Roshani Chokshi

It’s probably a 3.5 but I’m rounding up to 4.

Roshani Chokshi is a beloved author and I always felt bad for not being able to get through three of her previous books. It was especially sad because all of them were based on Indian mythology, but her very lyrical purple prose was very hard for me to understand. After The Gilded Wolves was announced, it remained on my radar only because of its comparisons to SoC and the heist element and I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to read it. But we show more chose it as our Stars and Sorcery Book Club February BOTM and I’m so happy that this book was much easier to read.

The setting is Paris 1889, on the verge of the opening of Exposition Universelle and I think the author did a good job of bringing the city to life. We experience it in all its sparkly glory, the excitement about the World’s Fair, the exotic cabarets, the glittering parties and beautiful clothes etc. But underneath it all is the ugly truth - the effects of colonialism, racism and anti-Semitism; one of whose horrifying manifestation was the “Negro village” at the fair (which was apparently visited by 28 million people). When the author’s note says “History is a myth shaped by the tongues of conquerors”, I realized how evident it is in the history books we read and how the reality is so different when we read it from the perspective of a marginalized (in this case colonized) person. I liked that the author was able to show us all sides of Paris at the time and not just the glossy version. To this historical world, she adds the biblical story of the Tower of Babel, the Order of Babel which controls the tower fragments and a lot of the power in the world behind the scenes, and the magical ability of Forging. Even though I didn’t completely understand the magic system or it’s rules and limitations, the objects that the characters forged were quite fascinating to read about. I hope it’ll be explained much more in the upcoming books.

I really appreciated that the author decided to let go of some of her metaphorical writing style, otherwise I would have never finished this book. The descriptions of the city, the forged objects, the clothes and the amazing gardens are lush and beautiful. The pacing is a little uneven at times and mostly slow, but I wasn’t bored at all and finished it in just two sittings. While the planning for the heist can be slow and sometimes not explained properly, the heist scenes itself were very action packed and suspenseful and I really enjoyed them. The author also used a lot of Egyptian mythology, various historical puzzles, some mathematical hurdles to overcome and I really commend her ability to integrate all of them seamlessly into the story. I also liked that the author only hinted at possible romances in this one and I’m looking forward to how they will develop in the next book.

There are a lot of themes that are explored in this book which show the importance of highlighting marginalized voices when stories are told. We see that while colonizers revel in their might by putting on display all the wealth, artifacts and people they have stolen from far away lands, the affected people are traumatized by their profound loss of history and culture for generations to come. Their cultures become exotic objects, used for entertainment, without any context of their historical significance. We also a lot of commentary about the issues that biracial characters face - on one hand, not being accepted in one community because of being white passing and hence losing out on a significant part of their heritage; on the other hand, having to play into the stereotypes of their heritage, so that they can be visible and invisible at the same time among the elite. While the author also discusses sexism and anti-Semitism, I felt very affected by the colonialism discourse and I’m very grateful to the author for showing us the uglier side of history.

The characters are obviously what drew me to this story, and I’m so sad because I felt quite underwhelmed by them. Severin is the French-Algerian aristocrat who badly wants his birthright restored and all his planning is with that goal in mind. He is the defacto leader of the group, smart and cunning and slightly selfish, and while I understood his motives and appreciated him for giving work/home to the other members of the gang, I never felt his connection with most of them. Tristan is the one he is most protective of and I felt that I never got to know him better. Tristan loves his plants and his tarantula Goliath, is very skilled at Forging and seems like a soft hearted boy, but I never got a sense of what he wanted.

Leila is an Indian immigrant and I could relate to her the most for obvious reasons. Her backstory is very painful but she is extremely strong and skilled and knows exactly what she wants. Even though she hates her talent which has such spiritual meaning to her being used as entertainment, she is ready to use all her capabilities to achieve her goals and protect her friends. She is also the defacto mother of the group, always making sure everyone is fed and holding them all together even when circumstances are dire. Zofia is the most adorable character and I loved reading her POV. She is a Jewish girl from Poland and has to face the worst form of antisemitism. However, she is a Forging genius who finds comfort in her lab and in numbers but feels very vulnerable in social situations. I can’t wait to see where the author takes her story next.

Enrique is a Spanish-Filipino historian and another favorite of mine. I have a soft spot for history nerds in general and his fascination with history and languages and puzzles really impressed me. He also wants to do a lot for his country which has been oppressed by the Spaniards but finds it difficult to be a part of the community and contribute because of his white passing looks. I really felt his pain and despair and his will to still find a way to help despite the obstacles. On the other hand, Hypnos is a black french aristocrat who is a loner and just wants to a part of this friend group. To move in the aristocratic circles seamlessly, he also has to behave unconcerned about his Haitian slave heritage and that really pains him. Both Enrique and Hypnos are bi/pan but while Enrique comes across as hesitant about expressing his desires, Hypnos is much more flamboyant and I loved their hilarious conversations and developing dynamic.

To wrap it up, I have to say that if you want to enjoy this book, please go into it with an open mind and leave your love/bias for Six of Crows out of the picture. This book is really impressive in terms of its themes and representation and it will definitely affect any reader. I just couldn’t totally connect with the characters, which meant that the revelations at the end didn’t feel very effective. But I’m also excited to read the next book, which it looks like will take place in Russia. Give this book a chance and I promise, you will find something in it that will totally wow you and leave you with a lot to ponder. show less

4.5 Completely charming little book - would be a perfect gift for a bridal shower or wedding for book lovers. Who doesn't love an updated fairy tale mash-up? All the key elements are here: a princess (Imelda - who has the shoe collection to match her name!), a prince (Ambrose - the middle son which is its own curse in fairytale land), a legit curse or two, a witch or two, enchantments, a talking horse (cloak), a quest, and obstacles to overcome in the name of 'twoo wove' to quote The show more Princess Bride, another favorite. Very clever details here, and also some profound truths - especially about love and its paradoxical qualities. Both would be enhanced by re-reading. show less

Sometimes, when things are tough, what you need is a good fairy tale. There is great satisfaction in a story that you know is going to end happily, where the bad guys will lose, and all will be right in the world. Given the headlines these days, it feels as if fairy tales are more important than ever, if only to give us that taste of hope that may be lacking, to remind us that bad things do happen to bad people, and that love and goodness will triumph. THE SWAN'S DAUGHTER by Roshani Chokshi show more is the perfect fairy tale for the day.

If you read fairy tales for the magic, THE SWAN'S DAUGHTER has that in spades. Everything about the story is magical, from Demelza's ability to force people to tell the truth to the magic castles and grounds that change depending on their visitors to the grove of ancestor trees that offer everything from shade to advice. To me, the whimsy is half the fun of the novel, if only because it isn't all bubbles and rainbows. The various assassination attempts provide plenty of danger, just as the prospective brides bring a bloodthirsty, power-hungry element to the story.

THE SWAN'S DAUGHTER wouldn't be a fairy tale without romance, and the romance in the novel is sweet and thoughtful. Arris, the bridegroom, is the best kind of hero. It isn't that he is handsome or wealthy or a king-to-be. His appeal is much broader than that. He is the best example of making the best of a bad situation. Facing an almost certain death before you turn twenty would weigh heavily on anyone, but Arris does not spend his time wallowing or worrying. Instead, he enjoys everything. From luxurious fabrics and indulgent routines, from loving the feel of the grass on bare feet to becoming so entranced by a piece of music as to lose yourself in it. His enjoyment of life, his appreciation of what life has to offer, is a wonder to behold, a reminder to all of us to look up from our phones and enjoy what is around us instead of worrying about what the Internet says.

Conversely, Demelza is a fantastic heroine. It is easy to relate to her desire to belong, to be part of her sisters' lives, to feel worthy of her parents' love. Those are admirable traits. Yet, too often, our duty to family overshadows our need to be free from that duty. Family is a burden, no matter how well you get along with them, as family places invisible bonds and expectations on you. Being free of that burden allows you to discover who you are, what you desire. Without family expectations, you learn to exist for yourself, which is a power in its own right. Demelza eventually discovers that power, and her growth from the timid, awkward baby sister to a true princess is as inspiring as it is fun to watch.

As much fun as it is to watch Arris and Demelza dance around each other, what impressed me the most about THE SWAN'S DAUGHTER is the commentary about marriage it offers. Ms. Chokshi includes some very valuable advice in rather surprising ways. The queen's pronouncement that you won't always love your husband is one line that comes to mind not only because it is not a sentence you expect to read in any romantic story but also because of the truth behind it. She follows her statement with pearls of wisdom that you also very rarely read in romances. I love that Ms. Chokshi includes such lessons in her tale. Marriage may be difficult, but it is also one of the easiest relationships you will experience if you enter into it with the right expectations. Choice and trust, two very simple ideas that can be life-changing.

THE SWAN'S DAUGHTER, with its world of sentient buildings and lands, magical creatures, and quirky dining habits, may be a bit too fanciful for some, but I loved it. The simple act of opening the book brought a smile to my face and a release of tension in my shoulders. At times funny, at other times poignant, I fell in love with Demelza and Arris and loved watching their awkward courtship. I loved how safe everything was, kept that way by the talking vines and other sentient plant life. Ms. Chokshi's world is bright and happy and hopeful, a much-needed antidote to today's doom and gloom. show less

This book is like trying to watch Ocean’s 11 while someone stands in front of the TV reading you boring and clumsy exposition (intercut occasionally with weird, childish dialogue), and someone else stands to the side and hits you repeatedly over the head with a baseball bat that says “COLONIALISM IS BAD” on it.

One of my biggest problems with this book was the way exposition was handled. There were way too many ridiculously dry infodumps at the beginning. The story would stop to spit show more out paragraphs upon paragraphs of history lessons that still fail to explain anything properly.

The narration claims that magic doesn’t exist in this world, and then doesn’t make any effort to differentiate this system of “Forging” from magic. There is no reason to think that Forging is any different than magic. In fact, I still don’t really know what Forging is, because despite spending pages and pages dumping endless amounts of information on us, the author never managed to describe her own magic system beyond “some people can do certain types of Forging.” Thanks, I hate it.

The next big problem is the characters. First of all, they all sound the same. Sometimes I would miss the name at the beginning of the chapter and I would have no idea who was talking for like five pages because they all speak the same way. This is compounded by the fact that they all talk like modern middle school students, when they are supposed to be a team of master thieves in 19th century Paris. They sound cheesy and adolescent, and there’s no effort to couch these characters in their time period. There’s a scene where one of them mimes closing his lips with a zipper, which I can almost guarantee you people weren’t doing when the Eiffel Tower was being built.

They’re also very stupid for a team of thieves. Like when Severin bleeds all over that bear at the beginning, and for some reason they think that they left the vault without a trace until the blood comes up again later to bite them in the ass. Or when they get that honey bee necklace off someone who wanted to kill them, and they don’t immediately give it to the person who can read the history of items. Or when they know for sure that the hideout is underground...and they’re in Paris...and they never once think about the catacombs until a magic clock tells them to.

Also, apparently Severin killed seven of his foster parents and nobody ever cottoned on to how suspicious that was??

(P.S: I still can’t believe that she put Oddjob in this book.) show less