The Jasmine Throne (The Burning Kingdoms, 1)

WINNER OF THE WORLD FANTASY AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2021 BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, LIBRARY JOURNAL, BOOKLIST, AND THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

A ruthless princess and a powerful priestess come together to rewrite the fate of an empire in this "fiercely and unapologetically feminist tale of endurance and revolution set against a gorgeous, unique magical world" (S. A. Chakraborty, author of the The City of Brass).

Exiled by her despotic brother, princess Malini spends her days dreaming of vengeance while imprisoned in the Hirana: an ancient cliffside temple that was once the revered source of the magical deathless waters but is now little more than a decaying ruin.

The secrets of the Hirana call to Priya. But in order to keep the truth of her past safely hidden, she works as a servant in the loathed regent's household and cleaning Malini's chambers.

When Malini witnesses Priya's true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled. One is a ruthless princess seeking to steal a throne. The other a powerful priestess desperate to save her family. Together, they will set an empire ablaze.

Praise for The Jasmine Throne:

"Suri's writing always brings me to another world; one full of wonders and terrors, where every detail feels intricately and carefully imagined." --R. F. Kuang, author of Babel

"Raises the bar for what epic fantasy should be." --Chloe Gong, author of These Violent Delights

"An intimate, complex, magical study of empire and the people caught in its bloody teeth. I loved it." --Alix E. Harrow, author of The Once and Future Witches

"Suri's incandescent feminist masterpiece hits like a steel fist inside a velvet glove. Simply magnificent." --Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun

"A fierce, heart-wrenching exploration of the value and danger of love in a world of politics and power." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Lush and stunning....Inspired by Indian epics, this sapphic fantasy will rip your heart out." --BuzzFeed News

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576 pages

Average rating: 7.5

56 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

emily_roamswild
Nov 25, 2023
10/10 stars
I listened to half of this on audiobook and then wrapped up the book physically. It was a joy. This is what I want from fantasy. The magic is weird; the sacrifices seem realistic; the relationships tangled and the battle for survival feels tangible. Priya is hot and I root for her—she’s flawed, she’s not a Mary-Sue but she recognizes the different paths around her, the choices she should make. I cannot wait to read the 2nd one. Read this if you crave strong, complicated female characters; interesting magic systems and good writing.
Renzmo
Jun 23, 2023
7/10 stars
Hidden mystic river tube ride of peril
Game of Tomes
Jan 03, 2023
10/10 stars
Damn. The hype was exceeded. I bow and tip my hat to Tasha Suri. The Jasmine Throne pulls from Indian culture as the basis for the people, culture, and world of the novel. The story is expertly crafted and paced, its mythology is complex and original. The book serves as a starter for a trilogy, but it doesn’t feel like it’s purpose is only to set up future events. A lot of storylines are resolved or altered, changing course for the characters. It’s a satisfying story to read, and I cannot wait to get my hands in the sequel. This is a brilliant work that would make an excellent streaming tv series and change the fantasy tv landscape. I have heard some complaints about the multiple points of view, some characters only getting a chapter to two. But the multiple POVs are necessary to tell this story and it never feels like you’re not gaining information or not pushing the narrative forward. If you don’t like books with multiple POVs, then this and a lot of epic fantasy novels won’t be for you. There is body horror, but nothing graphic. There are a variety of trigger warnings, but nothing graphic or gratuitous. Other than that, I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t devour this brilliantly woven tale.

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