Looking For a Good Book

Roshani Chokshi’s A Crow of Wishes is a follow-up to her novel The Star-Touched Queen, which I have not read. There were times I felt as though I’d missed out on something, but for the most part, this novel reads smoothly as a stand-alone.

The story follows two members of royalty – Princess Gauri and Prince Vikram. They are from different countries, but fate brings them together to undergo a journey of epic proportions with a strong sense of mythology.

Princess Guari is held under the strong hand of her ruler brother.  Anything she loves or cares about is stripped and taken from her by her brother so that he can continue to control her.

Prince Vikram is heir to his country’s throne, but he wields no power.  Even when he ascends to the throne, he is patronized and coddled, though he rules with a pleasant, clever attitude.

When Princess Guari is sent to Vikram’s kingdom to be sacrificed/killed, Vikram takes to her and makes an offer to rescue her and to travel together to the underworld to take part in a competition – the prize:  to have a wish granted.  But how will two strangers learn to trust one another through such a journey?

What Chokshi does remarkably well is to balance the strong supernatural, mythological atmosphere with a sense of ‘real.’ The supernatural aspects (or the Indian mythology) play a strong role, but ultimately this is a story of two people learning to live and trust and journey together.

But at the same time, this is a story about a journey. A journey of two exceptional people – people who have much to lose or who have already lost their futures.

It is a story that, like the best of fiction, combines both the journey and the strength of character which is what makes this worth reading.

Looking for a good book? A Crown of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi is a strong story of character and journey but the reader may want to read the first volume before venturing here.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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A Crown of Wishes

author: Roshani Chokshi

series: The Star-Touched Queen #2

publisher: Wednesday Books

ISBN: 1250100216

paperback, 384 pages