A Crown of Wishes

I loved this book! Even more than book one. The writing is beautiful beyond words.

Crown of Wishes was TRULY TRULY an exceptional read. I've mentioned before on Goodreads that Roshani Chokshi's writing takes me back home to India, and this book was no exception. The writing was lyrical and mellifluous, and created vivid imagery that fully fleshed out the world created, although there were elements which made it feel dream-like and fuzzy around the edges.
One seemingly mundane thing that particularly stuck out to me as a credit towards Roshani Chokshi's world building skills were the attire. It would have been incredibly easy to write off clothing as a simple salwar or sari but I was able to tell that the sari that Gauri wore when she visited Vikram in the very end was draped in the Gujarati style with the pallu falling over the front of the shoulder. That little detail struck me as so incredibly amazing. I was able to tell the author's source of inspiration, in addition to the purpose of the character. It created such a vivid image for me while reading.
The characters Vikram and Gauri were wholesome, real, flawed, human beings with realistic narrative arcs. Their character development clearly progressed through cause and effect, action and reaction, which made them really really likable. Vikram, although cocky and smart mouthed, was not disrespectful or predatory towards Gauri, which was quite a relief. He really endearing the entire way through. Gauri, clearly the focus, was a rollercoaster ride. Her past and present blended together beautifully and gave purpose to her actions.
The side characters were enjoyable as well. I did think they fell flat in some places and clearly seemed to be plot devices set up to change course of action instead of people and creatures with whom the characters interacted.
I really loved this book and will not only recommend this to everyone I meet but I will probably also reread it until eternity. Exceptional work. I cannot wait to see what Roshani Chokshi has in store for us!

Once again I am enthralled by Roshani’s artistic and eloquent writing style. Her prose continues to impress. She has a very lovely and vivid way of describing the worlds in her books that just draws me in and holds me captive as I follow heroes, villains, tricksters, and monsters, as they navigate their way through magical obstacles and hidden truths.

A story full of magic, discovery, and dark trials, A CROWN OF WISHES is indeed that, a prince and a princess chasing after their deepest desires even when they didn’t quite know them their selves. It is an exquisite companion to The Star-Touched Queen.
-pooled ink Reviews