The Star Touched Queen | Thoughts
1 Star.
“I love you," he murmured into my hair. "You are my night and stars, the fate I would fix myself to in any life.”
Do I mind romance in my fantasy? Not at all. Especially when the romance transcends time, finding soulmates again and again throughout different lifetimes.
“I know your soul. Everything else is just an ornament.”
Too bad this book is such a mess. Because I do like to have, you know, actual plot development. I broke a cardinal rule—I skipped and read the ending. I don't believe in DNFing, unless it's right at the start of a book and I can tell immediately we won't get along. There's no reason to put us both through that if I know we won't enjoy one another, right?
This one started off promising, and hooked me a bit before showing its true colors. The writing is vivid, and I did enjoy learning some new folklore. I absolutely adore Indian mythology, and this book is packed with it. PACKED.
However, it seems Roshani Chokshi does not have a good grasp on how to tie one good plot point to the next. Nor does she have an editorial team willing to put the effort into crafting this into a well-constructed novel. There is absolutely no development in the characters or story past the first few pages, and while some may argue that the "insta-love" is due to Amar and Maya's soul-recognition, I don't buy it. I know we're supposed to, but Maya is the human reincarnation of an inhuman being, and she (ALONG WITH THE READER) is going to need a little bit more information before she falls head over heels for a lying, secretive Raja.
At part two I just couldn't take it anymore—I had to call it quits. Since I knew where the story was headed anyway I just skipped and read the end.
Sorry not sorry?
It is a shame, because the Indian mythology was fascinating, and in the hands of a more talented storyteller this could have been an epic love story for me to weep over. Alas, it was not to be, but although the delivery was abysmal, I took what I could in learning some new folklore.
