. Kaleb still didn't really get a motivation, and his sweetness was only due to his siblings loving him and we didn't SEE that in this book. Poor Vira is so damaged, but written so well. Love hating her xx
Overall, I would definitely read something new from this author. Her writing is impeccable, as well as her character development, she just needs to tighten up the plot points. But at the end of the day, the epilogue did give me a bit of a book hangover, so maybe still give this series a try?
Am I the only person who feels personally betrayed when I love a book and then hate the sequel?
No? Just me...?
Here is the thing. I vouched for the Ivory Key! I thought the writing style was perfect, and a quest that was sibling-centric and not romance focused was so refreshing! But I did make my fears for the sequel very clear too.
You know it's a bad sign when a debut author starts the acknowledgments with "This book was nine years in the making..." Oh honey, 9 years for the first, 9 MONTHS for the sequel? Good luck, soldier. The publication of this book was pushed back from April to November, so deadlines were obviously a struggle. Props for actually still making it within the next year!
Want to know what the acknowledgments started with on this book? "Second books are hard." Yeah, we could tell.
Here are my issues.
The 4 siblings in this book aren't all in a scene together until page 300/400 (and then only briefly). Instead, they are all on very convenient side quests (things fall into place like a middle grade) and they barely interact with each other. Instead, we meet a host of side characters, most of which are really half baked attempts at love interests. I don't care when these side characters betray, kiss, do ANYTHING with our MC's. All I wanted was to see the dynamics between the 4 siblings.
Their dynamics are done so well you just know this author is writing from personal experience. The cruel mother who chose a favourite and pitted them against each other? It was just done so well and formed very 3-D and relatable characters.
I also think this book glossed over who was a bad guy? We hear all about the Kamala society in the first book, but now they are okay? And now we hate this order/cult? Oh and
Now for the sibling ranking.
*Note this is hard as this is only a 400 page book and these characters are all separated, so basically we got 4, 100 page plot lines
The first book was:
1)Kaleb
2)Riya
3)Vira
4) Ronak
The second book:
1) Ronak
2)Riya
3)Kaleb
4)Vira
What the comeback for Ronak amirite? I don't know if he grew on me as much as everyone else got worse? This isn't my ranking of how well written they were, just my ranking of them as humans. Kaleb still didn't really get a motivation, and his sweetness was only due to his siblings loving him and we didn't SEE that in this book. Poor Vira is so damaged, but written so well. Love hating her xx
Overall, I would definitely read something new from this author. Her writing is impeccable, as well as her character development, she just needs to tighten up the plot points. But at the end of the day, the epilogue did give me a bit of a book hangover, so maybe still give this series a try?
January 28, 2024
The best way to describe this duology may be:
Fast paced YA Indian Indiana Jones type of adventure
I loved this duology and it's criminal how unknown it is.
Some people have commented it's a bit too fast paced -so much happens in this!- but personally I loved that and glad the author didn't drag it out over three books by adding in filler.
I love the variation in MC that we get, having the four siblings as equal MCs
Although I usually prefer a max of three POVs and I can see people thinking that 4 is a lot. But personally each sibling was so different and well fleshed out it was great for me. (Being one of siblings myself!)
I liked the progression in plot from the first book.
The ending was very satisfying with all loose ends nicely tied off.
Can't wait to see what the author does next
Fast paced YA Indian Indiana Jones type of adventure
I loved this duology and it's criminal how unknown it is.
Some people have commented it's a bit too fast paced -so much happens in this!- but personally I loved that and glad the author didn't drag it out over three books by adding in filler.
I love the variation in MC that we get, having the four siblings as equal MCs
Although I usually prefer a max of three POVs and I can see people thinking that 4 is a lot. But personally each sibling was so different and well fleshed out it was great for me. (Being one of siblings myself!)
I liked the progression in plot from the first book.
The ending was very satisfying with all loose ends nicely tied off.
Can't wait to see what the author does next
December 31, 2023
letdown after The Ivory Key. it read like an early draft - the timeline POV switching was confusing and inconsistent, the last 20% of the book crammed a lot in while the last 2% was abrupt and IMO left a lot of loose ends, and the siblings were just consistently a mix of dumb, stubborn, and selfish. things just did not make sense.
April 3, 2024
The siblings are back on the mystery and being such siblings still.
Love the adventure and mystery but disappointed by the LGBTQ romance (or lack there of): our only gay character, Kaleb, doesn’t get so much as a kiss from his prince while the straight siblings are kissing away u der starlight.
This is not a romance book, thankfully, so it’s really not that big of a deal but it is frustrating when it is tagged LGBT.
But this book is satisfying and you get the mystery solved, the siblings finding their own ways, and learning to love themselves as they come to understand each other.
Love the adventure and mystery but disappointed by the LGBTQ romance (or lack there of): our only gay character, Kaleb, doesn’t get so much as a kiss from his prince while the straight siblings are kissing away u der starlight.
This is not a romance book, thankfully, so it’s really not that big of a deal but it is frustrating when it is tagged LGBT.
But this book is satisfying and you get the mystery solved, the siblings finding their own ways, and learning to love themselves as they come to understand each other.
February 7, 2024
i can copy paste my review for the last book. but this one was a little gay which is a definite plus.
January 10, 2025
’But they were family. And that was enough.’
Did I hug the book when I finished it? Absolutely. Parting from this duology saddens me greatly but i’m happy that I read it because it truly was a wonderful experience
Our main siblings grew so much from the first book that I felt like a proud family member. Kaleb got his wish of leaving Ashoka and reconnecting with his Lyrian family, Ronak finally learnt to let go of Kaleb and trust him to mould his own future, Riya decided to continue her father’s legacy of unearthing treasure and Vira was able to step away from her Amma’s traditions and become her own maharani.
I’m a really big fan of adventure/quest books so this novel was right up my alley. I loved going along on the journey as they uncovered secrets about the Kamala society and the order who were loyal to Niveda. It helped that each chapter switched to another pov which meant we weren’t stuck on one subplot for too long but rather split between four which kept the tension high.
The puzzles in the final act were a nice addition. The final act in general was really good. The maze, the traps, the acolytes added some needed tension and the mirror puzzle gave me zelda vibes which was neat.
The final battle was sadly a little weak. Niveda is this all powerful previous maharani that not even an army could take down but, sure, they managed it with an orb of magic and a sword. Kind of disappointing but since the Crimson fortress segment and all its puzzles were so fricken good, I cut the final fight some slack.
Also did the author forget about Preethi. I know she decided to stay with Prince Elias, but she was not mentioned once in the epilogue. Not even a she’s doing good which was odd. I’m assuming the author thought it wasn’t important or she forget. Even Jay got a mention, albeit brief.
Overall this duology was just what I needed. It had sweet family moments between the siblings, a little bit of tension and danger now and then, magic and a feel good ending.
Did I hug the book when I finished it? Absolutely. Parting from this duology saddens me greatly but i’m happy that I read it because it truly was a wonderful experience
Our main siblings grew so much from the first book that I felt like a proud family member. Kaleb got his wish of leaving Ashoka and reconnecting with his Lyrian family, Ronak finally learnt to let go of Kaleb and trust him to mould his own future, Riya decided to continue her father’s legacy of unearthing treasure and Vira was able to step away from her Amma’s traditions and become her own maharani.
I’m a really big fan of adventure/quest books so this novel was right up my alley. I loved going along on the journey as they uncovered secrets about the Kamala society and the order who were loyal to Niveda. It helped that each chapter switched to another pov which meant we weren’t stuck on one subplot for too long but rather split between four which kept the tension high.
The puzzles in the final act were a nice addition. The final act in general was really good. The maze, the traps, the acolytes added some needed tension and the mirror puzzle gave me zelda vibes which was neat.
The final battle was sadly a little weak. Niveda is this all powerful previous maharani that not even an army could take down but, sure, they managed it with an orb of magic and a sword. Kind of disappointing but since the Crimson fortress segment and all its puzzles were so fricken good, I cut the final fight some slack.
Also did the author forget about Preethi. I know she decided to stay with Prince Elias, but she was not mentioned once in the epilogue. Not even a she’s doing good which was odd. I’m assuming the author thought it wasn’t important or she forget. Even Jay got a mention, albeit brief.
Overall this duology was just what I needed. It had sweet family moments between the siblings, a little bit of tension and danger now and then, magic and a feel good ending.
January 11, 2024
"Hiding history never solves problems. The mistakes of the past are best avoided by teaching it truthfully."
The Ivory Key was one of my FAVORITE books of 2022 so I was beyond excited to read The Crimson Fortress! I needed to know more about the siblings, their past and this elusive Key to all the magic in the kingdom, not to mention the neighboring one attempting to invade. This story had BIG plots to finish and I feel like it was just a touch flat at the end.
There's a huge emphasis on the 4 of them being so different and the paths they take and after being separated for so long, they clash often while also having this serious undercurrent of love throughout. It was clear that while they didn't always understand each other, they would do anything for each other. That's really what family is.
However, the stakes in this book are SO high, and I think that's ultimately what caused the downfall. When the huge events from book 1 seem like nothing compared to book 2, it makes this book seem so unreal? I was never really worried about anything going on because it just seemed so artificial with so many plot lines and POV's. 4 people constantly switching out POV didn't help.
I do love this world so much and I'd love to see a spinoff following just one or two of the siblings now that the ending has them going their own ways! There's so much material set up here for the future that I think it would be easily possible.
rep// Indian MC, mlm
cw// death, blood, murder
Find me on: instagram | tiktok
Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Ivory Key was one of my FAVORITE books of 2022 so I was beyond excited to read The Crimson Fortress! I needed to know more about the siblings, their past and this elusive Key to all the magic in the kingdom, not to mention the neighboring one attempting to invade. This story had BIG plots to finish and I feel like it was just a touch flat at the end.
There's a huge emphasis on the 4 of them being so different and the paths they take and after being separated for so long, they clash often while also having this serious undercurrent of love throughout. It was clear that while they didn't always understand each other, they would do anything for each other. That's really what family is.
However, the stakes in this book are SO high, and I think that's ultimately what caused the downfall. When the huge events from book 1 seem like nothing compared to book 2, it makes this book seem so unreal? I was never really worried about anything going on because it just seemed so artificial with so many plot lines and POV's. 4 people constantly switching out POV didn't help.
I do love this world so much and I'd love to see a spinoff following just one or two of the siblings now that the ending has them going their own ways! There's so much material set up here for the future that I think it would be easily possible.
rep// Indian MC, mlm
cw// death, blood, murder
Find me on: instagram | tiktok
Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 27, 2024
✨3.5/5 stars✨
Was really excited to read this book since The Ivory Key was one of my favorite books of 2022. In this book Vira and her siblings continue their search for the missing quarries to supply Ashoka with more magic.
While I did enjoy reading this , I personally felt that a few things in this book fell flat for me. It seemed as though nothing much was happening during the first half of the book. There was just a whole lot of each of the siblings thinking and worrying about the same things they were thinking and worrying about in The Ivory Key. There is always a mention of how proud their father would have been of them in every single chapter, which just ends up being very repetitive after some time.
It is only in the second half of the book where the quest properly resumes and the last fifty pages are probably the only parts where the action ramps up. The ending felt quite rushed, would have liked to see more time spent on closing off the mystery of the lost quarries. Riya and Caleb had pretty good character development and interesting character arcs. Similar to the first book, I loved the South Indian representation in this book.
Overall, a decent and enjoyable conclusion to the series. Will be on the lookout for more books from the author.
Was really excited to read this book since The Ivory Key was one of my favorite books of 2022. In this book Vira and her siblings continue their search for the missing quarries to supply Ashoka with more magic.
While I did enjoy reading this , I personally felt that a few things in this book fell flat for me. It seemed as though nothing much was happening during the first half of the book. There was just a whole lot of each of the siblings thinking and worrying about the same things they were thinking and worrying about in The Ivory Key. There is always a mention of how proud their father would have been of them in every single chapter, which just ends up being very repetitive after some time.
It is only in the second half of the book where the quest properly resumes and the last fifty pages are probably the only parts where the action ramps up. The ending felt quite rushed, would have liked to see more time spent on closing off the mystery of the lost quarries. Riya and Caleb had pretty good character development and interesting character arcs. Similar to the first book, I loved the South Indian representation in this book.
Overall, a decent and enjoyable conclusion to the series. Will be on the lookout for more books from the author.
November 4, 2023
Vira and her siblings have discovered the Ivory Key that leads them to the magic they need but they must solve the cipher. Her power is taken away by the council making things more complicated. Decoding the cipher is actually more dangerous than they thought, so all four of them must learn to work together in order to save the throne and their country.
Jumping right into the story, it's like we never left this world, the building of it continuously immersive. I really like the details with which the author embellishes their descriptions. Colorful, vibrant, alive. The narrative has an air of epicness, of destiny, of foreboding.
Each POV is distinctive of its character, portraying their emotions with intensity so that you 'feel' them and feel for them. The siblings seem to have different paths, different agendas, and it is engaging to see their antagonistic relationship evolve. Enjoyable characters presenting admirable depth accompany them on their endeavors.
The story does seem disjointed in parts, like things have been forgotten in the following POV, to be picked up later. This, in an aggravating way, not in a causing good old-fashioned anticipation way. Or the POVs seem a little bit out of order. Luckily it is only in the beginning and as the story finds itself on sturdier tracks you can get lost in it.
Themes that are presented here: the tricky nature of power, trust and what it means to be family. It is also about personal growth and having the courage to be yourself.
Colored by scheming, secrets, spies, unlikely alliances and a more dangerous threat than even war, this is a beyond compelling read, the build-up exciting and leading to an absolutely worthy conclusion to the duology.
Jumping right into the story, it's like we never left this world, the building of it continuously immersive. I really like the details with which the author embellishes their descriptions. Colorful, vibrant, alive. The narrative has an air of epicness, of destiny, of foreboding.
Each POV is distinctive of its character, portraying their emotions with intensity so that you 'feel' them and feel for them. The siblings seem to have different paths, different agendas, and it is engaging to see their antagonistic relationship evolve. Enjoyable characters presenting admirable depth accompany them on their endeavors.
The story does seem disjointed in parts, like things have been forgotten in the following POV, to be picked up later. This, in an aggravating way, not in a causing good old-fashioned anticipation way. Or the POVs seem a little bit out of order. Luckily it is only in the beginning and as the story finds itself on sturdier tracks you can get lost in it.
Themes that are presented here: the tricky nature of power, trust and what it means to be family. It is also about personal growth and having the courage to be yourself.
Colored by scheming, secrets, spies, unlikely alliances and a more dangerous threat than even war, this is a beyond compelling read, the build-up exciting and leading to an absolutely worthy conclusion to the duology.
February 1, 2024
I adored The Crimson Fortress. I loved spending time with these deeply complicated characters and going on their adventures. Lovely.
My one complaint is that the last quarter of the book felt a little rushed. It was like there was supposed to be a third book, but we sped through it and got to the end. This is a small complaint, and I don't feel like the rushed nature of the end ruined it for me. I still recommend it to anyone who likes magic, mystery, and sibling mayhem.
This book has almost no swearing and no graphic sex. I'd hand this over to a tween without batting an eye. However, there were a few trigger warnings that I noticed. I'll try to list them below.
TW: Betrayal, corrupt governments, mild blood, mild depiction of wounds (including one involving an arrow), false imprisonment, shackling (non-graphic), kidnapping, mild depiction of a panic attack, discussions of racism, discussions of classism, dysfunctional family dynamics, discussions of past parental psychological abuse (non-graphic).
My one complaint is that the last quarter of the book felt a little rushed. It was like there was supposed to be a third book, but we sped through it and got to the end. This is a small complaint, and I don't feel like the rushed nature of the end ruined it for me. I still recommend it to anyone who likes magic, mystery, and sibling mayhem.
This book has almost no swearing and no graphic sex. I'd hand this over to a tween without batting an eye. However, there were a few trigger warnings that I noticed. I'll try to list them below.
TW: Betrayal, corrupt governments, mild blood, mild depiction of wounds (including one involving an arrow), false imprisonment, shackling (non-graphic), kidnapping, mild depiction of a panic attack, discussions of racism, discussions of classism, dysfunctional family dynamics, discussions of past parental psychological abuse (non-graphic).
December 15, 2023
I really loved last year's Indian inspired magical fantasy, The Ivory Key, and have been eagerly anticipating its sequel. In it, four royal siblings are on a quest to restore the magic that gives their country power. Vira, the eldest, is now queen and desperate to maintain her family's legacy while her council is trying to overthrow her at every turn. Brother Ronak is a bit of a book nerd and would do anything to escape his politically arranged marriage. Kaleb is looking to exonerate himself after being accused of assassinating the previous ruler and Riya is running with a band of revolutionary assassins. In the first book, they come together to find the Ivory Key and now they are looking to figure out how to use it. Each with different motivations driving them. This story has them on separate quests that all culminate in one final showdown.
I love this type of fantasy, where you are immersed in a fake world but being informed about the culture and bonds of a real one. I appreciate fantasy that is not about constant sexual tension or warfare. This story gives a taste of those items but makes the story about restoring peace and prosperity as well as characters who have real arcs and mature throughout the action. I know this is only a duology but I love these characters so much that I wouldn't mind some more quests in this world.
I love this type of fantasy, where you are immersed in a fake world but being informed about the culture and bonds of a real one. I appreciate fantasy that is not about constant sexual tension or warfare. This story gives a taste of those items but makes the story about restoring peace and prosperity as well as characters who have real arcs and mature throughout the action. I know this is only a duology but I love these characters so much that I wouldn't mind some more quests in this world.
July 11, 2024
3.75
I loved this book bc it finally made me remember why I love reading fantasy ;-;
THERES JUST?? a few,,, mistakes(?) in the book 🧍🏽♀️ and like, I don’t know some scenes during niveda’s capture felt so abrupt that it took away from what has been developed in the story
nevertheless I really did love this book, I think it was very well written overall ESPECIALLY with the FOUR(!!) different povs of the siblings?? that was so impressive akshaya, like how did you do that? how did I not get BORED? this book will have a special place in my heart :( like having a desi fantasy book written by a TAMIL author with MFING PONGAL SHOWN AS A FOOD IN THE STORY DID SOMETHING TO ME 💔 I hope we get more books like in the future 🥹
I loved this book bc it finally made me remember why I love reading fantasy ;-;
THERES JUST?? a few,,, mistakes(?) in the book 🧍🏽♀️ and like, I don’t know some scenes during niveda’s capture felt so abrupt that it took away from what has been developed in the story
nevertheless I really did love this book, I think it was very well written overall ESPECIALLY with the FOUR(!!) different povs of the siblings?? that was so impressive akshaya, like how did you do that? how did I not get BORED? this book will have a special place in my heart :( like having a desi fantasy book written by a TAMIL author with MFING PONGAL SHOWN AS A FOOD IN THE STORY DID SOMETHING TO ME 💔 I hope we get more books like in the future 🥹
October 28, 2023
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The family themes in The Crimson Fortress is hands down my favorite element. It's a book that doesn't take the 'easy way' out of what happens when someone you love, someone we trusted, betrays our trust. How do we ever get back that sense of camaraderie? How do we ever become a person who was never tricked? It can completely change the ways we feel, the ways we see ourselves. I loved witnessing the characters, and family, navigating the trust, motivations, and secrets.
The family themes in The Crimson Fortress is hands down my favorite element. It's a book that doesn't take the 'easy way' out of what happens when someone you love, someone we trusted, betrays our trust. How do we ever get back that sense of camaraderie? How do we ever become a person who was never tricked? It can completely change the ways we feel, the ways we see ourselves. I loved witnessing the characters, and family, navigating the trust, motivations, and secrets.
November 18, 2023
I'm really happy with the ending. If I have to complain about anything, the very minor thing I felt could have been done better, was, you know, Riya's friends (both from before and after) and what happened to them. No, they weren't super duper crucial characters, but they were featured just enough to make me wonder what happened to them after the ordeal was over. But overall, this was very satisfying, and I can't say I remember reading a story with all main characters being from the same family. It's quite refreshing.
March 25, 2025
A very good duology! I wish we had a little more interactions of the siblings trying to sort through their issues with each other and working more together.
There felt like there was a LOT happening and it always felt like they were always mostly failing. Which is good mostly because struggling is important but let your characters win some too.
Anyways, I really enjoyed this and would definitely read more from this author!
There felt like there was a LOT happening and it always felt like they were always mostly failing. Which is good mostly because struggling is important but let your characters win some too.
Anyways, I really enjoyed this and would definitely read more from this author!
November 21, 2023
AHHHH i loved this & the ivory key soooo much i am so sad it has come to an end 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 my favorite books ever i am in love with the characters and story and how i still think it would make a really good video game-
but anyways imma miss vira riya ronak and kaleb 😞
but anyways imma miss vira riya ronak and kaleb 😞
May 4, 2024
It took awhile to get into because wow did I ever forget half the politics / relationships from book one. But damn was it worth it for the ending.
*I maintain that actual familial relationships vs. found family dynamics hits different. It's subtle, but it does.
*I maintain that actual familial relationships vs. found family dynamics hits different. It's subtle, but it does.
Read
December 19, 2023
Trigger & Content Warnings
Alcohol consumption
Physical injury
Human experimentation mentioned
Death of a mother mentioned
Sword, knife & arrow violence
Murder
Kidnapping
Alcohol consumption
Physical injury
Human experimentation mentioned
Death of a mother mentioned
Sword, knife & arrow violence
Murder
Kidnapping
December 19, 2023
What a cute and wholesome duology. I really enjoy this author’s writing, and hope to see more projects from them in the future. I think this could’ve easily been a trilogy. There were so many plot lines that were wrapped up a little too nicely at the end and I would’ve loved to read more conflict and character development over the course of another book. So happy I asked my library to order this for me :)
May 29, 2025
almost all the problems in this could’ve been solved sooner if the siblings simply talked to each other. i love a good sibling story though so it slayed.
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