The Jasmine Throne is set in a world where The Epire ... they burn women as a sacrifice to clean their impurities and to achieve divinity. It teaches that burning willing females (the Mothers of the Flame) charges the flame, a weapon that keeps the magic of the Age of Flowers defeated. Also, it delves into how faith and religion can twist and justify oppression as long as it serves their purpose. In a twisted way men can control women's role in society, and dispense oppression on large scale. A misogynistic paradise, with very strictly defined roles on what is allowed for female AND male in terms of behavior. But also knowledge of what is their social standing in the society, and therefore are the rules that bind them ALL. Including sexual ones.
On the other hand, Pria original comes from this other, Charles Schabb "Green paradise". A perfect place where we live in harmony with nature. Nature is Pure Magical Vicious "bitch" that often kills humans and and that is not a big deal, that's just how it should be. In this paradise promiscuity is the norm, but somehow so is family and children. Sexuality is unrestrained. Men do it with men, women with women, women and men, and sometimes humans and other creatures. I will grant the author kudos for not including/aproving-off child/adult relationships. I have no issues with what other people preferences are, but I do draw the line when it comes to kids. And the religion/magic they worship is that the universe is an egg with a river connecting it. It controls the nature and has infinite power to control nature. All this wonderful amazing Kumbayah world was destroyed by the close-minded sexually oppressed, corrupted Empire.
PROBLEMS:
The romance element was just not there. I believe it was forced into the book as an afterthought. I dont think it was ever meant to be a romance book. But it was added as an umm extra layer to add tension, or complication to the characters. And it was a total disaster. For example: The two main protagonists, the princess and the high born girl-now a maidservant Pria, aren't much more than generic, and a bit flat characters. And they presented nothing but a collections of generic grievances, with no romance between them. They have clear cut low servant/high-born-master relationship. When Pria kisses the princes as a lover, I have no idea where it came from. Nor did the Princess. It was forced and unnatural to the story flow. Pria constantly speaks of marriage, family and children. Then boom! She has a lesbian kiss with Kings sister, her Princess mistress who is sky high above her status, and totally was raised to be appalled and discussed by the idea of being with a woman! (???) And then the story goes on with Pria getting fever and trowing up. Fighting with the Princes, and eventually talking politics. The kiss is history that never happened, until she takes another dip in the deathwater river. Romance = NONE
This book is told from way too many, multiple perspectives, but it would've been sufficient if it was only told in Priya, Prias brother, Princess Malini's, And maybe Bhumika and the regent Bhumikas husband. And @500+ pages, they make the story too repetitive. Also the middle just flopped. The pacing was really slow, as if the author lost her self. So if you prefer fast-paced books, I think it would be a struggle reading this one.
POSITIVES:
The book had other flaws, but it is a worthy read. It is an interesting premise, the world building is well done and the characters do come together, even if they seem to be bit simpleminded and black and white. And if you get over the subtle propaganda: the new Green world kumbayah messaging, lets hate evil men, dismantling of traditional family, LGBT+ messaging (should come with warning - not for young children/sexual content), the we hate the British/American imperialism. If you can read this as a pure Scifi entertainment book, I still recommend The Jasmine Throne with caution.
SPOILERS: Pria is a highborn child we are told, but nothing definite, no details given. We only know she is born on the temple of the Yasi. The only child ever born there. She has affinity to the temple and can feel where the shifting gate to the deatvhwaters is. No one knows, only the elders can find it. And they are all dead. Willing sacrifice to read the world of the vermin the flower children they thought were infecting the world. Pria and her brother survived with Bhumika. Bhumika was dipped in the deathwater 2x unlike the others. She married the regent and protected Pria as a child with many other children from death. Pria became servant to princess Malini who refused to set herself as ritual sacrifice on fire with her attendants. Pria brother and his rebel army drinks bottled deathwater and must find the river or he will go mad or die. They stage rebellion. Pria finds deathriver & takes dip. She frees the Princess for promises of freedom for her country. Bhumika will become regent. Prias brother agrees to terms of peace and is taken to the river with the rebels. Deathwater River swallows some incudind Prias brother. Bhumika and Pria are now elders. Powerful and magical beings. Pria tries to stop the rot, the plants invading humans and growing inside them and killing them. She succeeded only in stopping the plants from further their growing. Not in removing it completely. She failed to remember her interaction with the Yasa spirit in the deathwater River. â¦book 2 I think⦠THE OLEANDER SWORD
On the other hand, Pria original comes from this other, Charles Schabb "Green paradise". A perfect place where we live in harmony with nature. Nature is Pure Magical Vicious "bitch" that often kills humans and and that is not a big deal, that's just how it should be. In this paradise promiscuity is the norm, but somehow so is family and children. Sexuality is unrestrained. Men do it with men, women with women, women and men, and sometimes humans and other creatures. I will grant the author kudos for not including/aproving-off child/adult relationships. I have no issues with what other people preferences are, but I do draw the line when it comes to kids. And the religion/magic they worship is that the universe is an egg with a river connecting it. It controls the nature and has infinite power to control nature. All this wonderful amazing Kumbayah world was destroyed by the close-minded sexually oppressed, corrupted Empire.
PROBLEMS:
The romance element was just not there. I believe it was forced into the book as an afterthought. I dont think it was ever meant to be a romance book. But it was added as an umm extra layer to add tension, or complication to the characters. And it was a total disaster. For example: The two main protagonists, the princess and the high born girl-now a maidservant Pria, aren't much more than generic, and a bit flat characters. And they presented nothing but a collections of generic grievances, with no romance between them. They have clear cut low servant/high-born-master relationship. When Pria kisses the princes as a lover, I have no idea where it came from. Nor did the Princess. It was forced and unnatural to the story flow. Pria constantly speaks of marriage, family and children. Then boom! She has a lesbian kiss with Kings sister, her Princess mistress who is sky high above her status, and totally was raised to be appalled and discussed by the idea of being with a woman! (???) And then the story goes on with Pria getting fever and trowing up. Fighting with the Princes, and eventually talking politics. The kiss is history that never happened, until she takes another dip in the deathwater river. Romance = NONE
This book is told from way too many, multiple perspectives, but it would've been sufficient if it was only told in Priya, Prias brother, Princess Malini's, And maybe Bhumika and the regent Bhumikas husband. And @500+ pages, they make the story too repetitive. Also the middle just flopped. The pacing was really slow, as if the author lost her self. So if you prefer fast-paced books, I think it would be a struggle reading this one.
POSITIVES:
The book had other flaws, but it is a worthy read. It is an interesting premise, the world building is well done and the characters do come together, even if they seem to be bit simpleminded and black and white. And if you get over the subtle propaganda: the new Green world kumbayah messaging, lets hate evil men, dismantling of traditional family, LGBT+ messaging (should come with warning - not for young children/sexual content), the we hate the British/American imperialism. If you can read this as a pure Scifi entertainment book, I still recommend The Jasmine Throne with caution.
SPOILERS: Pria is a highborn child we are told, but nothing definite, no details given. We only know she is born on the temple of the Yasi. The only child ever born there. She has affinity to the temple and can feel where the shifting gate to the deatvhwaters is. No one knows, only the elders can find it. And they are all dead. Willing sacrifice to read the world of the vermin the flower children they thought were infecting the world. Pria and her brother survived with Bhumika. Bhumika was dipped in the deathwater 2x unlike the others. She married the regent and protected Pria as a child with many other children from death. Pria became servant to princess Malini who refused to set herself as ritual sacrifice on fire with her attendants. Pria brother and his rebel army drinks bottled deathwater and must find the river or he will go mad or die. They stage rebellion. Pria finds deathriver & takes dip. She frees the Princess for promises of freedom for her country. Bhumika will become regent. Prias brother agrees to terms of peace and is taken to the river with the rebels. Deathwater River swallows some incudind Prias brother. Bhumika and Pria are now elders. Powerful and magical beings. Pria tries to stop the rot, the plants invading humans and growing inside them and killing them. She succeeded only in stopping the plants from further their growing. Not in removing it completely. She failed to remember her interaction with the Yasa spirit in the deathwater River. â¦book 2 I think⦠THE OLEANDER SWORD
