What do you think?
Rate this book
Venom #1
A Drop of Venom
Circe goes YA in this unapologetically feminist retelling of the Medusa myth steeped in Indian mythology, a YA epic fantasy addition to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.
All monsters and heroes have beginnings. This is mine.
Sixteen-year-old Manisha is no stranger to monsters—she’s been running from them for years, from beasts who roam the jungle to the King’s army, who forced her people, the naga, to scatter to the ends of the earth. You might think that the kingdom’s famed holy temples atop the floating mountains, where Manisha is now a priestess, would be safe—but you would be wrong.
Seventeen-year-old Pratyush is a famed slayer of monsters, one of the King’s most prized warriors and a frequent visitor to the floating temples. For every monster the slayer kills, years are added to his life. You might think such a powerful warrior could do whatever he wants, but true power lies with the King. Tired after years of fighting, Pratyush wants nothing more than a peaceful, respectable life.
When Pratyush and Manisha meet, each sees in the other the possibility to chart a new path. Unfortunately, the kingdom’s powerful have other plans. A temple visitor sexually assaults Manisha and pushes her off the mountain into a pit of vipers. A month later, the King sends Pratyush off to kill one last monster (a powerful nagin who has been turning men to stone) before he’ll consider granting his freedom.
Except Manisha doesn’t die, despite the hundreds of snake bites covering her body and the venom running through her veins. She rises from the pit more powerful than ever before, with heightened senses, armor-like skin, and blood that can turn people to stone. And Pratyush doesn’t know it, but the “monster” he’s been sent to kill is none other than the girl he wants to marry.
Alternating between Manisha’s and Pratyush’s perspectives, Sajni Patel weaves together lush language, high stakes, and page-turning suspense, demanding an answer to the question “What does it truly mean to be a monster?”
All monsters and heroes have beginnings. This is mine.
Sixteen-year-old Manisha is no stranger to monsters—she’s been running from them for years, from beasts who roam the jungle to the King’s army, who forced her people, the naga, to scatter to the ends of the earth. You might think that the kingdom’s famed holy temples atop the floating mountains, where Manisha is now a priestess, would be safe—but you would be wrong.
Seventeen-year-old Pratyush is a famed slayer of monsters, one of the King’s most prized warriors and a frequent visitor to the floating temples. For every monster the slayer kills, years are added to his life. You might think such a powerful warrior could do whatever he wants, but true power lies with the King. Tired after years of fighting, Pratyush wants nothing more than a peaceful, respectable life.
When Pratyush and Manisha meet, each sees in the other the possibility to chart a new path. Unfortunately, the kingdom’s powerful have other plans. A temple visitor sexually assaults Manisha and pushes her off the mountain into a pit of vipers. A month later, the King sends Pratyush off to kill one last monster (a powerful nagin who has been turning men to stone) before he’ll consider granting his freedom.
Except Manisha doesn’t die, despite the hundreds of snake bites covering her body and the venom running through her veins. She rises from the pit more powerful than ever before, with heightened senses, armor-like skin, and blood that can turn people to stone. And Pratyush doesn’t know it, but the “monster” he’s been sent to kill is none other than the girl he wants to marry.
Alternating between Manisha’s and Pratyush’s perspectives, Sajni Patel weaves together lush language, high stakes, and page-turning suspense, demanding an answer to the question “What does it truly mean to be a monster?”
416 pages, Hardcover
First published January 16, 2024
About the author
Sajni Patel
10 books1,560 followersSajni Patel is an award-winning author of women’s fiction and young adult books. Her works have appeared on numerous Best of the Year and Must Read lists from Cosmo, Teen Vogue, Apple Books, Audiofile, Tribeza, Austin Woman, NBC, The Insider, and many others.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 365 reviews
February 3, 2025
**3.5-stars**
A Drop of Venom is a recent YA Fantasy release pitched as a retelling of the Medusa myth, steeped in Indian mythology, and happily, it is exactly that.
This story follows 16-year old, Manisha, whose naga people have seen their lives decimated because of the King's army. Manisha was sent to a holy temple to become a priestess, where it was believed she would be safe.
But for girls, there's rarely any place that is actually safe.
We also follow 17-year old, Pratyush, who is a Monster Slayer and one of the greatest assets of the King. Yes, the very same King who has terrorized Manisha's people.
When Pratyush and Manisha meet when he visits the Temple, sparks fly and both see in each other a glimpse of the peaceful life that could be possible. Unfortunately, for them both, fortune is not on their side.
Before their relationship even has a chance to get off the ground, tragedy strikes Manisha. A visitor to the temple, a General in the King's army, brutally rapes her and throws her off the side of the mountain into a churning den of vipers, where he expects her to die.
But she doesn't die. In fact, she rises, stronger than ever, with a new set of unimaginable powers.
Pratyush's next assignment leads him on a hunt for a hideous monster said to be killing and maiming men in the countryside. Little does he know this very monster is actually the girl he wishes to someday marry.
I liked this story, I did. Please don't let my 3.5-star rating discourage you. Patel's writing is strong and I appreciate the tough topics that she examined, as well as the rich cultural influences that gave such depth and beauty to this tale.
I loved the idea of a Medusa retelling and I loved watching Manisha regain her strength, power and new courage as the story got farther along.
For me though, I did have a bit of an uneven reading experience with this one overall. There were times I was so into it and then other times when I was bored. There's no better way to explain it.
Additionally, at times I did find some of the plot elements difficult to track, and definitely felt the second half was stronger than the start. Also, I wasn't completely sold on the alternating perspectives.
We're mostly getting the story from Manisha's POV, so when we would randomly switch to Pratyush, I didn't care about him. I didn't feel like I had the chance to get to know him in the way that I got to know Manisha, so I sort of felt like it either should have been more equal in their narrative time, or he shouldn't have been a perspective we read from at all.
I think I may actually have enjoyed this more if we just had Manisha's perspective.
With this being said, even though I have some slight nit-picky things I wasn't crazy about, this is still a good book. It actually seems like the kind of story, that if you're the right Reader, and you read it at the right time, it could be incredibly powerful for you.
I can see that potential. This is a solid Fantasy story, with strong world creation and compelling ideas. I am definitely interested in reading more from this author in the future.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Hyperion, Rick Riordan Presents and Disney Audio for providing me with copies to read and review. This definitely won't be my last Sajni Patel!
A Drop of Venom is a recent YA Fantasy release pitched as a retelling of the Medusa myth, steeped in Indian mythology, and happily, it is exactly that.
This story follows 16-year old, Manisha, whose naga people have seen their lives decimated because of the King's army. Manisha was sent to a holy temple to become a priestess, where it was believed she would be safe.
But for girls, there's rarely any place that is actually safe.
We also follow 17-year old, Pratyush, who is a Monster Slayer and one of the greatest assets of the King. Yes, the very same King who has terrorized Manisha's people.
When Pratyush and Manisha meet when he visits the Temple, sparks fly and both see in each other a glimpse of the peaceful life that could be possible. Unfortunately, for them both, fortune is not on their side.
Before their relationship even has a chance to get off the ground, tragedy strikes Manisha. A visitor to the temple, a General in the King's army, brutally rapes her and throws her off the side of the mountain into a churning den of vipers, where he expects her to die.
But she doesn't die. In fact, she rises, stronger than ever, with a new set of unimaginable powers.
Pratyush's next assignment leads him on a hunt for a hideous monster said to be killing and maiming men in the countryside. Little does he know this very monster is actually the girl he wishes to someday marry.
I liked this story, I did. Please don't let my 3.5-star rating discourage you. Patel's writing is strong and I appreciate the tough topics that she examined, as well as the rich cultural influences that gave such depth and beauty to this tale.
I loved the idea of a Medusa retelling and I loved watching Manisha regain her strength, power and new courage as the story got farther along.
For me though, I did have a bit of an uneven reading experience with this one overall. There were times I was so into it and then other times when I was bored. There's no better way to explain it.
Additionally, at times I did find some of the plot elements difficult to track, and definitely felt the second half was stronger than the start. Also, I wasn't completely sold on the alternating perspectives.
We're mostly getting the story from Manisha's POV, so when we would randomly switch to Pratyush, I didn't care about him. I didn't feel like I had the chance to get to know him in the way that I got to know Manisha, so I sort of felt like it either should have been more equal in their narrative time, or he shouldn't have been a perspective we read from at all.
I think I may actually have enjoyed this more if we just had Manisha's perspective.
With this being said, even though I have some slight nit-picky things I wasn't crazy about, this is still a good book. It actually seems like the kind of story, that if you're the right Reader, and you read it at the right time, it could be incredibly powerful for you.
I can see that potential. This is a solid Fantasy story, with strong world creation and compelling ideas. I am definitely interested in reading more from this author in the future.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Hyperion, Rick Riordan Presents and Disney Audio for providing me with copies to read and review. This definitely won't be my last Sajni Patel!
September 25, 2023
This is a startling book for the Riordan Presents series which usually is aimed at children in the ages 9-13/middle grade bracket. I failed to notice that this one is aimed at high school students (grades 9-12, ages 14-18) and I skipped the opening letter from Riordan that does, to be fair, clearly state this book is about sexual violence, so I know a lot of this is on me but….holy crap, there is SO MUCH RAPE. Starting at around the 20% mark rape of all types (m on f, m on m, forced rape of another, even *knife* on male) become increasingly common. Some rapes are referenced or threatened, others are completely and clearly depicted. In many instances, women are willingly sold by men (or other women) to rapists for express intent of violating them. In one community the main character visits the practice is so common female children are fed increasingly less diluted poison in hopes that when they are raped, their attackers will absorb the poison during rape and suffer some consequences. It’s really a *lot* and often not dealt with very deftly. There is also tremendous violence aimed at women and girls that is not sexual, including multiple scenes of beatings and mutilations for infractions as small as voicing opinions or “rebelliousness.” The violence is constant to the point of meaninglessness, seemingly thrown in for shock value or to ham fistedly make the same point over and over and over again (namely, rape & violence is traumatic for the victims). As Riordan Presents moves into older and more graphic content I’m going to have to rescind my blanket recommendation for the Riordan Presents series. Hopefully there will be some sort of visible logo difference between the middle grade friendly books and those intended for older audiences.
The story itself is a reimagining of the Medusa myth in an Indian-lore inspired fantasy universe. The plot is pretty simple, Manisha (Medusa) is a naga who is forced to live in secret among normal humans until she is violently raped and nearly murdered. Instead she survives and leads a sort of resistance crusade against the king and patriarchy on behalf of girls who are constantly raped, beaten, and abused in this kingdom. A tepid romance with the Slayer, a supernatural hunter who is enslaved by the king, provides a secondary protagonist whose sole function seems to be to provide a male character that is not an appalling predator of women (for all he is a predator of monsters, for which he suffers a fantasy psychic torment that should be interesting but isn’t explored enough to actually be so). The tone vacillates between between high fantasy and contemporary teenage novel, with fantastical descriptions of mythic monsters met with teenagers proclaiming the ferocious beasts “lame.” It’s clearly meant to be a feminist retelling but for me it falls short and the ceaseless often pointless violence, sexual and otherwise, is exhausting and off putting.
The story itself is a reimagining of the Medusa myth in an Indian-lore inspired fantasy universe. The plot is pretty simple, Manisha (Medusa) is a naga who is forced to live in secret among normal humans until she is violently raped and nearly murdered. Instead she survives and leads a sort of resistance crusade against the king and patriarchy on behalf of girls who are constantly raped, beaten, and abused in this kingdom. A tepid romance with the Slayer, a supernatural hunter who is enslaved by the king, provides a secondary protagonist whose sole function seems to be to provide a male character that is not an appalling predator of women (for all he is a predator of monsters, for which he suffers a fantasy psychic torment that should be interesting but isn’t explored enough to actually be so). The tone vacillates between between high fantasy and contemporary teenage novel, with fantastical descriptions of mythic monsters met with teenagers proclaiming the ferocious beasts “lame.” It’s clearly meant to be a feminist retelling but for me it falls short and the ceaseless often pointless violence, sexual and otherwise, is exhausting and off putting.
October 20, 2023
Thank you to Sajni Patel for providing me with an ARC!
WOW. I'm having a hard time formulating my thoughts mainly because this book was FANTASTIC but also because I'm struggling trying to type this out with my vision obstructed by my tears. I sobbed so hard reading this book. A Drop of Venom is such a powerful commentary of the stigma of sexual violence and gender roles in South Asian communities, as well as sisterhood, resilience, and vengeance. While I am familiar with the origin story of Medusa, it was so cool to see this infamous character in Greek mythology be intertwined with Indian mythology as well. I loved following Manisha and Pratyush, and seeing how their individual journeys and timelines intertwined throughout the couple months that they know each other. The romance between them is definitely not a main focus of the story, but the story is still romantic.
Additionally, for a writer that has only published contemporary novels, Sajni Patel's storytelling in a fantasy setting is so well done! I was fully immersed in this world and following the characters and mythology closely. It was very easy to read and digest, and I can't wait for Eshani's story next!
I do want to share the CWs of this book because it is very heavy and dark at times. Even though it's YA, I'd still recommend it for upper YA readers for the following reasons: sexual assault and rape (on-page and off-page), mutilation, sexism, physical abuse, domestic violence, death, gore.
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
WOW. I'm having a hard time formulating my thoughts mainly because this book was FANTASTIC but also because I'm struggling trying to type this out with my vision obstructed by my tears. I sobbed so hard reading this book. A Drop of Venom is such a powerful commentary of the stigma of sexual violence and gender roles in South Asian communities, as well as sisterhood, resilience, and vengeance. While I am familiar with the origin story of Medusa, it was so cool to see this infamous character in Greek mythology be intertwined with Indian mythology as well. I loved following Manisha and Pratyush, and seeing how their individual journeys and timelines intertwined throughout the couple months that they know each other. The romance between them is definitely not a main focus of the story, but the story is still romantic.
Additionally, for a writer that has only published contemporary novels, Sajni Patel's storytelling in a fantasy setting is so well done! I was fully immersed in this world and following the characters and mythology closely. It was very easy to read and digest, and I can't wait for Eshani's story next!
I do want to share the CWs of this book because it is very heavy and dark at times. Even though it's YA, I'd still recommend it for upper YA readers for the following reasons: sexual assault and rape (on-page and off-page), mutilation, sexism, physical abuse, domestic violence, death, gore.
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
January 20, 2024
I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Kaleidoscopic book tours.
A Drop of Venum is a breathtaking, richly narrated Medusa retelling told through the lens of an Indian mythology narrative and is like nothing I've read before!
I found this retelling not only refreshing but exillerating to read. The world it is set in is captivating and jumps from the page, immersing you in the story from the authors magnificent storytelling. I found myself lost in this book every time I picked it up!
In this story, we follow Manisha, who's modelled on Medusa and is just sixteen-years-old as she flees from one dangerous world to another. Manisha realises monsters can appear in many forms and is hidden away in a floating temple until she can find her way back to her beloved family. The second POV is Pratyush, who finds himself trapped as the Kings Slayer of monsters (Perseus). When the pair meet, a spark ignites, and both see within each other a possibility of a new beginning. But events unfold separating the pair as Manisha runs for her life after being horrifically sexually assaulted and left for dead and Pratyush is sent on a mission to kill and bring back the head of a monstrous nagin who has been turning men into stone. As their paths allign again, can the pair trust each other and take a leap at a new path forged together, or will they crash and destroy each other...
This was a very empowering, thought-provoking, and satisfying read that tackles some serious issues very well. And although I'm not a lover of snakes, Noni captured my heart - I never thought I'd cry so much over a snake!! I honestly can't wait to read book two, which is one of Manishas sisters' story next.
A Drop of Venum is a breathtaking, richly narrated Medusa retelling told through the lens of an Indian mythology narrative and is like nothing I've read before!
I found this retelling not only refreshing but exillerating to read. The world it is set in is captivating and jumps from the page, immersing you in the story from the authors magnificent storytelling. I found myself lost in this book every time I picked it up!
In this story, we follow Manisha, who's modelled on Medusa and is just sixteen-years-old as she flees from one dangerous world to another. Manisha realises monsters can appear in many forms and is hidden away in a floating temple until she can find her way back to her beloved family. The second POV is Pratyush, who finds himself trapped as the Kings Slayer of monsters (Perseus). When the pair meet, a spark ignites, and both see within each other a possibility of a new beginning. But events unfold separating the pair as Manisha runs for her life after being horrifically sexually assaulted and left for dead and Pratyush is sent on a mission to kill and bring back the head of a monstrous nagin who has been turning men into stone. As their paths allign again, can the pair trust each other and take a leap at a new path forged together, or will they crash and destroy each other...
This was a very empowering, thought-provoking, and satisfying read that tackles some serious issues very well. And although I'm not a lover of snakes, Noni captured my heart - I never thought I'd cry so much over a snake!! I honestly can't wait to read book two, which is one of Manishas sisters' story next.
January 22, 2024
sorry besties, the representation alone couldn’t save this book. like don’t get me wrong, i love indian representation and i did love all the indian mythology presented in this book, but it felt so bloated, the plot a marsh to dredge through :( also don’t even get me started on how dumb that insta-love between our main characters was. pratyush was a simp but manisha was a boss ass bitch, so 2.5 stars for her i guess.
Want to read
January 27, 2024
"Venom is a dark fantasy YA feminist retelling of Medusa steeped in Indian lore that explores what it truly means to be a monster. 🐍"
IM READY.
also most stunning cover ever!!
IM READY.
also most stunning cover ever!!
January 16, 2025
wow, wow, wow is all i have to say. what an incredible story and so well written. one of the darker YA fantasies i’ve read so please please check trigger warnings. Sajni i fear fantasy is your calling! 4.5 stars rounded up
January 3, 2024
2.5 Stars
I was really looking forward to A Drop Of Venom, it sounded so interesting with the medusa mythology, plus the cover is gorgeous! Sadly for me, it was quite a let down.
A Drop of Venom is about a 16 year old girl called Manisha, who comes from a group of female warriors called the naga. Manisha's home was attacked when she was young and she lost touch with her family and ended up as a priestess in a floating temple.
Our lead male Pratyush lost his family to monsters despite his Dad being the King's "Slayer" of monsters. Pratyush is the only one to survive and is taken by the King to train to be his next Slayer (who are rare and have magical qualities). Pratyush visits the temple and meets Manisha and falls in love.
I'm not going to go into anything else but please know the story has a lot of violence, gore, sexual assault and rape. So please do not read if you are triggered by this.
For the first half of the book I was considering stopping reading many times. The pace was so slow, I wasn't connecting with the characters and there was a lot of repetition. I only pushed through because I had been sent the ARC and in the end I am glad I did because the second half was better, but unfortunately not enough to make up for it.
The characters were decent but a bit of a mixed bag. Manisha in the second half was my favourite as she became strong and her anger at life gave her confidence. She goes through a lot so seeing her even stronger on the other side was inspirational.
Pratyush was a bit of a boring character for me. There wasn't much to him other than wanting to get away from the King and killing Monsters. I also found the romance to be really bad and the instalove didn't work for me at all.
The writing of the book was strange as it read like a middle grade book, but had the violence and sexual violence of a NA book. I think a lot of editing needed to make it more level and that includes removing some of the more gore filled scenes and most of the sexual assault ones too. I understand why one SA was needed for the story, but felt there were too many that didn't need to be there.
Overall, an interesting twist on the Medusa story but sadly with many faults. I unfortunately won't be continuing this series.
Please note that I was gifted this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was really looking forward to A Drop Of Venom, it sounded so interesting with the medusa mythology, plus the cover is gorgeous! Sadly for me, it was quite a let down.
A Drop of Venom is about a 16 year old girl called Manisha, who comes from a group of female warriors called the naga. Manisha's home was attacked when she was young and she lost touch with her family and ended up as a priestess in a floating temple.
Our lead male Pratyush lost his family to monsters despite his Dad being the King's "Slayer" of monsters. Pratyush is the only one to survive and is taken by the King to train to be his next Slayer (who are rare and have magical qualities). Pratyush visits the temple and meets Manisha and falls in love.
I'm not going to go into anything else but please know the story has a lot of violence, gore, sexual assault and rape. So please do not read if you are triggered by this.
For the first half of the book I was considering stopping reading many times. The pace was so slow, I wasn't connecting with the characters and there was a lot of repetition. I only pushed through because I had been sent the ARC and in the end I am glad I did because the second half was better, but unfortunately not enough to make up for it.
The characters were decent but a bit of a mixed bag. Manisha in the second half was my favourite as she became strong and her anger at life gave her confidence. She goes through a lot so seeing her even stronger on the other side was inspirational.
Pratyush was a bit of a boring character for me. There wasn't much to him other than wanting to get away from the King and killing Monsters. I also found the romance to be really bad and the instalove didn't work for me at all.
The writing of the book was strange as it read like a middle grade book, but had the violence and sexual violence of a NA book. I think a lot of editing needed to make it more level and that includes removing some of the more gore filled scenes and most of the sexual assault ones too. I understand why one SA was needed for the story, but felt there were too many that didn't need to be there.
Overall, an interesting twist on the Medusa story but sadly with many faults. I unfortunately won't be continuing this series.
Please note that I was gifted this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2024
I originally had no idea this was a Medusa myth retelling! It was excellent! A mix of the Medusa myth with Indian folklore, it’s a harrowing story of revenge, survival and love. Sexual violence and gender roles play a huge role in this story, so do read with caution, but the story is deeply powerful. Manisha and Pratyush are excellent main characters, the storytelling is so well done, this is a fantastic and important read. And also a heck of a great fantasy!
As the author says in her acknowledgements, there’s nothing like a just reckoning.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rick Riordan Presents/Disney Hyperion for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
As the author says in her acknowledgements, there’s nothing like a just reckoning.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rick Riordan Presents/Disney Hyperion for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Shelved as 'dnf'
February 8, 2024𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐃𝐍𝐅𝐞𝐝: 𝐅𝐞𝐛. 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
DNF on pg 60
Unfortunately this just was not clicking. It sounded really interesting, a retelling of Medusa and explorations of sexual violence. But, it fell flat.
Insta-love was my first issue. On the first 30 pages the love interests meet and immeaditly both are interested. They hardly have any convos and the male love interest sneaks into her room after 40 pages and three convos. No thanks.
Also the writing. This is a dark gritty fantasy, why are we saying Yep and consistent sentences that's start with "..."
It read very middle grade which clashed heavily with the message.
DNF on pg 60
Unfortunately this just was not clicking. It sounded really interesting, a retelling of Medusa and explorations of sexual violence. But, it fell flat.
Insta-love was my first issue. On the first 30 pages the love interests meet and immeaditly both are interested. They hardly have any convos and the male love interest sneaks into her room after 40 pages and three convos. No thanks.
Also the writing. This is a dark gritty fantasy, why are we saying Yep and consistent sentences that's start with "..."
It read very middle grade which clashed heavily with the message.
May 11, 2024
I've read Sajni Patel's YA romances before and let me tell you, those are VERY different. I love an author with range! This book is brutal and graphic, but in a way that will (hopefully) make people feel empowered. You will root for the main character, follow her monster origin story, and wonder who the real monster is. This book is inspired by both the tale of Medusa and Indian mythology, a combination that worked exceedingly well and made for a very gripping read.
CWs: rape, murder, violence, blood, gore, death of parents, menstruation
CWs: rape, murder, violence, blood, gore, death of parents, menstruation
July 5, 2023
This was the first Rick Riordan presents book I didn’t enjoy. At 53% through the book, I was still waiting for the story to really pick up. I know this is meant to be for an older audience than most of the presents books as well, but it was so much darker than I am used to. I wish it had focused more on the mythology aspect. I think the story had great potential, but didn’t quite reach my expectations.
December 26, 2023
4.5/5⭐️
I just finished and this book was an absolute masterpiece!!!
This YA fantasy Medusa inspired story mixed with Indian lore was such a great read and as always Sajnis’s characters have you enamored!
This story follows Manisha & Pratyush’s journeys both following their own seperate paths unexpectedly towards each other.
Manisha’s search for her family and coming into her destiny was so amazing to read about. Although there are triggering and heavier topics mentioned, you see Manisha come into the powerful entity she’s destined to be despite all her hardships. The friends/allies she makes along the way all teach her lessons through out her journey. Reading about the side characters was another incredible added layer to this story as well!!
Pratyush is known as the slayer of monsters and works for the King and instantly finds himself falling for Manisha. At once he’s decided he wants to ask for her hand in marriage and retire slaying the monsters that haunt the kingdom. The king tasks him one final journey: slay the newest rumored monster and get your freedom.
But possibly maybe is the new monster he’s tasked to slay… the love of his life?
I was hooked from the beginning especially with all of the descriptive Indian fantasy/lore Sajni included!! She always has a way with words to describe such vivid imagery wheather it is describing garments, scary monsters or delicious cuisine!
Definitely check TW’s for this books!! And thank you for the ARC!
I just finished and this book was an absolute masterpiece!!!
This YA fantasy Medusa inspired story mixed with Indian lore was such a great read and as always Sajnis’s characters have you enamored!
This story follows Manisha & Pratyush’s journeys both following their own seperate paths unexpectedly towards each other.
Manisha’s search for her family and coming into her destiny was so amazing to read about. Although there are triggering and heavier topics mentioned, you see Manisha come into the powerful entity she’s destined to be despite all her hardships. The friends/allies she makes along the way all teach her lessons through out her journey. Reading about the side characters was another incredible added layer to this story as well!!
Pratyush is known as the slayer of monsters and works for the King and instantly finds himself falling for Manisha. At once he’s decided he wants to ask for her hand in marriage and retire slaying the monsters that haunt the kingdom. The king tasks him one final journey: slay the newest rumored monster and get your freedom.
But possibly maybe is the new monster he’s tasked to slay… the love of his life?
I was hooked from the beginning especially with all of the descriptive Indian fantasy/lore Sajni included!! She always has a way with words to describe such vivid imagery wheather it is describing garments, scary monsters or delicious cuisine!
Definitely check TW’s for this books!! And thank you for the ARC!
April 3, 2024
When I first started this book, I knew it was going to be one that stuck with me long after I read it. The idea itself is audacious, but works wonderfully well. The trend of retelling myths but with a feminist twist is incredibly popular, but you don't see many being marketed towards young adults.
The main issue that I had with this book is the writing. Much of this is written like a middle grade book, but the content was very older YA or NA. This book is one of the first YA books under Rick Riordan Presents, which typically has books geared towards middle graders, which could explain some of the disconnect between the writing and the content.
Manisha's story is a powerful one for all young people to read. I loved that we alternated between Pratyush's and Manisha's POV and how Pratyush was in the present, while we were with Manisha as she was slowly learning about who she became. This book is an incredibly powerful read, and I can't wait to see more in this universe.
The main issue that I had with this book is the writing. Much of this is written like a middle grade book, but the content was very older YA or NA. This book is one of the first YA books under Rick Riordan Presents, which typically has books geared towards middle graders, which could explain some of the disconnect between the writing and the content.
Manisha's story is a powerful one for all young people to read. I loved that we alternated between Pratyush's and Manisha's POV and how Pratyush was in the present, while we were with Manisha as she was slowly learning about who she became. This book is an incredibly powerful read, and I can't wait to see more in this universe.
July 10, 2024
(review from a desi girlie)
I really wanted to love this book! I went into it expecting it to be a gut-wrenching exploration of womanhood, female rage, and trauma, for which the South Asian-inspired setting seemed like the perfect choice. There is so much mythology, history, and modern conversations to pull from, especially regarding traditional purity culture and the still-prominent issue of tying a woman's worth to her "marriageability" (which automatically harms SA survivors, widows, divorcees, etc...). All of this has the potential to tie beautifully into a retelling of the myth of Medusa.
However.
As several reviewers have pointed out already, the writing felt too middle grade-y for the heaviness of the themes and scenes it was depicting, often in graphic detail. I found this especially distracting in Manisha's chapters. One scene that had a lot of potential was when Manisha meets with another woman not long after the SA, who explains the concept of "rape" to her for the first time, as opposed to words women hear far too often in regards to SA (I find this particularly relevant in the context of South Asian purity culture) - words like "defiled", which are objectifying and dehumanizing. This is an extremely important concept that could have formed a very powerful and emotional scene.
In execution, though, it feels like a line lifted from Wikipedia:
"What is... rape?"
The woman kindly explained, "It's when one person sexually violates another, without the other person's consent. Is that what happened?"
This would be fine for a middle grade novel. I don't want to diminish how important it is for younger readers to have access to clear-cut definitions on what SA is. But this isn't a book for middle graders. It's a Young Adult fantasy, and this dialogue is phrased in a manner that is waaaay too contemporary. It's just not language you would expect to hear from a mythological river protector.
Same goes for the way Pratyush speaks. Bro does not sound like a powerful warrior with an insane amount of pressure on his shoulders at all . That doesn't mean he has to be serious at all times, but the fact that he talks like your average 21st century teen gives me so much whiplash. This could've been improved with more detail in the worldbuilding, as other reviewers have mentioned. Make up some new curses! Slang! Turns of phrase that are unique to this world! There are so many ways to make him sound young and bring out his more lighthearted side without making him say things like "what in the actual hell."
Speaking of worldbuilding, there were a few characters that felt like cardboard cutouts rather than real people. The main example for me is the man who SAs Manisha. He is never given a name, despite being a character we see a number of times throughout the book. He exists solely to be the evil rapist. Again, in a middle grade novel, it wouldn't necessarily be an issue to have a character who is evil simply because he is evil. But for a YA novel, this feels like a caricature, and I feel that it diminishes the message of the story. Rapists are people who often blend right into the rest of society, including in the rigidly patriarchal South Asian communities that have clearly inspired this novel. They are the products of societies that enable rape culture. They are coworkers, they are parents, they are neighbors. They are politicians, they are artists, they are businesspeople. They have enablers who believe themselves to be good people. They treat people they see as equals/superior with perfect respect and dignity, while committing the most dehumanizing of abuses against those they see as less powerful. Their humanity is what makes them so dangerous - because they choose when to act human, and when to act like a monster.
All that to say - there are many rapists in this book, and all of them are shown to be innately gross and sleazy. It would've been much more powerful to show the man who SA'd Manisha as a fleshed-out character to depict the banality of evil, and how easily society often covers that evil up.
Lastly, the timeline of the book really didn't work for me. There are only 37 days between Manisha's transformation into a Medusa-like being and the conclusion of the book. When the king sends Pratyush to slay the monster that is Manisha, he gives a whole spiel about her immense power and infamy. So she's had about a month to undergo significant character development, gain control over her powers, and garner a reputation as this fearsome monster queen? Idk. It was a very odd pacing choice.
I do want to mention positive elements to this book too - I'm glad the author touched on the fact that men can be victims of SA (though it was also handled in a way that felt too '101 explainer'-y). I liked how Manisha used her powers to . There were also scenes I thought were plenty cute, especially I've seen previews calling the main couple a major case of instalove, but to me it felt reminiscent of classical Indian movies as well as fairytales. Pratyush and Manisha have the kind of sweet, naive chemistry that is so quintessentially old Bollywood, and I loved it. Even though I didn't love this first book, I think I might just read the sequel for more of this couple.
Overall impression: amazing concept, but execution falls very flat.
I really wanted to love this book! I went into it expecting it to be a gut-wrenching exploration of womanhood, female rage, and trauma, for which the South Asian-inspired setting seemed like the perfect choice. There is so much mythology, history, and modern conversations to pull from, especially regarding traditional purity culture and the still-prominent issue of tying a woman's worth to her "marriageability" (which automatically harms SA survivors, widows, divorcees, etc...). All of this has the potential to tie beautifully into a retelling of the myth of Medusa.
However.
As several reviewers have pointed out already, the writing felt too middle grade-y for the heaviness of the themes and scenes it was depicting, often in graphic detail. I found this especially distracting in Manisha's chapters. One scene that had a lot of potential was when Manisha meets with another woman not long after the SA, who explains the concept of "rape" to her for the first time, as opposed to words women hear far too often in regards to SA (I find this particularly relevant in the context of South Asian purity culture) - words like "defiled", which are objectifying and dehumanizing. This is an extremely important concept that could have formed a very powerful and emotional scene.
In execution, though, it feels like a line lifted from Wikipedia:
"What is... rape?"
The woman kindly explained, "It's when one person sexually violates another, without the other person's consent. Is that what happened?"
This would be fine for a middle grade novel. I don't want to diminish how important it is for younger readers to have access to clear-cut definitions on what SA is. But this isn't a book for middle graders. It's a Young Adult fantasy, and this dialogue is phrased in a manner that is waaaay too contemporary. It's just not language you would expect to hear from a mythological river protector.
Same goes for the way Pratyush speaks. Bro does not sound like a powerful warrior with an insane amount of pressure on his shoulders at all . That doesn't mean he has to be serious at all times, but the fact that he talks like your average 21st century teen gives me so much whiplash. This could've been improved with more detail in the worldbuilding, as other reviewers have mentioned. Make up some new curses! Slang! Turns of phrase that are unique to this world! There are so many ways to make him sound young and bring out his more lighthearted side without making him say things like "what in the actual hell."
Speaking of worldbuilding, there were a few characters that felt like cardboard cutouts rather than real people. The main example for me is the man who SAs Manisha. He is never given a name, despite being a character we see a number of times throughout the book. He exists solely to be the evil rapist. Again, in a middle grade novel, it wouldn't necessarily be an issue to have a character who is evil simply because he is evil. But for a YA novel, this feels like a caricature, and I feel that it diminishes the message of the story. Rapists are people who often blend right into the rest of society, including in the rigidly patriarchal South Asian communities that have clearly inspired this novel. They are the products of societies that enable rape culture. They are coworkers, they are parents, they are neighbors. They are politicians, they are artists, they are businesspeople. They have enablers who believe themselves to be good people. They treat people they see as equals/superior with perfect respect and dignity, while committing the most dehumanizing of abuses against those they see as less powerful. Their humanity is what makes them so dangerous - because they choose when to act human, and when to act like a monster.
All that to say - there are many rapists in this book, and all of them are shown to be innately gross and sleazy. It would've been much more powerful to show the man who SA'd Manisha as a fleshed-out character to depict the banality of evil, and how easily society often covers that evil up.
Lastly, the timeline of the book really didn't work for me. There are only 37 days between Manisha's transformation into a Medusa-like being and the conclusion of the book. When the king sends Pratyush to slay the monster that is Manisha, he gives a whole spiel about her immense power and infamy. So she's had about a month to undergo significant character development, gain control over her powers, and garner a reputation as this fearsome monster queen? Idk. It was a very odd pacing choice.
I do want to mention positive elements to this book too - I'm glad the author touched on the fact that men can be victims of SA (though it was also handled in a way that felt too '101 explainer'-y). I liked how Manisha used her powers to . There were also scenes I thought were plenty cute, especially I've seen previews calling the main couple a major case of instalove, but to me it felt reminiscent of classical Indian movies as well as fairytales. Pratyush and Manisha have the kind of sweet, naive chemistry that is so quintessentially old Bollywood, and I loved it. Even though I didn't love this first book, I think I might just read the sequel for more of this couple.
Overall impression: amazing concept, but execution falls very flat.
January 12, 2024
I was excited to read this one, and then once I got into it, I was hooked! This book had so much to it! It had wonderful mythology/fantasy world building. Characters with a lot to them, both the good and some of the bad even. Although what we consider the bad in this book aren’t either of the main characters, even if others in the story may consider them monsters.
Pratyush, the Slayer, the only one left, was such an interesting character. His life may have seemed like he was a hero, but still he was under the King’s thumb, and often had to do things he might not have felt was necessary. Many of the monsters that could have just been avoided, and people who might not have died, but either they wouldn’t listen to him, or he had to for the King. It was easy to kind of fall in love with him a little in his interactions with Manisha when she was a priestess.
Manisha though was who I was rooting for. Seeing also what she had to go through to survive when her family and people were attacked and almost completely destroyed by the King’s army. The way her life at the holy temple wasn’t great. How there were mean girls there, and what happened when they took over thanks to the death of who had been in charge. Her life there made it hard for her to know who to trust once things changed and she was back in the world below the floating mountains. Made it harder for her to trust even when someone was actually offering help or friendship.
Of course there is also the whole theme of being violated. What happens to Manisha, what happens to the women she meets in the world below. And how even trying to help them causes her to doubt if things were her fault. What she could have differently to maybe prevent it from happening. The author does such a great job weaving into this fantastical story what it is like for real life girls or other victims in those situations. The doubts we feel. The way we are afraid to tell our story, because there are or could be those people who will basically feel as if it was our own fault it happened, that we did something wrong or deserved it because of the way we dressed or where we went. Once again there was line included that was one that has always resonated with me because of how it applies to my own situation. When Manisha says: “…took something from me that was not yours to take.” That feeling right there is one that sticks with me to this day, from the first time I read the basically same thing in the book After by Anna Todd.
And finally, the author’s note at the end. How she talks about her love of mythology being really ignited when she read Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, and how insane it is that she is now writing for his line of publishing with her own mythology. And I love bringing the story of Medusa to life in this retelling. How she is a villain, but think of how we overlook her past and what made her that way. The statue of Medusa holding the head of Perseus perfectly goes with this story, except we might not want our Perseus/Slayer dead this time.
I am also glad to see that we will hopefully be getting another story in this world, from one of Manisha’s sisters it seems!
This review was first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
Pratyush, the Slayer, the only one left, was such an interesting character. His life may have seemed like he was a hero, but still he was under the King’s thumb, and often had to do things he might not have felt was necessary. Many of the monsters that could have just been avoided, and people who might not have died, but either they wouldn’t listen to him, or he had to for the King. It was easy to kind of fall in love with him a little in his interactions with Manisha when she was a priestess.
Manisha though was who I was rooting for. Seeing also what she had to go through to survive when her family and people were attacked and almost completely destroyed by the King’s army. The way her life at the holy temple wasn’t great. How there were mean girls there, and what happened when they took over thanks to the death of who had been in charge. Her life there made it hard for her to know who to trust once things changed and she was back in the world below the floating mountains. Made it harder for her to trust even when someone was actually offering help or friendship.
Of course there is also the whole theme of being violated. What happens to Manisha, what happens to the women she meets in the world below. And how even trying to help them causes her to doubt if things were her fault. What she could have differently to maybe prevent it from happening. The author does such a great job weaving into this fantastical story what it is like for real life girls or other victims in those situations. The doubts we feel. The way we are afraid to tell our story, because there are or could be those people who will basically feel as if it was our own fault it happened, that we did something wrong or deserved it because of the way we dressed or where we went. Once again there was line included that was one that has always resonated with me because of how it applies to my own situation. When Manisha says: “…took something from me that was not yours to take.” That feeling right there is one that sticks with me to this day, from the first time I read the basically same thing in the book After by Anna Todd.
And finally, the author’s note at the end. How she talks about her love of mythology being really ignited when she read Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, and how insane it is that she is now writing for his line of publishing with her own mythology. And I love bringing the story of Medusa to life in this retelling. How she is a villain, but think of how we overlook her past and what made her that way. The statue of Medusa holding the head of Perseus perfectly goes with this story, except we might not want our Perseus/Slayer dead this time.
I am also glad to see that we will hopefully be getting another story in this world, from one of Manisha’s sisters it seems!
This review was first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
January 21, 2024
Full video review here: https://youtu.be/ZCNDS7E7uTE?si=1AtHA...
I really enjoyed this one! An interesting take on Medusa with Indian mythology. It had beautiful language and a heartbreaking/heartwarming story about love and hope. Trigger warnings for sexual assault.
I really enjoyed this one! An interesting take on Medusa with Indian mythology. It had beautiful language and a heartbreaking/heartwarming story about love and hope. Trigger warnings for sexual assault.
Want to read
May 14, 2023The cover alone makes me want to read this
May 30, 2024
rep: indian
trigger and content warning: sexual violence, rape
a drop of venom unexpectedly ignited feelings within me while i was reading. one main aspect of the book was about the sexual violence against women. the utter brutality of it, the disregard of men, and the aftermath on women. i was disgusted at the way the perpetrators think as if they have the right to violate the girls; i hope they all burn in hell. i was devastated while reading the subsequent thought processes and actions the girls took after being assaulted. when the girls found support and care from others, the confusion and silent hopefulness broke my heart. sajni patel created multiple perspectives and layers this topic with care.
the novel is a retelling of medusa with indian mythology which i found to be incredibly apt. medusa’s power that came with snakes and indian myths with snakes as powerful symbols go hand-in-hand. through sixteen-year-old manisha, it was a power well deserved and well handled. separated from her family due to a war, manisha is supposed to hide quietly as a priestess in a temple on a floating mountain. when pratyush, the monster slayer, came to visit the temple, they build up a friendship that developed into something more. however, manisha is a monster.
as a nagin, manisha knew that her people were tracked down by the slayer under the command of the king. she knew she shouldn’t get close to the slayer nor should she even think about a future with him. she’s a monster, he’s a slayer. how could this thing even work out?
through pratyush’s perspective, we do see that the title of slayer does weigh on his shoulders. even though he’s only one year older than manisha, he's tired of life. the guilt that comes with killing monsters indiscriminately and knowing that he’s living a life of servitude, all he wanted to do is stop. when he was tasked to kill the serpent queen who has been turning men into stone in exchange for his freedom, he couldn't even say no to that.
out of the two perspectives, i enjoyed manisha’s the most. manisha went through so much. i loved how strong her powers and her serpents made her feel. along her way to find her family, she helped girls, fought for them, and killed those who refused to back down. meanwhile pratyush’s point of view showed us what he was up to the whole time they were apart. it conveyed his turmoil of being a slayer of monsters but feeling like a monster himself.
overall, it’s a very powerful book and i’m definitely looking forward to the next instalment which will feature one of manisha’s older sisters.
trigger and content warning: sexual violence, rape
a drop of venom unexpectedly ignited feelings within me while i was reading. one main aspect of the book was about the sexual violence against women. the utter brutality of it, the disregard of men, and the aftermath on women. i was disgusted at the way the perpetrators think as if they have the right to violate the girls; i hope they all burn in hell. i was devastated while reading the subsequent thought processes and actions the girls took after being assaulted. when the girls found support and care from others, the confusion and silent hopefulness broke my heart. sajni patel created multiple perspectives and layers this topic with care.
the novel is a retelling of medusa with indian mythology which i found to be incredibly apt. medusa’s power that came with snakes and indian myths with snakes as powerful symbols go hand-in-hand. through sixteen-year-old manisha, it was a power well deserved and well handled. separated from her family due to a war, manisha is supposed to hide quietly as a priestess in a temple on a floating mountain. when pratyush, the monster slayer, came to visit the temple, they build up a friendship that developed into something more. however, manisha is a monster.
as a nagin, manisha knew that her people were tracked down by the slayer under the command of the king. she knew she shouldn’t get close to the slayer nor should she even think about a future with him. she’s a monster, he’s a slayer. how could this thing even work out?
through pratyush’s perspective, we do see that the title of slayer does weigh on his shoulders. even though he’s only one year older than manisha, he's tired of life. the guilt that comes with killing monsters indiscriminately and knowing that he’s living a life of servitude, all he wanted to do is stop. when he was tasked to kill the serpent queen who has been turning men into stone in exchange for his freedom, he couldn't even say no to that.
out of the two perspectives, i enjoyed manisha’s the most. manisha went through so much. i loved how strong her powers and her serpents made her feel. along her way to find her family, she helped girls, fought for them, and killed those who refused to back down. meanwhile pratyush’s point of view showed us what he was up to the whole time they were apart. it conveyed his turmoil of being a slayer of monsters but feeling like a monster himself.
overall, it’s a very powerful book and i’m definitely looking forward to the next instalment which will feature one of manisha’s older sisters.
”Because those in power seek to control what they fear. We’re strong and intelligent and compassionate and resilient. We’re scholars and warriors and rulers. Imagine what would happen if women ruled the world. Or at least, if everyone were truly equal.”
July 11, 2023
This is definitely a darker one of Rick Riordans presents book out of what I've gotten my hands on and it's definitely intended for an older audience, but it's so good. Definitely read the authors note in the beginning to watch for triggers because I would have had some trouble with this book if I hadn't seen those and wasn't prepared.
I highly appreciated that some of the darker elements of the original medusa story were included in this but oh how this book pulls you in. So often the SA of the original story is left out but in this book it made our character do the impossible. After she is pushed off a cliff into a den of vipers she refuses to die despite hundreds of snake bites and instead becomes a powerful nagin who turns men to stone and has incredible powers.
The king sends someone to kill her but things get complicated when that man discovers she was who he planned on marrying. Drama!
I highly appreciated that some of the darker elements of the original medusa story were included in this but oh how this book pulls you in. So often the SA of the original story is left out but in this book it made our character do the impossible. After she is pushed off a cliff into a den of vipers she refuses to die despite hundreds of snake bites and instead becomes a powerful nagin who turns men to stone and has incredible powers.
The king sends someone to kill her but things get complicated when that man discovers she was who he planned on marrying. Drama!
Read
February 16, 2024
Trigger & Content Warnings
Rape discussed
Blood, gore & body horror including mutilation in which women have their mouths sewn shut and tongues cut out
Rape discussed
Blood, gore & body horror including mutilation in which women have their mouths sewn shut and tongues cut out
November 29, 2023
loved this so much
February 12, 2025
This is such an amazing story. The Greek myth being told through the lense of Indian Mythology was astounding! I am hooked and cannot wait for the next installment to be released!
February 8, 2025
4.5
The mix of Indian and Greek mythology (a Medusa retelling through an Indian mythology lens) was fascinating. This book conscientiously addresses themes of sexual violence and gender roles in South Asian communities. Manisha and Pratyush were both enjoyable characters to follow, and their growth was satisfying. Overall, it was an empowering and slightly sad read.
The mix of Indian and Greek mythology (a Medusa retelling through an Indian mythology lens) was fascinating. This book conscientiously addresses themes of sexual violence and gender roles in South Asian communities. Manisha and Pratyush were both enjoyable characters to follow, and their growth was satisfying. Overall, it was an empowering and slightly sad read.
January 14, 2024
**I ACCIDENTALLY RECEIVED AN ARC OF THIS BOOK WHEN I PRE ORDERED IT FROM THRIFTBOOKS. I WAS SHOCKED WHEN THEY HAD SHIPPED IT LIKE A WEEK AGO. I DO NOT KNOW HOW THEY GOT AND SOLD A COPY. I AM TREATING THIS LIKE I HAD RECEIVED A COPY FROM THE PUBLISHER. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE MY OWN AND NOT IMPACTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCE IN ANY WAY**
**NO SPOILERS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS REVIEW**
"Most might argue that she was a monster to be destroyed. Death was rarely welcomed. But death was a victory, a just to those who'd earned it. She wasn't a monster, but a harbringer of equality."
So....please do not crucify me, but I did not like this book. Maybe it was because it is technically meant for younger readers, despite the dark topic it explores? I did not like the writing style and I did not really connect to the main characters. I just could not get into it. The writing was very...just bland sentence after another after another. She did not really depict a story in my opinion. I might get yeeted for this, but I think she just wrote this book to preach and teach about feminism and the power a woman can take back after they have been SA. She wrote this book for all the women,y oung, old, black, white, to demonstrate how society expects them to act, what society tells them, and how they are NOT what society and men tell them and describe them to be. They are not too be blamed for what occurred. It is not their fault. They did not behave in a certain manner. They did not ask for violence to happen. They are victims. They are survivors. But in daring to speak out, they become monsters. But the true monsters are the ones who silence them in the first place.
First of all, i think it is an absolutely amazing freaking fantastic message to tell women all around the world. I applaud the author for putting it in detailed take no shit words. I love Riorda for publishing a story about women power and strong and courage. What I DONT like is that...THIS BECOMES THE ENTIRE STORY. There is no story. This message is not A PART of the story, IT IS THE STORY. She wrote this story probably with just those messages and flung a few myths and characters around it. To me, there was no plot really, there were no characters, it was just the message.
The actual story could have been alot better if there had been way more world building, plot building, relationship building!!! The instant connection between the main characters was a joke because there was no proper foundation. It all happened in a span of a few chapters?? With a few bland, witty, remarks?? Yeah no. I could not connect to either character at all. And maybe that was because of the writing or I was not the target audience. But...yeah.
Sure, there were aspects in which you could empathasize with the main characters, because of circumstance, but I jut did not really feel for them. I did not care what happened to them and honestly...bleh. Also, there was alot of traveling that occurred in this book and I dislike traveling scenes and only very few authors manage to make traveling scenes enjoyable. IN my opinion, this author was not one of them. Sure, there was some internal conflict with the characters, but I do not know, it just was not..potent enough again? It all felt very bland and without feeling. Detached. Maybe it was meant to be that way? I think the time skip backwards in the chapters did not help aswell..and there were hardly any side characters..
Again, I applaud the author and riordan for putting this type of work out in the world, I just think that for people like me who read to get away from the real world, too much of the real world was seeped into this novel.
Remember, this is all my opiion, if you want your own, read the book when it comes out.
**NO SPOILERS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS REVIEW**
"Most might argue that she was a monster to be destroyed. Death was rarely welcomed. But death was a victory, a just to those who'd earned it. She wasn't a monster, but a harbringer of equality."
So....please do not crucify me, but I did not like this book. Maybe it was because it is technically meant for younger readers, despite the dark topic it explores? I did not like the writing style and I did not really connect to the main characters. I just could not get into it. The writing was very...just bland sentence after another after another. She did not really depict a story in my opinion. I might get yeeted for this, but I think she just wrote this book to preach and teach about feminism and the power a woman can take back after they have been SA. She wrote this book for all the women,y oung, old, black, white, to demonstrate how society expects them to act, what society tells them, and how they are NOT what society and men tell them and describe them to be. They are not too be blamed for what occurred. It is not their fault. They did not behave in a certain manner. They did not ask for violence to happen. They are victims. They are survivors. But in daring to speak out, they become monsters. But the true monsters are the ones who silence them in the first place.
First of all, i think it is an absolutely amazing freaking fantastic message to tell women all around the world. I applaud the author for putting it in detailed take no shit words. I love Riorda for publishing a story about women power and strong and courage. What I DONT like is that...THIS BECOMES THE ENTIRE STORY. There is no story. This message is not A PART of the story, IT IS THE STORY. She wrote this story probably with just those messages and flung a few myths and characters around it. To me, there was no plot really, there were no characters, it was just the message.
The actual story could have been alot better if there had been way more world building, plot building, relationship building!!! The instant connection between the main characters was a joke because there was no proper foundation. It all happened in a span of a few chapters?? With a few bland, witty, remarks?? Yeah no. I could not connect to either character at all. And maybe that was because of the writing or I was not the target audience. But...yeah.
Sure, there were aspects in which you could empathasize with the main characters, because of circumstance, but I jut did not really feel for them. I did not care what happened to them and honestly...bleh. Also, there was alot of traveling that occurred in this book and I dislike traveling scenes and only very few authors manage to make traveling scenes enjoyable. IN my opinion, this author was not one of them. Sure, there was some internal conflict with the characters, but I do not know, it just was not..potent enough again? It all felt very bland and without feeling. Detached. Maybe it was meant to be that way? I think the time skip backwards in the chapters did not help aswell..and there were hardly any side characters..
Again, I applaud the author and riordan for putting this type of work out in the world, I just think that for people like me who read to get away from the real world, too much of the real world was seeped into this novel.
Remember, this is all my opiion, if you want your own, read the book when it comes out.
February 9, 2025
It was fine, but it had the potential to be great. The content warnings were dark so I wrongly assumed that this was YA for 16 year olds to 18 year olds. Instead the writing and dialogue was written like it was for middle schoolers.
Manisha is a great character and I’m hopeful that the reviews for book two will show that the writing evolves to represent the age that I assumed this book was written for. I wish there was more world building for some pieces of this story. Also parts of the story seemed like they moved too fast?I won’t be rushing to pick up book 2 unfortunately.
Check your trigger warnings as there is a lot of sexual assault, violence against women, and violence in general in this book.
This is without a doubt one of my favorite covers in a LONG time though. Beautiful! I’m sad this won’t have a forever space on my bookshelf.
Manisha is a great character and I’m hopeful that the reviews for book two will show that the writing evolves to represent the age that I assumed this book was written for. I wish there was more world building for some pieces of this story. Also parts of the story seemed like they moved too fast?I won’t be rushing to pick up book 2 unfortunately.
Check your trigger warnings as there is a lot of sexual assault, violence against women, and violence in general in this book.
This is without a doubt one of my favorite covers in a LONG time though. Beautiful! I’m sad this won’t have a forever space on my bookshelf.
August 28, 2024
This book was so good but I wasn’t expecting there to be a sequel!! And all I have to say is FUCK MEN!! (well at least the majority of them)
March 24, 2024
A Drop of Venom is so good I honestly don’t understand why it doesn’t have more reviews and ratings almost three months after publication. I love, love, love this book! I got lucky and was the first to get the audiobook from my library and I flew through it. I wasn’t entirely sure what it was going to be about when I requested it, but I trust Rick Riordan’s taste. He did not fail me!
The evolution of the characters through the novel was well done and believable and I enjoyed the action sequences and our FMC’s quest for vengeance. The writing is beautiful and the author knows their craft well. The audiobook narrator did a superb job, too!
My cons? I wanted to circle back around to one specific secondary character who was saved and then abused again. What ends up happening to her by the end of the novel? Will she make a reappearance if there is a sequel? Does what happened to her lips mean she’s lost to us? So many frustratingly unanswered questions…
PLEASE read the TRIGGER WARNINGS before reading or listening to this book! The FMC and many other characters deal with extreme abuse and violations of their persons.
The evolution of the characters through the novel was well done and believable and I enjoyed the action sequences and our FMC’s quest for vengeance. The writing is beautiful and the author knows their craft well. The audiobook narrator did a superb job, too!
My cons? I wanted to circle back around to one specific secondary character who was saved and then abused again. What ends up happening to her by the end of the novel? Will she make a reappearance if there is a sequel? Does what happened to her lips mean she’s lost to us? So many frustratingly unanswered questions…
PLEASE read the TRIGGER WARNINGS before reading or listening to this book! The FMC and many other characters deal with extreme abuse and violations of their persons.
January 29, 2024
Sajni Patel in her fantasy era was something I didn’t know I needed, but I’m so glad we got and I absolutely cannot wait for more.
This book had me hooked since the first chapter. I was so intrigued with the world building and it felt so refreshing seeing mythology words I was familiar with as a South Asian. I loved seeing Medusa’s story be combined with Indian mythology. There were so many powerful quotes in there and I just know I’m going to be thinking about this book for a long time.
Thank you to Sajni for sending me an eARC and Disney Books for the book box!
Things you’ll love:
-Badass fmc
-Fantasy retelling
-Dual POV
-Found family
Can’t wait for the next!
This book had me hooked since the first chapter. I was so intrigued with the world building and it felt so refreshing seeing mythology words I was familiar with as a South Asian. I loved seeing Medusa’s story be combined with Indian mythology. There were so many powerful quotes in there and I just know I’m going to be thinking about this book for a long time.
Thank you to Sajni for sending me an eARC and Disney Books for the book box!
Things you’ll love:
-Badass fmc
-Fantasy retelling
-Dual POV
-Found family
Can’t wait for the next!
March 1, 2024
Painfully moving. Heart wrenching experiences women have to deal with daily and so eloquently written makes it hurt and cathartic all at the same time. Amazing written.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 365 reviews