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Flower and Thorn
A young flower hunter gets embroiled in the succession politics of the Sultanate when she must retrieve the rarest and most powerful magical flower after giving it to the wrong hands, in Rati Mehrotra's Flower and Thorn.
Irinya has wanted to be a flower hunter ever since her mother disappeared into the mysterious mist of the Rann salt flats one night. Now seventeen, Irinya uses her knowledge of magical flowers to help her caravan survive in the harsh desert. When her handsome hunting partner and childhood friend finds a priceless silver spider lily—said to be able to tear down kingdoms and defeat entire armies—Irinya knows this is their chance for a better life.
Until Irinya is tricked by an attractive impostor.
Irinya's fight to recover the priceless flower and fix what she's done takes her on a dangerous journey, one she's not sure she'll survive. She has no choice but to endure it if she hopes to return home and mend the broken heart of the boy she's left behind.
Irinya has wanted to be a flower hunter ever since her mother disappeared into the mysterious mist of the Rann salt flats one night. Now seventeen, Irinya uses her knowledge of magical flowers to help her caravan survive in the harsh desert. When her handsome hunting partner and childhood friend finds a priceless silver spider lily—said to be able to tear down kingdoms and defeat entire armies—Irinya knows this is their chance for a better life.
Until Irinya is tricked by an attractive impostor.
Irinya's fight to recover the priceless flower and fix what she's done takes her on a dangerous journey, one she's not sure she'll survive. She has no choice but to endure it if she hopes to return home and mend the broken heart of the boy she's left behind.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2023
19 people are currently reading
16711 people want to read
About the author
Rati Mehrotra
40 books464 followersBorn and raised in India, Rati Mehrotra now lives and writes in Toronto, Canada. She is the author of the science fantasy novels Markswoman (2018) and Mahimata (2019) published by Harper Voyager and the YA fantasy novel Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove (2022) published by Wednesday Books. You can check out her short stories at http://ratiwrites.com/short-fiction/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
May 3, 2023
the highlight of this novel is the revisionist history that imagines how 16th century india could have been different with magic. and i love it! with interesting characters, adventurous travels, and high-stakes missions, this was highly enjoyable and a lot of fun to read.
and i will ALWAYS credit an author who can create a fulfilling standalone. i admire RM for not feeling the need to create a series, but can fully develop a world and satisfyingly wrap up a plot in just one book.
so i am very much looking forward to seeing what RM comes up with next, because i know it wont disappoint!
thank you st. martins press/wednesday books for the ARC!
↠ 4 stars
and i will ALWAYS credit an author who can create a fulfilling standalone. i admire RM for not feeling the need to create a series, but can fully develop a world and satisfyingly wrap up a plot in just one book.
so i am very much looking forward to seeing what RM comes up with next, because i know it wont disappoint!
thank you st. martins press/wednesday books for the ARC!
↠ 4 stars
Read
April 14, 2023Hello! Popping in briefly to talk a bit about this book and share the map. The map won’t be in the book itself, but I love maps in my fantasy, and I thought readers may like to be able to see where the action takes place.
FLOWER AND THORN is set in the Gujarat Sultanate in early sixteenth century India at the time of the Portuguese invasion. It was the beginning of European colonization of the Indian sub-continent, and the research was quite difficult for me. You can imagine why.
But one of the things I love about fantasy is how we can ask: What if? And change the narrative of the past. What if we had magic?
This stand-alone fantasy follows the adventures of a nomadic flower hunter as she tries to retrieve a priceless magical flower before it falls into enemy hands. There is war, intrigue, romance, friendship, and betrayal! Also, one grumpy but loveable camel. At least, I love him, lol. I hope you do, too.
FLOWER AND THORN is set in the Gujarat Sultanate in early sixteenth century India at the time of the Portuguese invasion. It was the beginning of European colonization of the Indian sub-continent, and the research was quite difficult for me. You can imagine why.
But one of the things I love about fantasy is how we can ask: What if? And change the narrative of the past. What if we had magic?
This stand-alone fantasy follows the adventures of a nomadic flower hunter as she tries to retrieve a priceless magical flower before it falls into enemy hands. There is war, intrigue, romance, friendship, and betrayal! Also, one grumpy but loveable camel. At least, I love him, lol. I hope you do, too.
July 2, 2023
“A flock of pink flamingos flew overhead, their wings gleaming in the early morning light. She stood and watched as they descended into a lake in the distance. How majestic they were. Like everything else in the Rann, they had a place, and they knew it. Humans were the only ones who didn’t know their place, didn’t keep to the boundaries.”
Rating: 4.5 stars
★★★★★
Last August, I had the privilege of reading Rati Mehrotra's Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove and to say that I loved it would be such an understatement. So of course, I was over the moon when the publisher reached out to me to review an early copy of Flower and Thorn, her upcoming novel. Last year, in my interview with the author, upon asking for a little information about any new projects, I was answered with “A girl who finds herself caught up in the politics of the Sultanate against the backdrop of the Portuguese invasion. There is magic, betrayal, adventure, and a touch of romance.” So yes, I was seated for this.
Flower and Thorn is different from Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove in many different ways, but it is safe to say that if you enjoyed the latter, surely this will appeal to you! Irinya is a flower hunter who lives with her kul that never stays in one place for too long. Flower hunting is their prime source of income and their only hope to repay the baniya's debts. So when a complete outsider comes and introduces them to the shiny world of Ahmedabad and a lifetime where the flower hunters can set their prices…surely they're all down for it.
But things take a drastic turn when Irinya's best friend finds a precious flower and now the merchant is nowhere to be seen, coincidentally aligning with the disappearance of the flower. Now, Irinya takes it upon herself to travel all the way to Ahmedabad and finds herself caught amid the Sultanate's politics and somehow unravels dangerous secrets and thorns along the way.
The title of the novel is beautiful and perfectly encapsulates the theme of the novel. The lore of the flowers was admittedly very refreshing to read, especially the underlying question that's ever-present throughout the pages—what if we had magic to combat the colonizers? Iriniya sets out to retrieve one stolen magical flower, but her journey in the Sultanate was one you can't miss. Packed with suspense and page-turning chapters, you're gonna fly through this book.
So what exactly do flowers do? Well for starters, it can do little things like heal your wounds and find lost things. But if you're adventurous and ambitious like certain characters, there's the black chrysanthemum to open strange doors and spider lilies for winning impossible wars. It's all so delightful, really. I know I've said this a lot of times but just trust me and go into a Rati Mehrotra book blind and you will not be disappointed! Just try it once is all I'm saying.
— Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for presenting me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.
November 14, 2023
3.75 stars
June 28, 2023
the world-building is always brilliant and immersive, but i just couldn’t get into this as much as i would’ve like. the plot and twists were too predictable and i found myself skimming at times because the descriptions and what one character was doing went on for too long. there was more tell than show. but i appreciated the wlw representation and how the author did not shy away from stating how brown the characters were.
thank you to the publisher for providing me with an arc!
thank you to the publisher for providing me with an arc!
June 12, 2023
Flower And Thorn is a standalone fantasy novel with the story taking place in the grasslands and salt flats of India. Seventeen year old Irinya is a flower hunter. The flowers she and her friends hunt are not ordinary flowers. The flowers are magic and are only found in the salt flats of the Rann. Hunting them is dangerous work, but it's necessary to help their caravan survive as they are in debt to a ruthless baniya. When her best friend, Fardan, finds a priceless silver spider lily there is a chance to change their lives. But it comes at a price. Irinya is tricked into breaking a promise and she must go on a journey to retrieve the flower.
The writing in Flower And Thorn is very.descriptive. I found myself immersed in the setting.which is a beautiful place even when it's deadly. I love the magic flowers. The details of where they grow and their magical uses is very interesting. The whole magic system based on flowers is unique and fun. There is a lovely poem at the beginning of the book, and is also recited later, that gives us an idea of the power of the flowers.
Irinya is very brave. There are other brave characters as well that play a role later. All of the characters have depth, including the ones that may be villains. There is a lot of humor throughout which helps to lighten the mood at times. The story is refreshingly light on romance. It feels realistic.
I wasn't sure where the story was headed at first. Neither did Irinya. She just sets off and finds herself in the middle of palace politics with war around the corner. There are a lot of tense moments and that's before you even get to anything too bloody. I found the story thoroughly entertaining.
I feel there are some unanswered questions regarding Irinya's mother and Irinya's connection to the flowers. I also would have liked a little more clarity on Imshan Khan's character and personality. He is confusing at times but I do appreciate his layers.
Flower And Thorn is unlike other fantasy novels I have read. It is a standalone but I wouldn't mind returning to the Rann! I'll miss the characters and seeing what they're up to when no one is reading.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read.
The writing in Flower And Thorn is very.descriptive. I found myself immersed in the setting.which is a beautiful place even when it's deadly. I love the magic flowers. The details of where they grow and their magical uses is very interesting. The whole magic system based on flowers is unique and fun. There is a lovely poem at the beginning of the book, and is also recited later, that gives us an idea of the power of the flowers.
Irinya is very brave. There are other brave characters as well that play a role later. All of the characters have depth, including the ones that may be villains. There is a lot of humor throughout which helps to lighten the mood at times. The story is refreshingly light on romance. It feels realistic.
I wasn't sure where the story was headed at first. Neither did Irinya. She just sets off and finds herself in the middle of palace politics with war around the corner. There are a lot of tense moments and that's before you even get to anything too bloody. I found the story thoroughly entertaining.
I feel there are some unanswered questions regarding Irinya's mother and Irinya's connection to the flowers. I also would have liked a little more clarity on Imshan Khan's character and personality. He is confusing at times but I do appreciate his layers.
Flower And Thorn is unlike other fantasy novels I have read. It is a standalone but I wouldn't mind returning to the Rann! I'll miss the characters and seeing what they're up to when no one is reading.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read.
September 20, 2023
Flower & Thorn is a clean, exciting, high stakes fantasy book that for once is appropriate for the age group it's advertised for!
As always with YA books, I look at content and themes first! Content wise, other than one kiss and a little violence, we are a-okay. Zero language to contend with. Themewise, you've got staying humble, keeping your promises, and controlling what you can in the present instead of being wrapped up in the future.
Set in 16th century India complete with real historical figures, plus magical flowers and one heroine willing to go to any length to recover what was stolen from her village. I love the hints of magic, strong women, and community. I also love all the Indian food and culture than RM brings into her books, it's just not something I read a lot of so it's interesting!
As cultures clash with the invading Portuguese and between rural and urban in changing times, it was fun to see the main character get deeper and deeper in with the crazy (but handsome) wizer and the court intrigue. She was in over her head but did a great job keeping cool and using her brain in lethal, high pressure situations. I always like Mehrotra's characters too, strong young women who make mistakes but come back stronger, and one hopeless flirt who is a lot more patient than I would be 🤣
Totally recommend for people who like YA fantasy with high stakes set in a different country.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for the E-ARC ❤️
As always with YA books, I look at content and themes first! Content wise, other than one kiss and a little violence, we are a-okay. Zero language to contend with. Themewise, you've got staying humble, keeping your promises, and controlling what you can in the present instead of being wrapped up in the future.
Set in 16th century India complete with real historical figures, plus magical flowers and one heroine willing to go to any length to recover what was stolen from her village. I love the hints of magic, strong women, and community. I also love all the Indian food and culture than RM brings into her books, it's just not something I read a lot of so it's interesting!
As cultures clash with the invading Portuguese and between rural and urban in changing times, it was fun to see the main character get deeper and deeper in with the crazy (but handsome) wizer and the court intrigue. She was in over her head but did a great job keeping cool and using her brain in lethal, high pressure situations. I always like Mehrotra's characters too, strong young women who make mistakes but come back stronger, and one hopeless flirt who is a lot more patient than I would be 🤣
Totally recommend for people who like YA fantasy with high stakes set in a different country.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for the E-ARC ❤️
June 9, 2023
I received an advance copy via NetGalley.
Mehrota’s latest book reimagines India with flower magic in this cozy read that refreshingly twists many old tropes. Indirya is a flower hunter as her mother was before her, braving the dangerous desert to find the magical flowers to pay toward the kul’s debt to cruel middlemen. The arrival of a charming court denizen inspires her to betray a friend’s confidence and give away an especially rare flower, setting off a cascade of consequences that endangers the whole tribe. She takes responsibility and sets off to make things right.
I really enjoyed how the book surprised me throughout, especially with how the romance delivered. The use of Indian history was fantastic—we need more of this! The flower magic was fun, too, though I would have liked an even deeper dive into that.
Mehrota’s latest book reimagines India with flower magic in this cozy read that refreshingly twists many old tropes. Indirya is a flower hunter as her mother was before her, braving the dangerous desert to find the magical flowers to pay toward the kul’s debt to cruel middlemen. The arrival of a charming court denizen inspires her to betray a friend’s confidence and give away an especially rare flower, setting off a cascade of consequences that endangers the whole tribe. She takes responsibility and sets off to make things right.
I really enjoyed how the book surprised me throughout, especially with how the romance delivered. The use of Indian history was fantastic—we need more of this! The flower magic was fun, too, though I would have liked an even deeper dive into that.
dnf
March 19, 2024dnf @ 50%
October 20, 2023
This book is in no way your next great fall read, because it’s simply too full of blooming life and arid heat to be a fall book, but I’ll tell you what–I promise you it’s a fantastic YA romantasy. I absolutely adored every page of this epic historical fantasy that takes place in India during the 16th century (when the Portuguese came to colonize India).
Magical flowers grow on the Rann of India, which is located in West India just south of the border of Pakistan. In real life the Rann is full of salt flats during the arid part of the year and that salt is mined by nomadic tribes moving through the area. During monsoon season most of the area fills up with water and some of it becomes swamp. The nomadic tribes remain at their ancestral home during the monsoon season and then move back out when monsoon season passes so their livestock can graze. In Flower and Thorn, our protagonist, Irinyah, belongs to a tribe that not only deals in livestock but also in the hunting and selling of the Rann’s magical flowers. Each flower has a different power to it, along with a scarcity level. As it goes with all magic, they each also have a price. It’s too bad most people looking for easy fixes and power don’t really care about what it’s going to cost them.
Irinya is a rare female flower hunter. It’s usually a job reserved for males (like most jobs outside the home), but her mother was a flower hunter and ever since her mother disappeared when she was a child Irinyah has taken up her mantle. She inoculates herself against the poison in the thorns by pricking herself a little bit repetitively, like one would build tolerance against venom. She also shapes the poisonous flower thorns into little darts for the blow pipe that once belonged to her mother.
This whole book is about broken promises, broken families, pride, the importance of home, oppression, misogyny, and colonization. These themes are all things I love reading about and will almost always love reading about. There’s also a little bit about conservation and sustainability, but that theme isn’t explored as fully as the others (likely because it would’ve taken the plot off onto a tangent that couldn’t have been threaded back in smoothly).
The book has some points to make about war and women leaders and whether or not they’re fit to rule or be taken seriously as a ruler. While I appreciate a great feminist narrative, this book does take this book to some extremes with men and women: the women in this book all seem to lack genuine duplicity or violence and the men in power are all portrayed as lecherous and violent in nature. I don’t buy this as an entirely realistic portrayal, but seeing as this is a tried-and-true YA romantasy that has a serious point to make I think it’s probably for the best the waters here didn’t get very muddied with grey morality. It’s pure escapism here, us getting whisked away to the Indian subcontinent to a time when war is on the doorstep and it’s an opportunity for the colonization of India to be stopped. I think it’s okay to just let it be that.
It’s a lovely fantasy read with a cool magic system and great world building. The romantic dynamic is complicated and sweet. I highly recommend it.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Epic Fantasy/Fantasy/Romantasy/Historical Fantasy/Standalone Novel/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy/YA Fiction
Magical flowers grow on the Rann of India, which is located in West India just south of the border of Pakistan. In real life the Rann is full of salt flats during the arid part of the year and that salt is mined by nomadic tribes moving through the area. During monsoon season most of the area fills up with water and some of it becomes swamp. The nomadic tribes remain at their ancestral home during the monsoon season and then move back out when monsoon season passes so their livestock can graze. In Flower and Thorn, our protagonist, Irinyah, belongs to a tribe that not only deals in livestock but also in the hunting and selling of the Rann’s magical flowers. Each flower has a different power to it, along with a scarcity level. As it goes with all magic, they each also have a price. It’s too bad most people looking for easy fixes and power don’t really care about what it’s going to cost them.
Irinya is a rare female flower hunter. It’s usually a job reserved for males (like most jobs outside the home), but her mother was a flower hunter and ever since her mother disappeared when she was a child Irinyah has taken up her mantle. She inoculates herself against the poison in the thorns by pricking herself a little bit repetitively, like one would build tolerance against venom. She also shapes the poisonous flower thorns into little darts for the blow pipe that once belonged to her mother.
This whole book is about broken promises, broken families, pride, the importance of home, oppression, misogyny, and colonization. These themes are all things I love reading about and will almost always love reading about. There’s also a little bit about conservation and sustainability, but that theme isn’t explored as fully as the others (likely because it would’ve taken the plot off onto a tangent that couldn’t have been threaded back in smoothly).
The book has some points to make about war and women leaders and whether or not they’re fit to rule or be taken seriously as a ruler. While I appreciate a great feminist narrative, this book does take this book to some extremes with men and women: the women in this book all seem to lack genuine duplicity or violence and the men in power are all portrayed as lecherous and violent in nature. I don’t buy this as an entirely realistic portrayal, but seeing as this is a tried-and-true YA romantasy that has a serious point to make I think it’s probably for the best the waters here didn’t get very muddied with grey morality. It’s pure escapism here, us getting whisked away to the Indian subcontinent to a time when war is on the doorstep and it’s an opportunity for the colonization of India to be stopped. I think it’s okay to just let it be that.
It’s a lovely fantasy read with a cool magic system and great world building. The romantic dynamic is complicated and sweet. I highly recommend it.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Epic Fantasy/Fantasy/Romantasy/Historical Fantasy/Standalone Novel/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy/YA Fiction
September 9, 2023
4.5 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Flower and Thorn follows Irinya, a young flower hunter who must leave her nomadic family in search of a magical flower a stranger took after tricking her. The story spans the dangers of the desert, jungle, and city Irinya must traverse to reclaim the flower that could not only change her peoples' lives, but the lives of all of India.
I highly recommend if any of these key points and tropes sound interesting to you!
🌹Standalone fantasy
🪷 Alternate history -> India during Portugal's invasion but where flowers are rare, magical things that can change a person's life
🌹High stakes
🪷 Power hungry & morally grey villains
🌹 Beautiful imagery of the various places our MC goes
🪷 Friends to lovers subplot
Rati Mehrotra has created another lush standalone fantasy. If you're looking for standalones, I 100% recommend both Flower and Thorn and her previous work, Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove. Though I have to say, I liked Flower and Thorn a little bit more!
I loved the settings described in this story, and how our characters travels went. The stakes felt high, the characters' ambitions and goals felt important, and the twists (especially the political ones) were amazingly written.
I love how the story ended, though I did have some lingering questions that the author seemed to hint there would be answers to that we never truly got. Our MC has a different connection to flowers (and animals) than other flower hunters, and early in the book it seemed that our character was going to discover more about this but it just never happened. Our main character, while I rooted for her, aggravated me a bit sometimes because she would say things she knew she shouldn't- and likely wouldn't have gotten away with in those situations. It was frustrating sometimes, and other times I liked her outspokenness. It was a mixed bag. I loved the romance sub-plot and how it played out, I though it was incredibly sweet and had me kicking my feet towards the end.
The representation of women in power was also a plus for this story. The way the politics of the story wrapped up couldn't have gone better. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more by this author.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Flower and Thorn follows Irinya, a young flower hunter who must leave her nomadic family in search of a magical flower a stranger took after tricking her. The story spans the dangers of the desert, jungle, and city Irinya must traverse to reclaim the flower that could not only change her peoples' lives, but the lives of all of India.
I highly recommend if any of these key points and tropes sound interesting to you!
🌹Standalone fantasy
🪷 Alternate history -> India during Portugal's invasion but where flowers are rare, magical things that can change a person's life
🌹High stakes
🪷 Power hungry & morally grey villains
🌹 Beautiful imagery of the various places our MC goes
🪷 Friends to lovers subplot
Rati Mehrotra has created another lush standalone fantasy. If you're looking for standalones, I 100% recommend both Flower and Thorn and her previous work, Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove. Though I have to say, I liked Flower and Thorn a little bit more!
I loved the settings described in this story, and how our characters travels went. The stakes felt high, the characters' ambitions and goals felt important, and the twists (especially the political ones) were amazingly written.
I love how the story ended, though I did have some lingering questions that the author seemed to hint there would be answers to that we never truly got. Our MC has a different connection to flowers (and animals) than other flower hunters, and early in the book it seemed that our character was going to discover more about this but it just never happened. Our main character, while I rooted for her, aggravated me a bit sometimes because she would say things she knew she shouldn't- and likely wouldn't have gotten away with in those situations. It was frustrating sometimes, and other times I liked her outspokenness. It was a mixed bag. I loved the romance sub-plot and how it played out, I though it was incredibly sweet and had me kicking my feet towards the end.
The representation of women in power was also a plus for this story. The way the politics of the story wrapped up couldn't have gone better. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more by this author.
May 10, 2023
I found it very easy to get swept up in this book. The world building was done welland I enjoyed how the characters grew and their journey.This book would be great for those who like standalone young adult fantasy.
A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2023
3.75 stars
rati mehrotra never misses. she will always write a ya fantasy that will be a good time.
this is a historical fantasy standalone set in 16th century india in a world where special flowers hold magical properties and even greater currency; as such they are coveted by many. we see how this coincided with the very real portuguese invasion of india that was happening at the time in real life.
i adored the fantasy elements in this book: the lore of the flowers and the dangerous job of the flower hunters.
this is my second book of rati mehrotra, and once again her greatest strength is her worldbuilding. what stood out the most for me in night of the raven, dawn of the dove was the atmosphere, and flower and thorn is no different. the world feels so full and enriched.
both times the stories have managed to engage me from start to finish. i love that reading a rati mehrotra standalone will leave you feeling fulfilled by the time you finish —a complete story contained in one book.
thank you to netgalley, st martin’s press and wednesday books for this arc in exchange for an honest review
rati mehrotra never misses. she will always write a ya fantasy that will be a good time.
this is a historical fantasy standalone set in 16th century india in a world where special flowers hold magical properties and even greater currency; as such they are coveted by many. we see how this coincided with the very real portuguese invasion of india that was happening at the time in real life.
i adored the fantasy elements in this book: the lore of the flowers and the dangerous job of the flower hunters.
this is my second book of rati mehrotra, and once again her greatest strength is her worldbuilding. what stood out the most for me in night of the raven, dawn of the dove was the atmosphere, and flower and thorn is no different. the world feels so full and enriched.
both times the stories have managed to engage me from start to finish. i love that reading a rati mehrotra standalone will leave you feeling fulfilled by the time you finish —a complete story contained in one book.
thank you to netgalley, st martin’s press and wednesday books for this arc in exchange for an honest review
November 1, 2023
I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
First of all the cover of this book is stunning! It immediately drew me in, and after lovingNight of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove I was excited to read this. Unfortunately I did not love this.
The plot is very unique with the concept of the magical flowers each providing some sort of magic to the user. They grow in unlikely places and skilled flower hunters must risk their lives to find the precious flowers to sell them to help their people survive. Our main character Irinya is very skilled at flower hunting as is her best friend Fardan. Fardan finds one of the most precious flowers, that might be the key to saving the kingdom from invaders if it gets to the right hands. If the flower falls to the wrong hands the consequences could be devastating not only to Irinya and her tribe but everyone in the country.
This book just wasn't for me. I found the pacing too slow and the main character to be too irrational when it came to making decisions. I am all for a strong, independent female main character, but Irinya tented to act first and think later. She made alot of decisions that didn't go well for her and doesn't learn from her mistakes throughout the book. Everyone forgives her poor choices easily and lets her continue on her journey. Understandably she was the one who had to be the hero, but from the beginning she didn't rely on anyone to help her. I tend to enjoy plotlines where the main character has a good support system to rely on and support them. There are a few twists within the plot, but like the flower hunters wandering around until they find a treasure, I felt as the plot did the same. It kind of meanders until there is a twist or an action scene.
Overall, I'm really sad that this didn't work for me. The worldbuilding was great and the magic system was very unique, but the lack of character development and slow pacing left me disappointed. I do think that YA readers are really going to love this. It does have a very sweet friends to romance element, and while it didn't work for me I think there is an audience that is very much going to love it.
First of all the cover of this book is stunning! It immediately drew me in, and after lovingNight of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove I was excited to read this. Unfortunately I did not love this.
The plot is very unique with the concept of the magical flowers each providing some sort of magic to the user. They grow in unlikely places and skilled flower hunters must risk their lives to find the precious flowers to sell them to help their people survive. Our main character Irinya is very skilled at flower hunting as is her best friend Fardan. Fardan finds one of the most precious flowers, that might be the key to saving the kingdom from invaders if it gets to the right hands. If the flower falls to the wrong hands the consequences could be devastating not only to Irinya and her tribe but everyone in the country.
This book just wasn't for me. I found the pacing too slow and the main character to be too irrational when it came to making decisions. I am all for a strong, independent female main character, but Irinya tented to act first and think later. She made alot of decisions that didn't go well for her and doesn't learn from her mistakes throughout the book. Everyone forgives her poor choices easily and lets her continue on her journey. Understandably she was the one who had to be the hero, but from the beginning she didn't rely on anyone to help her. I tend to enjoy plotlines where the main character has a good support system to rely on and support them. There are a few twists within the plot, but like the flower hunters wandering around until they find a treasure, I felt as the plot did the same. It kind of meanders until there is a twist or an action scene.
Overall, I'm really sad that this didn't work for me. The worldbuilding was great and the magic system was very unique, but the lack of character development and slow pacing left me disappointed. I do think that YA readers are really going to love this. It does have a very sweet friends to romance element, and while it didn't work for me I think there is an audience that is very much going to love it.
December 16, 2023
4.5 stars!
Having enjoyed Rati Mehrotra's Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove last year, I had my eye on her future releases. You can imagine, then, how honored I felt to receive an email from St. Martin's Press offering a free, advanced ebook copy of Flower and Thorn!
What was even better was the story within!
For one, I had a few small qualms with Mehrotra's previous book (mainly slower pacing, flat characters, and a predictable plot), so I was extra aware of whether these issues would repeat themselves in Flower and Thorn. And oh, how happy I was to be worried for nothing!
The characters were easy to connect to, intriguing, and sympathetic! Imshan especially had me captivated - What were his plans? What did he really think of Irinya? Would he keep his promises? A perfectly ambiguous, secretive character!
The plot had a few turns I wasn't expecting, keeping me engaged and wondering how everything would play out. And the pacing, while slower at the beginning, picked up in all the right places to keep me reading.
Beyond that, I loved the concept: Medieval India, on the cusp on being overrun by the Portuguese, has a secret - small groups of flower hunters scour the magical salt flats for mythical and powerful flowers. What a delight to read something so unique!
Mehrotra has a special talent of making her historical fantasy sparkle with all the extra details that only someone deeply in love with a culture could include - the clothing, the food, the place names, the honorifics, the almost-tangible descriptions. Between the bleached grasslands on the edge of salty desert, to the dark green jungles full of hidden tigers, to the sculpted marble palace of a dying sultan, Mehrotra draws an exquisite picture of 1500s India.
As an extra treat, there's a sweet romance that slowly, slowly develops.
In all, Flower and Thorn is simply a top tier historical fantasy - fun, magical and unique, rich in detail and care, and sparking the desire to research more about this time period in India. Oh, and a great standalone, too!
.
.
.
.
**content notes: some deaths, blood, and violent moments - graphic but not frequent. a couple moments of subtle sexual jokes - again, not frequent. mentions of parental death, a teenager dying, general death, and illness. a lesbian couple is hinted at.
**romance notes: one kissing scene.
Thank you to Wednesday books and NetGalley for the free, advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are fully and genuinely my own.
Having enjoyed Rati Mehrotra's Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove last year, I had my eye on her future releases. You can imagine, then, how honored I felt to receive an email from St. Martin's Press offering a free, advanced ebook copy of Flower and Thorn!
What was even better was the story within!
For one, I had a few small qualms with Mehrotra's previous book (mainly slower pacing, flat characters, and a predictable plot), so I was extra aware of whether these issues would repeat themselves in Flower and Thorn. And oh, how happy I was to be worried for nothing!
The characters were easy to connect to, intriguing, and sympathetic! Imshan especially had me captivated - What were his plans? What did he really think of Irinya? Would he keep his promises? A perfectly ambiguous, secretive character!
The plot had a few turns I wasn't expecting, keeping me engaged and wondering how everything would play out. And the pacing, while slower at the beginning, picked up in all the right places to keep me reading.
Beyond that, I loved the concept: Medieval India, on the cusp on being overrun by the Portuguese, has a secret - small groups of flower hunters scour the magical salt flats for mythical and powerful flowers. What a delight to read something so unique!
Mehrotra has a special talent of making her historical fantasy sparkle with all the extra details that only someone deeply in love with a culture could include - the clothing, the food, the place names, the honorifics, the almost-tangible descriptions. Between the bleached grasslands on the edge of salty desert, to the dark green jungles full of hidden tigers, to the sculpted marble palace of a dying sultan, Mehrotra draws an exquisite picture of 1500s India.
As an extra treat, there's a sweet romance that slowly, slowly develops.
In all, Flower and Thorn is simply a top tier historical fantasy - fun, magical and unique, rich in detail and care, and sparking the desire to research more about this time period in India. Oh, and a great standalone, too!
.
.
.
.
**content notes: some deaths, blood, and violent moments - graphic but not frequent. a couple moments of subtle sexual jokes - again, not frequent. mentions of parental death, a teenager dying, general death, and illness. a lesbian couple is hinted at.
**romance notes: one kissing scene.
Thank you to Wednesday books and NetGalley for the free, advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are fully and genuinely my own.
October 22, 2023
Flower and Thorn is a unique historical fantasy with an immersive setting, great protagonists, and a fascinating magic system. Set in 16th-century India, it’s a fascinating world where flowers are rare and have magical properties. Healing, manipulations, and more, all flowers are rare and coveted, and flower hunter Irinya and her friend find one of the rarest and most precious flowers of all. However, when a stranger visits, and the flower goes missing, jeopardizing the future of her people, a guilty Irinya decides to go after the person who took it.
I thought the setting was so immersive and vivid, and I liked how the author transported me into a fictionalized 16th-century India. With political unrest, threats to her people, and more, the setting is as deadly as it is beautiful. From dry, desolate, and sandy terrain to lush and extravagant palaces and bustling cities, the settings contrasted each other well and highlighted the social and economic differences among the classes.
Irinya was another strength of the story. She’s such an interesting and relatable protagonist, and she grows so much throughout her journey. Irinya is very naïve, and she makes a lot of mistakes, which I totally understood. An orphan following in her flower-hunter mother’s footsteps, Irinya takes on a lot of responsibility and puts a lot of pressure on herself. She also doesn’t always think before acting or speaking, which causes her a lot of problems. I always enjoy books like this, where the main character goes on a physical journey as well as an emotional one, and she does just that.
There is a bit of a love story, though it is not the focus of the book. As much as I generally like a swoon-worthy romance, I like that it took a backseat in this story. This is more about Irinya’s journey and growth, not her romantic life. Also, it did seem like there was a love triangle, but it was pretty subtle and obvious who Irinya cared for. I feel like these relationships further highlighted Irinya’s growth and change over the course of the story, as she acknowledges her mistakes and becomes very aware of her true feelings.
This is an interesting and immersive standalone novel. There’s intrigue, adventure, court politics, magic, a sweet friends-to-lovers romance, and several unexpected allies. There are some characters that I wished were fleshed out a bit more, as well as some parts of the plot, but overall it was an enjoyable read. Special thanks to Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
I thought the setting was so immersive and vivid, and I liked how the author transported me into a fictionalized 16th-century India. With political unrest, threats to her people, and more, the setting is as deadly as it is beautiful. From dry, desolate, and sandy terrain to lush and extravagant palaces and bustling cities, the settings contrasted each other well and highlighted the social and economic differences among the classes.
Irinya was another strength of the story. She’s such an interesting and relatable protagonist, and she grows so much throughout her journey. Irinya is very naïve, and she makes a lot of mistakes, which I totally understood. An orphan following in her flower-hunter mother’s footsteps, Irinya takes on a lot of responsibility and puts a lot of pressure on herself. She also doesn’t always think before acting or speaking, which causes her a lot of problems. I always enjoy books like this, where the main character goes on a physical journey as well as an emotional one, and she does just that.
There is a bit of a love story, though it is not the focus of the book. As much as I generally like a swoon-worthy romance, I like that it took a backseat in this story. This is more about Irinya’s journey and growth, not her romantic life. Also, it did seem like there was a love triangle, but it was pretty subtle and obvious who Irinya cared for. I feel like these relationships further highlighted Irinya’s growth and change over the course of the story, as she acknowledges her mistakes and becomes very aware of her true feelings.
This is an interesting and immersive standalone novel. There’s intrigue, adventure, court politics, magic, a sweet friends-to-lovers romance, and several unexpected allies. There are some characters that I wished were fleshed out a bit more, as well as some parts of the plot, but overall it was an enjoyable read. Special thanks to Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
July 8, 2023
Thank out to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Flower and Thorn by Rati Mehrotra is a YA fantasy that will give you all of the feels. The story revolves around Irinya, a flower hunter whose caravan survives by finding rare flowers with magical powers and selling them to the overlords who they owe a debt to. When Irinya's oldest childhood friend finds an extremely rare spider lily, Irinya realizes that it has the power to change the fate of their whole country. This flower has the power to turn the tides of wars, and it has the potential to be dangerous if left in the wrong hands. Will Irinya make the right choices and keep the flower safe from those who wish to harm her friends and family?
Here is an exciting excerpt from Chapter 1:
"The man had been dead for a while, as was obvious from the stench. He lay spread-eagled on the cracked white earth of the salt desert, his skin burned reddish brown by the sun, the buttons of his faded shirt straining against the bloat of his stomach. In the hollow of his outstretched palm, in ludicrous contrast, glowed a bluestar, bright and impossible.
Irinya leaned forward and stared at it, her gut churning, wishing she could leave it alone but knowing she would not. Flowers were rare in the Rann of Kutch. Years of overharvesting and destruction of the hives they depended on had nearly wiped them out. This bluestar would be worth a gold mohur at least."
Overall, Flower and Thorn is a quest-filled YA fantasy that will appeal to fans of Mulan or Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness series. One highlight of this book is Irinya, who is a strong female protagonist. Another highlight of this book is the premise. The idea of flower hunting and flowers with magical powers is so cool. One final highlight of this book is how the plot got me very emotional at certain points, which is hard for a fantasy book to do. At times, I sympathized with Irinya's plight a lot and her feelings for those around her. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA fantasy in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in October!
Flower and Thorn by Rati Mehrotra is a YA fantasy that will give you all of the feels. The story revolves around Irinya, a flower hunter whose caravan survives by finding rare flowers with magical powers and selling them to the overlords who they owe a debt to. When Irinya's oldest childhood friend finds an extremely rare spider lily, Irinya realizes that it has the power to change the fate of their whole country. This flower has the power to turn the tides of wars, and it has the potential to be dangerous if left in the wrong hands. Will Irinya make the right choices and keep the flower safe from those who wish to harm her friends and family?
Here is an exciting excerpt from Chapter 1:
"The man had been dead for a while, as was obvious from the stench. He lay spread-eagled on the cracked white earth of the salt desert, his skin burned reddish brown by the sun, the buttons of his faded shirt straining against the bloat of his stomach. In the hollow of his outstretched palm, in ludicrous contrast, glowed a bluestar, bright and impossible.
Irinya leaned forward and stared at it, her gut churning, wishing she could leave it alone but knowing she would not. Flowers were rare in the Rann of Kutch. Years of overharvesting and destruction of the hives they depended on had nearly wiped them out. This bluestar would be worth a gold mohur at least."
Overall, Flower and Thorn is a quest-filled YA fantasy that will appeal to fans of Mulan or Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness series. One highlight of this book is Irinya, who is a strong female protagonist. Another highlight of this book is the premise. The idea of flower hunting and flowers with magical powers is so cool. One final highlight of this book is how the plot got me very emotional at certain points, which is hard for a fantasy book to do. At times, I sympathized with Irinya's plight a lot and her feelings for those around her. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA fantasy in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in October!
June 10, 2023
Irinya is an orphan. Her mother was a flower hunter and was lost to the desert. Now she dreams of the same glory, but what will it cost her? She and her best friend come upon a rare flower and he begs her not to pick it. She goes back on her promise hoping to save their community from poverty and the country from the onslaught of the Portuguese. But, her trust is misplaced and she wants more than anything to make things right. She goes on a dangerous quest across India on her own to right the wrongs.
This was one of those fantasies where I was immersed from page one. I could see the harsh desert, feel the community of Irinya’s caravan and the intensity of desire for these magical flowers. Mehrotra’s world building was perfect - readers are balanced between 16th century India under the siege of the Portuguese and this magical world where finding one flower can change it all. I loved Irinya’s pure heart and ethical innocence. She learned a lot about the politics of the real world as she risked everything she loved to save the fate of India.
If you pick up one fantasy this year, it should be this one! I can’t wait to have a copy on my shelves! Check this one out if you enjoyed The Spice Road or The Daevabad Trilogy.
Thanks to Wednesday Books for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.
This was one of those fantasies where I was immersed from page one. I could see the harsh desert, feel the community of Irinya’s caravan and the intensity of desire for these magical flowers. Mehrotra’s world building was perfect - readers are balanced between 16th century India under the siege of the Portuguese and this magical world where finding one flower can change it all. I loved Irinya’s pure heart and ethical innocence. She learned a lot about the politics of the real world as she risked everything she loved to save the fate of India.
If you pick up one fantasy this year, it should be this one! I can’t wait to have a copy on my shelves! Check this one out if you enjoyed The Spice Road or The Daevabad Trilogy.
Thanks to Wednesday Books for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.
September 30, 2023
Overall: Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rep: found family, friends to lovers
Thoughts
Neutral thoughts:
I thought that this one was okay. I've read Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove and I prefer that one over this story. But the lore in this one about all of the flowers? I LOVED, it was so good! But the overall plot I was not invested in and I unfortunately found myself checking out of the story multiple times and having to skim/reread sections 😭
But I would still recommend to give this one a try! The writing is super easy to read and it really is fast paced.
Rep: found family, friends to lovers
Thoughts
Neutral thoughts:
I thought that this one was okay. I've read Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove and I prefer that one over this story. But the lore in this one about all of the flowers? I LOVED, it was so good! But the overall plot I was not invested in and I unfortunately found myself checking out of the story multiple times and having to skim/reread sections 😭
But I would still recommend to give this one a try! The writing is super easy to read and it really is fast paced.
August 28, 2023
I had a very hard time liking Irinya. She was a clueless, naive, innocent girl that very obviously would be betrayed. She should have trusted Fardan in his suspicions (which she passed off as mere jealousy). Irinya made questionable decisions throughout the entire book and it was infuriating to me. It feels like she just got lucky that it all worked out for her.
I had a very hard time finishing this book. I disliked Irinya and it made it hard for me to read at times. However, it is a very well written story.
I had a very hard time finishing this book. I disliked Irinya and it made it hard for me to read at times. However, it is a very well written story.
October 7, 2023
I loved this book! I was hooked from the first page with a unique storyline and all the adventures were fantastic! Overall I truly enjoyed it and will definitely be reading another book from this fantastic author!
January 21, 2024
3.75 stars
loved the rich worldbuilding and character arcs in this book. would highly recommend if you're looking for a well-written fantasy set in india and the intricate lore of flowers in sea culture :)
loved the rich worldbuilding and character arcs in this book. would highly recommend if you're looking for a well-written fantasy set in india and the intricate lore of flowers in sea culture :)
March 19, 2024
This book was so engrossing. I love the splash of history mixed with magic and the real struggles of those kept in poverty by institutions.
June 11, 2023
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)
I liked elements of the world building in this but unfortunately I just didn't particularly care for the characters.
I liked elements of the world building in this but unfortunately I just didn't particularly care for the characters.
June 4, 2023
An intense, gripping read. The world-building was vivid, and in turns marvellous and ominous; as for the plot, it was just familiar enough to carry me along, but unpredictable enough that the suspense was maintained to the end.
Thematically-speaking, I loved that the novel focused on a struggling, oppressed community, and that it took time to reflect on the economic structures of oppression, on the kind of solutions available, and on their difficulties. As for the plot, it had an excellent antagonist, a character who felt deeply flawed, but convincing at the same time; human, but without excuses. It made for a complex relationship with the heroine, one that kept me wondering to the end how it would all finish.
It usually bothers me a little when fantasy characters seem to come up with modern systems of thought all by themselves in a mediaeval setting. However, in this case, although the protagonist seems to reason and react very much like a modern, feminist young woman, it didn't feel out of place: instead, her convictions seem to have sprung naturally from her personal experience and circumstances, as a woman forced into gruelling labour in order to help her community survive. This reinforced the sympathy I felt for her. I also really liked the fact that her struggles were real: she screws up more than once in the novel, with dire consequences, for herself and others; and for all her cleverness, she never sounds like she understands more about the world than everybody else's.
A great read on the whole.
Thematically-speaking, I loved that the novel focused on a struggling, oppressed community, and that it took time to reflect on the economic structures of oppression, on the kind of solutions available, and on their difficulties. As for the plot, it had an excellent antagonist, a character who felt deeply flawed, but convincing at the same time; human, but without excuses. It made for a complex relationship with the heroine, one that kept me wondering to the end how it would all finish.
It usually bothers me a little when fantasy characters seem to come up with modern systems of thought all by themselves in a mediaeval setting. However, in this case, although the protagonist seems to reason and react very much like a modern, feminist young woman, it didn't feel out of place: instead, her convictions seem to have sprung naturally from her personal experience and circumstances, as a woman forced into gruelling labour in order to help her community survive. This reinforced the sympathy I felt for her. I also really liked the fact that her struggles were real: she screws up more than once in the novel, with dire consequences, for herself and others; and for all her cleverness, she never sounds like she understands more about the world than everybody else's.
A great read on the whole.
December 31, 2023
*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher.*
This is the second book I've read (and enjoyed) by this author. The story was unique, and I liked the characters. At times, the writing felt slightly juvenile, particularly the dialogue; however, it wasn't a problem that persisted throughout the entire book.
I like magical stories that have balance, where magic isn’t necessarily free but has some type of cost. In this book, use of the magical flowers comes with an associated risk or price equal to that of the benefit the flower provides. It was interesting, and it was actually pretty believable as far as magic goes.
Unfortunately, I never felt like I got a very clear picture of most characters in my head. Irinya (17) and Fardan (also 17?) were not as vivid as I would have liked them to be. They were skilled flower hunters and had obviously been close friends for a long time, with Irinya oblivious to the feelings Fardan had developed for her. The character I found most interesting was Imshan Kahn, whose motivations were never entirely clear and who seemed to straddle the line between kindness and selfishness the whole book.
Even though this book fell a little short for me, I look forward to whatever this author writes in the future. She has creative ideas that are different from a lot of what is flooding the YA market right now, and she doesn’t resort to filling her books with swearing, graphic violence, or sex.
How it ends:
Note: It is implied that the sultana and her handmaiden have a relationship.
This is the second book I've read (and enjoyed) by this author. The story was unique, and I liked the characters. At times, the writing felt slightly juvenile, particularly the dialogue; however, it wasn't a problem that persisted throughout the entire book.
I like magical stories that have balance, where magic isn’t necessarily free but has some type of cost. In this book, use of the magical flowers comes with an associated risk or price equal to that of the benefit the flower provides. It was interesting, and it was actually pretty believable as far as magic goes.
Unfortunately, I never felt like I got a very clear picture of most characters in my head. Irinya (17) and Fardan (also 17?) were not as vivid as I would have liked them to be. They were skilled flower hunters and had obviously been close friends for a long time, with Irinya oblivious to the feelings Fardan had developed for her. The character I found most interesting was Imshan Kahn, whose motivations were never entirely clear and who seemed to straddle the line between kindness and selfishness the whole book.
Even though this book fell a little short for me, I look forward to whatever this author writes in the future. She has creative ideas that are different from a lot of what is flooding the YA market right now, and she doesn’t resort to filling her books with swearing, graphic violence, or sex.
How it ends:
Note: It is implied that the sultana and her handmaiden have a relationship.
October 3, 2023
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Thanks to Wednesday Books for the free digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I found this an enjoyable, easy read. I wish there was a map, and to be honest, it took me a little bit to realize this was historical fantasy as there is no stated year of these events (unless you do some Googling?). I found myself really liking Irinya and Fardan. They seem (and are!) so young it makes all of their mistakes even that much more believable. But their hearts truly lie with their family. This book very much contains the childhood-friends-to-lovers trope and I thought I wouldn't like it was it was something I detected right away, but in the end, I found their very small, so slowly budding romance to be very adorable. I was a little sad at the ending, regarding the other three flower hunters in Irinya's kul. Their "plan" was very shoddy and poorly put together and I knew it wouldn't go well in the long run.
I enjoyed the premise of this book, with the magical flowers and flower hunters. I enjoyed following Irinya into the luxuriousness of the palace and the political intrigue and court politics of the governors, wazir, and even the sultana.
Thanks to Wednesday Books for the free digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I found this an enjoyable, easy read. I wish there was a map, and to be honest, it took me a little bit to realize this was historical fantasy as there is no stated year of these events (unless you do some Googling?). I found myself really liking Irinya and Fardan. They seem (and are!) so young it makes all of their mistakes even that much more believable. But their hearts truly lie with their family. This book very much contains the childhood-friends-to-lovers trope and I thought I wouldn't like it was it was something I detected right away, but in the end, I found their very small, so slowly budding romance to be very adorable. I was a little sad at the ending, regarding the other three flower hunters in Irinya's kul. Their "plan" was very shoddy and poorly put together and I knew it wouldn't go well in the long run.
I enjoyed the premise of this book, with the magical flowers and flower hunters. I enjoyed following Irinya into the luxuriousness of the palace and the political intrigue and court politics of the governors, wazir, and even the sultana.
November 27, 2023
Loved this book filled with intrigue, politics and magical flowers. Irinya, a flower hunter, makes a huge mistake, trusting the wrong person, betraying her closest friend and is determined to rectify that wrong and to save her people as well as the country. I could use more of this world, but this was such a satisfying read.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
Staff Pick: November 2023
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
Staff Pick: November 2023
September 4, 2023
I got a digital copy of this book from Netgalley- thanks guys! So here are my thoughts:
YO.
This book had me enthralled. I was torn between a 4 and a 5-star rating, we'll just say 4.5 yeah? But seriously, it's been a hot minute since a book has completely sucked me into its world and I gladly let myself be taken. This was just so fun to read. I feel like it did a really good job of veering off the beaten path, so many books have the same scenes done over and over but this was surprisingly fresh and took me for a total ride through its various twists and turns.
I'll try to go through this with only light spoilers and will make sure to mark those :)
The Good:
Our main girl Irinya- LOVE HER. Dude, the author did an awesome job with this character, she was real, she was flawed, I wanted to shake her at the beginning when she plucked that flower and by the end, I wanted to take her to a spa day and split a pizookie with her (that girl deserved an entire month to chill after that fiasco). And can we talk about how her entire inner monologue wasn't focused on obsessing over guys??? Like, she found Kavi attractive and admittedly did make a stupid decision but not based on some insta-love for him but rather because she really believed that in doing so it would save her kul- not to mention the war with the Portuguese. She was always focused on the bigger picture, the politics over her own feelings or thoughts which was so refreshing. Also her humor?? Love it. Understated, some of her funniest lines were said in her own head. And- SLIGHT SPOILER I would say don't read this if you haven't read it yet, not because it's a big plot point but because there's nothing like reading it unexpectedly in the book trust me
Another thing, that made me want to shout with joy: her relationship with Imshan Khan. I will admit, I did have mixed feelings about the ending but one thing I was SUPER relieved for was that Mehrotra did not romanticize toxic relationships or manipulation. I love good morally grey characters, even love them as a character's love interest but nothing kills a book so thoroughly as setting up a character with another that is toxic and play it off as them just being "morally grey". Just no. So, I thoroughly enjoyed Irinya calling him out on all his crap.
All the wonderful female characters. Bholi Masi, the Sultana, Miraben, Tarana, fantastic. All the characters were super well written tbh.
Vereena.
The SETTING. I thought I wouldn't like it at first because I'm always just kinda eh to books that are based with real life places but I quickly forgot that with this book because the setting was so much more. The magic flower thing was so cool, I loved all the differences with the cultures, like the fancy city folk scoffing at the idea of Chir Batti when the locals all know better.
I could go on and on honestly. But I'll move on.
The Eh;
The ending. Don't get me wrong, I still loved it. Like I LOVED it but....it kind of wrapped up in maybe too perfect a bow? Maybe I'm becoming heartless but I like messy endings. SPOILER COMING UP HERE
The romance. I mean, they were cute but honestly I think I would have preferred if they stayed friends.
One last thing, the pacing at the beginning was slow to me but if you're reading it just keep on, trust me once it gets to 30-40% into the book things get WILD.
Some last minute warnings:
- some violence (most sword fighting, some poison dart situations, also an execution that's pretty awful but not described too graphically)
- fairly clean with the romance only some suggestive language and kissing
Just go read it :) it's a good book to lose yourself over
YO.
This book had me enthralled. I was torn between a 4 and a 5-star rating, we'll just say 4.5 yeah? But seriously, it's been a hot minute since a book has completely sucked me into its world and I gladly let myself be taken. This was just so fun to read. I feel like it did a really good job of veering off the beaten path, so many books have the same scenes done over and over but this was surprisingly fresh and took me for a total ride through its various twists and turns.
I'll try to go through this with only light spoilers and will make sure to mark those :)
The Good:
Our main girl Irinya- LOVE HER. Dude, the author did an awesome job with this character, she was real, she was flawed, I wanted to shake her at the beginning when she plucked that flower and by the end, I wanted to take her to a spa day and split a pizookie with her (that girl deserved an entire month to chill after that fiasco). And can we talk about how her entire inner monologue wasn't focused on obsessing over guys??? Like, she found Kavi attractive and admittedly did make a stupid decision but not based on some insta-love for him but rather because she really believed that in doing so it would save her kul- not to mention the war with the Portuguese. She was always focused on the bigger picture, the politics over her own feelings or thoughts which was so refreshing. Also her humor?? Love it. Understated, some of her funniest lines were said in her own head. And- SLIGHT SPOILER I would say don't read this if you haven't read it yet, not because it's a big plot point but because there's nothing like reading it unexpectedly in the book trust me
Another thing, that made me want to shout with joy: her relationship with Imshan Khan. I will admit, I did have mixed feelings about the ending but one thing I was SUPER relieved for was that Mehrotra did not romanticize toxic relationships or manipulation. I love good morally grey characters, even love them as a character's love interest but nothing kills a book so thoroughly as setting up a character with another that is toxic and play it off as them just being "morally grey". Just no. So, I thoroughly enjoyed Irinya calling him out on all his crap.
All the wonderful female characters. Bholi Masi, the Sultana, Miraben, Tarana, fantastic. All the characters were super well written tbh.
Vereena.
The SETTING. I thought I wouldn't like it at first because I'm always just kinda eh to books that are based with real life places but I quickly forgot that with this book because the setting was so much more. The magic flower thing was so cool, I loved all the differences with the cultures, like the fancy city folk scoffing at the idea of Chir Batti when the locals all know better.
I could go on and on honestly. But I'll move on.
The Eh;
The ending. Don't get me wrong, I still loved it. Like I LOVED it but....it kind of wrapped up in maybe too perfect a bow? Maybe I'm becoming heartless but I like messy endings. SPOILER COMING UP HERE
The romance. I mean, they were cute but honestly I think I would have preferred if they stayed friends.
One last thing, the pacing at the beginning was slow to me but if you're reading it just keep on, trust me once it gets to 30-40% into the book things get WILD.
Some last minute warnings:
- some violence (most sword fighting, some poison dart situations, also an execution that's pretty awful but not described too graphically)
- fairly clean with the romance only some suggestive language and kissing
Just go read it :) it's a good book to lose yourself over
October 12, 2023
FLOWER AND THORN is an engaging YA fantasy about power, ambition, and morality. Irinya is seventeen and a member of a group of nomads who trade in magical flowers. In their kul, she is one of the flower hunters, a dangerous job that takes them into the Rann to search for these rare and powerful blooms. Her kul barely scrapes by, selling their flowers to a baniya who holds their generational debt that they can never seem to pay off. When a handsome and wealthy-seeming stranger arrives and tells them how they might be able to free themselves from the baniya by forming a collective and selling their flowers directly at market, the kul feels hope at the possibility.
Irinya is intrigued by the stranger, and when he tells her the stories of India at large and the current siege by the Portuguese, Irinya is willing to help and takes him to see a very rare bloom that Fardan, another flower hunter, had found and sworn her to secrecy. This silver spider lily is immensely powerful and would grant great power to the user - ensuring India's victory. However, after he leaves, the kul learns he did not keep his promises, at great peril to them. Irinya sets out to try to right these wrongs and save her kul.
What I loved: This was quite the fantasy adventure across an imaginative India with the trade of magical flowers at its heart. Rare and invaluable, Irinya's family and loved ones are at the heart of politics and power, even if they do not grasp it while they toil in the salt marshes. At seventeen, her understanding of herself and the world are growing, particularly as she begins to learn about betrayal, politics, and complexity of humanity and its morality. Her arc is one of immense growth as she begins to take more charge of her decisions and decide how to handle the precious flowers she and her kul have worked so hard to find.
The magic system of the flowers was fascinating and complex with many different flower types and unique abilities bestowed by each. These are balanced by potential consequences, though the reader experiences what little Irinya actually knows, so the information only scratches the surface of what this means. The world-building was also compelling as the reader explores the world alongside Irinya as she ventures away from her kul, and it would have been interesting to see even more it.
Themes of power and the corruption of power, the multifaceted nature of truths as conveyed by the teller, exploitation of labor and resources, politics, betrayal and trust, friendship, family, and making decisions/morality of those decisions were really thought-provoking throughout. The magical flowers that Irinya has a hand in harvesting help to bring her into the business of politics ad her decisions could make the difference in who rules and who will be the victor in this large, ongoing conflicts.
What left me wanting more: I would have loved to have more depth on the mythology and power of the flowers as well as world-building. Some characters would have also been helpful to know better in order to understand how Irinya feels about them, particularly the power players who are near ruling. As Irinya is making decisions about what she feels is right, understanding the why behind these and particularly the people who influence these decisions would have made it more compelling. The romance also felt a bit thrown in to the story, and it would have been nice to have more of a show vs tell approach.
Final verdict: With an imaginative premise and fascinating magic system, FLOWER AND THORN was a compelling YA fantasy adventure that I would recommend for fans of quests, political and magical peril, and coming-of-age stories.
Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Irinya is intrigued by the stranger, and when he tells her the stories of India at large and the current siege by the Portuguese, Irinya is willing to help and takes him to see a very rare bloom that Fardan, another flower hunter, had found and sworn her to secrecy. This silver spider lily is immensely powerful and would grant great power to the user - ensuring India's victory. However, after he leaves, the kul learns he did not keep his promises, at great peril to them. Irinya sets out to try to right these wrongs and save her kul.
What I loved: This was quite the fantasy adventure across an imaginative India with the trade of magical flowers at its heart. Rare and invaluable, Irinya's family and loved ones are at the heart of politics and power, even if they do not grasp it while they toil in the salt marshes. At seventeen, her understanding of herself and the world are growing, particularly as she begins to learn about betrayal, politics, and complexity of humanity and its morality. Her arc is one of immense growth as she begins to take more charge of her decisions and decide how to handle the precious flowers she and her kul have worked so hard to find.
The magic system of the flowers was fascinating and complex with many different flower types and unique abilities bestowed by each. These are balanced by potential consequences, though the reader experiences what little Irinya actually knows, so the information only scratches the surface of what this means. The world-building was also compelling as the reader explores the world alongside Irinya as she ventures away from her kul, and it would have been interesting to see even more it.
Themes of power and the corruption of power, the multifaceted nature of truths as conveyed by the teller, exploitation of labor and resources, politics, betrayal and trust, friendship, family, and making decisions/morality of those decisions were really thought-provoking throughout. The magical flowers that Irinya has a hand in harvesting help to bring her into the business of politics ad her decisions could make the difference in who rules and who will be the victor in this large, ongoing conflicts.
What left me wanting more: I would have loved to have more depth on the mythology and power of the flowers as well as world-building. Some characters would have also been helpful to know better in order to understand how Irinya feels about them, particularly the power players who are near ruling. As Irinya is making decisions about what she feels is right, understanding the why behind these and particularly the people who influence these decisions would have made it more compelling. The romance also felt a bit thrown in to the story, and it would have been nice to have more of a show vs tell approach.
Final verdict: With an imaginative premise and fascinating magic system, FLOWER AND THORN was a compelling YA fantasy adventure that I would recommend for fans of quests, political and magical peril, and coming-of-age stories.
Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
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