The Star-Touched Queen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)
The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi is about a girl named Maya who has been cursed with the fate of marrying death and destruction. From this horoscope reading, Maya has been treated with contempt by others in her father’s kingdom for her whole life. As a result, she expected to never marry. However, her father abruptly offers her hand in marriage to suitors in the hopes of achieving peace. On the day of her wedding, a mysterious man called Amar appears. He promises her a future where she will be treated as his equal, be able to speak her opinions, and rule alongside him in his kingdom as queen. All these options are better than what would await her elsewhere. So, she leaves with him to his obscure kingdom of Akaran. In Akaran, Maya discovers power and magic that is unlike anything she has ever seen before. But there are secrets that her new husband is keeping from her and a palace tests her worth as queen.
This book was a fantastic read. I really enjoyed reading about an intelligent woman who showcased her brilliant mind in many ways, one of which was through entertaining riddles. Throughout the book, Maya grew to be stronger and more confident in herself after facing the obstacles that she had to overcome as she tried to discover who she is and who she had been. The world of the novel was unique. The book was heavily influenced by Hindu mythology. As a reader who has not had the privilege to read much about Hindu mythology before, it was wonderful to be introduced to this world. I do wish the author had been more descriptive about the universe her book was set in. She did a good job explaining the world, but I feel like she could have gone even deeper in describing the settings because her universe was so beautiful, and I yearned to more fully experience it. Additionally, I wish she had spent a few more pages describing the aftermath of the events in the novel. The book ended somewhat abruptly, and I wished I could have known what happened to the characters that I had grown to like and the world after the final battle.
Overall, The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi was a wonderful read. It is a book immersed in a compelling and fascinating world. I loved how the protagonist, Maya, was a strong woman who was very intelligent and determined. This novel is a great read for those who want to experience a strong woman make her way in a fascinating world.
