Book Summery (Via Goodreads):In the year 2054, after decades of gender selection, India now has a ratio of five boys for every girl, making women an incredibly valuable commodity. Tired of marrying off their daughters to the highest bidder and determined to finally make marriage fair, the women who form the country of Koyanagar have instituted a series of tests so that every boy has the chance to win a wife.
Sudasa doesn’t want to be a wife, and Kiran, a boy forced to compete in the test to become her husband, has other plans as well. Sudasa’s family wants nothing more than for their daughter to do the right thing and pick a husband who will keep her comfortable—and caged. Kiran’s family wants him to escape by failing the tests. As the tests advance, Sudasa and Kiran thwart each other at every turn until they slowly realize that they just might want the same thing.
This beautiful, unique novel is told from alternating points of view—Sudasa’s in verse and Kiran’s in prose—allowing readers to experience both characters’ pain and their brave struggle for hope.
Book Review:
The description is pretty straight forward. The story follows along fairly close. I enjoyed the back story and political influences. The alternating writing styles of verse and prose was a fun mash-up I must say. I also adored the cultural influences. I was a little disappointed by the lack of build within the plot. I think this is an excellent beginning to a series, but I don't see any plans from the author to continue this story. You learn a lot about the city, the politics, the "games" to determine a husband, but Sudsa and Kiran have very different plans. It was those plans that I would have liked to seen more of. Do they follow through on their plans? What happens after the games are over? The pacing is phenomenal and I truly would like to read more from this author! Overall, I'd recommend this book to those looking for a fast, interesting read.
Cover Art Commentary:
This cover is gorgeous! I love the colors and the design.
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