“He loved her. And she loved him. And in such bliss does devastation grow.”
The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi is the compelling tale of a young princess named Maya. Taking place in the ancient land of Bharat, today known as India, Maya is born in a time where people heavily relied on the stars for guidance. Astrology was a revered practice, and unfortunately, the readings for Maya’s fate are not favourable. Her fate is intertwined with Death itself, causing the Raja’s harem and most of her half-sisters to dismiss or avoid her. Bharat is at the brink of war, and one day, when she makes a fatal decision as suggested by her father to potentially stall the impending bloodshed, she is stopped by an unknown stranger, who asks for her hand in marriage. When Maya agrees, she is whisked away by her new husband to the land of Akaran, a strange, mystical, yet empty land. There, she discovers that not all is what it seems to be, and she traverses an obscure, yet still familiar, terrain of betrayal, magic, and love.
“No matter where we are, we’ll always share the same sky. We can always find each other in the same constellation.”
Chokshi masterfully weaves together a passionate story with lore from Hindu mythology to create this stunning masterpiece. The customs and lives in Bharat are skillfully retold, and the myths of the gods, spirits, and demons that run amok, unseen are foreshadowed in the stories Maya tells her younger half-sister, Gauri, who is perhaps the only person in the palace who doesn’t turn Maya away. The writing is lush and exquisite, bringing forth settings and adventures full with passion and excitement. From the chaotic Night Bazaar, to the destitute villages on the outskirts of Bharat, to the quiet, but not silent halls of Akaran, wisps of enchantment cling to every word and description written. Old Hindu tales are recalled, and new ones are formed on the basis of old deities known only from stories. This novel binds fate, destiny, and rebirth to create a bold, daring, and heartbreakingly beautiful narrative that reminds you of the inevitability of death, the unpredictability of love, and the destiny in store for all of us, one that is part sung before your birth and part determined in the Halls of Judgement, for we are the sum of our actions, both in this life and the next.
“I know your soul. Everything else is an ornament.”
Lovely!