Its not a terrible book, i suppose, but it just didnt feel cohesive enough for me to massively enjoy it.ĭnf sorry y'all, I tried. everything else is very greco-roman, which feels out of place in the setting/world the author is trying to create. the only thing used that is actually inspired by south asia is the caste system and some of the characters’ last names. This is also being pitched as a south asian inspired fantasy, but none of the actual fantasy elements are from south asian mythology? its very much classical mythology. its all very superficial, or just lacking, and nothing hooked me enough to actually care.

tropes work for a reason, right? the thing is, theres so much happening that nothing really feels fleshed out. If i had to describe this, its basically a hybrid of ‘the scorpio races,’ the tri-wizard tournament, and ‘the hunger games.’ so a lot going on and not really the most original content, but hey. This book is wild… and not in a good way. Perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and These Violent Delights, this South Asian-inspired fantasy is a gripping debut about the power of the elite, the price of glory, and one girl's chance to change it all.

She grew up battling the monsters that live in the black seas, but it couldn't prepare her to face the cunning cruelty of the ruling elite. When a rebellion rises and rogues attack Koral to try and force her to drop out, she must choose―her life or her sister's―before the whole island burns. Koral's only choice is to do what no one in the world has ever dared: cheat her way into the Glory Race.īut every step of the way is unpredictable as Koral races against contenders―including her ex-boyfriend―who have trained for this their whole lives and who have no intention of letting a low-caste girl steal their glory. When the last maristag of the year escapes and Koral has no new maristag to sell, her family's financial situation takes a turn for the worse and they can't afford medicine for her chronically ill little sister. The winning contender receives gold and glory. In an oceanic world swarming with vicious beasts, the Landers―the ruling elite, have indentured Koral's family to provide the maristags for the Glory Race, a deadly chariot tournament reserved for the upper class. They have to, or else their family will starve.

Sixteen-year-old Koral and her older brother Emrik risk their lives each day to capture the monstrous maristags that live in the black seas around their island.

Monsters born and made tanvi