The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow

“‘As for you, Medha Yankaran”- I turn towards the girl, her burnished skin and sharply cut profile making her look like an apsara come alive- “from this day forth you are mine.” Harun hurries forward with a tray of paints in his hands. I sketch the Star of Rashmatun on her forehead, as I have on my own. “You are a servant to me and me only. You will keep your body pure and your soul purer. You will be the brightest of girls, the fairest of ladies. You will be granted the wisdom of a thousand stars that have witnessed all the secrets of the universe, and you will be granted the foresight of the winds that have seen and heard everything. For soon you will no longer be Medha Yankaran. You will be Rashmatun.”

The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow

The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow is a remarkable novel. It was nothing like I’ve ever read before, and I was absorbed by the story every moment. Binsa is a “living goddess.” Having gone through a trial when she was younger, she became the person who could become the goddess Rashmatun, sit upon the Scarlet Throne and dispense her justice and wisdom. Yet what no one knows is that as far as Binsa can tell, Rashmatun doesn’t exist. The way Binsa holds and maintains her power is via a contract with the demon, Ilam.

Living goddesses are not meant to hold the position forever or for very long. When the time comes that Binsa must give up this mantle, she begins to plan a massive scheme to maintain her position as Rashmatun and continue serving her city the way she has always done. In the meantime, she must train Medha to take her place.

Medha is a sweet young girl who is chosen to take the place of Binsa as a living goddess. Her sister, Nali, also joins the court as a servant and Binsa is wary of both girls, concerned that they are scheming against her after their sister was killed during the trials years earlier.

This book follows Binsa desperately trying to hold her power, willing to sacrifice more and more of her humanity in order to maintain her position because she cannot fathom any other life for herself. This is hands down one of the best novels I’ve ever read where the main character appears to be the villain and makes a series of unethical and seemingly evil choices in order to keep her power. And yet, I couldn’t help but want Binsa to succeed in some way. I want her to have the life she chooses, and deep down I want to believe she is a good person, despite all evidence to the contrary. I don’t want to spoil too much because this book is just so incredible and intricate. I absolutely loved Amy Leow’s writing style and the characters and worlds she created. I highly recommend this one, and I thank Orbit for sending me a finished copy to read!