Synopsis:
A high stakes, action-packed romantasy from bestselling author Emily Varga where a relic-hunter searches for an ancient fae object to restore the magic to her world, but must learn to trust her own powers—and her heart.
This limited luxe edition features gorgeous foil design on the cover and case, a dazzling edge and interior page design and an exclusive map—available while supplies last!
I’m going across the River. And I’m going to save us all.
Yaseema is a brilliant scholar and loyal servant of the Empire—or so they think. By day, she catalogs the fae relics of her conquered kingdom. But by night, she reclaims the artefacts in secret to restore magic to her dying land.
Until she finds the long lost key to cross the River into the fae world and save her people. But a ruthless realm awaits her there, ruled by monsters wearing beautiful skin—especially the cold-eyed captain who sees through her lies. But even he isn’t what he seems—under the guise of upholding a cruel regime, he works to overthrow it from the inside. To succeed, he needs the same lost relic Yaseema needs: the crown of an ancient Fae Queen.
With magic that is a mystery even to her, Yaseema can help him find the crown and save his family from a fate worse than death. Unless she steals it first to help her own.
To survive, they must work together to outwit ancient curses, battle creatures born of nightmares, and find a power that could resurrect their worlds. But as secrets unravel and loyalties blur, they face the greatest danger of losing their heart to each other.
Perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and The Mummy, this thrilling start to a new fantasy duology bursts with dangerous romance, heart-stopping twists, and a heroine who dares to steal back her future.
Review:
A couple of years ago, I read Emily Varga’s debut For She is Wrath, a Pakistani romantic retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo. For a first offering from an author, I found it refreshing. It was a vibrant and bold take on the source material with an feminine rage underneath it all. Now Varga is back with her next novel, the first in a new series called The River She Became. There are some similarities between the two books, but here Varga is carving an entirely new story while staying true to her ethnic roots, finding a fine balance between action and emotion in her new series.
I really enjoyed The River She Became, seeing the journey that Yaseema goes on. She really is the main character of the novel, even as the chapters alternate between her and Kiyan, she commands a little more of the attention throughout the narrative. Kiyan’s story, however, is a little more compelling in some ways — the tragic prince separated from his family who are locked away behind magical doors. Due to various circumstances, the pair are opposed at first, but there are enough hints and whispers to lead the other to trust each other just enough as they plot and plan against the Viceroy in the fae realm.
While Yaseema’s real world is fictional, it very much has its roots in South Asia — with a tyrannical empire known as the Citadel ruling over an area that is not their own, led by an Empress from far away. The comparisons to Queen Victoria and the British Empire ruling over what will eventually be India and Pakistan are unmistakable, showing the influence the British colonial time period still has on the people there today. Even early on, we get glimpses of that imperialism as Yaseema hunts down archaeological artefacts from her own land — items that should stay put — just so she can keep them out of the hands of the Citadel.
The ending is bittersweet, but knowing that Varga has a duology planned, hopefully it won’t be too long before it’s resolved. While a good chunk of Yaseema and Kiyan’s stories are concluded, Varga opens up just as many threads and mysteries along the way.
The book reads a lot like a Young Adult book with mystery, action and adventure, but with an enemies-to-lovers romance as well. The characters are late teen-early twenties who have lived for a long time without parents in their lives. I’ll note that the romance is slow-burn for the most part with low spice levels, but there is a flare-up towards the end of the book that isn’t necessarily unwelcome, but might feel a little out of place if that’s not what you’re expecting in a YA novel.
I had a good time with Emily Varga’s The River She Became and look forward to the sequel in the duology. She has proven she can write a strong and capable female lead in her young adult novels, using her own culture and history to influence the powerful narratives.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
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