Kavithri is a perfect debut novel and the first book in the Ghosts of Ethuran series. With a complex South Asian-inspired setting and a captivating storyline, it deserves more attention. The world-building in this novel is detailed, with a complex social hierarchy and a fascinating magic system. There are also steampunk elements that play a significant role in the second half of the novel. I hope to see this developed further in the next book in this series.

The world-building and the main character are this story’s biggest strengths. I enjoyed reading about Kavi, her determination and development, and her desire to join the mage academy and find her family. I loved that her will was not crushed by the brutal world surrounding her, even when the story became more grim.

Apart from the exciting plot, this book is also another thought-provoking fantasy read. It explores the themes of colonialism, race, class and resistance.

I love new to me authors especially in my favourites E genres! Here we have a South Asian inspired epic fantasy that readers will fall in love with.

ARC provided by the publisher—Gollancz—in exchange for an honest review.

Imagine an engaging Indian-inspired steampunk fantasy debut reminiscent of The Poppy War with an empathetic heroine with a rein on her wrath. That’s Kavithri.

Since I posted the cover reveal of Kavithri by Aman J. Bedi at the end of last year, my interest in this heavily South-Asian-inspired fantasy novel has sparked. Especially after hearing from the author that some of my favorite series, manga, and anime, such as Kaladin from The Stormlight Archive, Malazan Book of the Fallen, Berserk by Kentaro Miura, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and more contributed to the creation of this novel. There was no possible way I'd skip reading this. And although I failed to see much of these inspirations in Kavithri, the book did not disappoint. Clocking in at 100k words, Kavithri is not a doorstopper fantasy novel, and I believe this is an example of a short fantasy book done right. This first installment in the Ghosts of Ethuran series was satisfying and difficult to put down in some sections, especially once Kavithri reached the battle school section.

“I am tired, reader. Tired of the endless commentary by men who will never fight. Tired of how they talk and argue and ignore the bottomless poverty of our people. There is only one language the Empire speaks, and it begins and ends with violence.”


Kavithri is an outcast, underdog, and survivor, and she is a Taemu. Once feared as berserkers and the spearhead of a continent-spanning invasion, her people are now the dregs of Raayan society. Their spirits were crushed, their swords broken, and their history erased. But Kavi has a dream and a plan, and she is determined to do whatever it takes to earn a place at the secretive mage academy. Face the Jinn within its walls and gain the power to rise above her station and drag her people out of the darkness. But power and knowledge, as always, come at a cost. The world no longer needs a Taemu, and they will break her and make her bleed. But Kavi is resilient, and she will not back down until she achieves what she wants, even if that is through her berserker’s fury.

I won’t lie. When I first heard about the premise of Kavithri, I was instantly reminded of The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang more than anything else. From the main character, the themes, the storyline, and the execution, many parts and elements of Kavithri will remind readers of The Poppy War. I expected that would be the case, and considering that The Poppy War was such an explosive read for me, I certainly didn’t mind reading a, let’s say, South Asian version of the story. However, it won’t be accurate to restrict Kavithri to a South Asian duplicate of The Poppy War despite their resemblances. There were several crucial things that differed Kavithri from The Poppy War. One of some examples, and this is what I did not expect, was how much more likable Kavi is compared to Rin from The Poppy War. To be fair... Rin was intentionally designed to be unlikable, and Kuang achieved her mission. Kavi is not the case. She is empathetic. Knows the price of her deadly power. And she is doing everything she can to control her power, not letting it let loose non-stop. Personality-wise, despite the similar premise, Kavi is almost the polar opposite of Rin. And because of this, it was easier for me to feel invested in reading her story to shape a better life for herself and her people.

“She’d searched for heroes for as long as she could remember. She’d looked for them in books, in stories, in legends. But they’d been around her all along. Warriors who went into battle every day, knowing that what awaited them at the end was failure. They smiled, bowed, scraped. Never faltered. Never permitted the dignity of rage. They were her royalty. Her heroes.”


It did take me some time to get used to the Indian words (which you can search online to understand) and terminologies, but as I said, once Kavithri enters the academy, the book gets better and better with each chapter. I honestly disagree with the claim that Kavithri is a grimdark fantasy novel, though. Do not get me wrong. I’ve never read a fantasy novel with characters that fart as much as the characters surrounding Kavithri, and the novel did get dirty and violent as we enter the second half of the book, especially during the explosive climax sequence, but the tone of the book was more hopeful than grim or hopeless for me. Kavi met plenty of characters that were good to her as well, and the book is better for it. Bithun’s mentorship relationship with Kavi, in particular, was probably my favorite of the book. And the magic system and world-building that implemented steampunk elements were fun to read.

“Anyone—anyone, who stands between you and your dream is an enemy. And if they refuse to move, you do not hesitate to move them. You understand?”


Unfortunately, I did not form a strong connection with the supporting characters as much as I hoped; they were not memorable or distinct enough, in my opinion. Kavithri herself and the world were the biggest strengths of the book, and thanks to that, Kavithri remains such a great debut novel with captivating development, journey, and satisfying ending. The themes and the impact of colonialism, poverty, oppression, and the caste system were explored effectively in this Indian-inspired fantasy world. Despite ending in a standalone manner, it is practically guaranteed there will be a sequel to Kavithri, and I look forward to reading it when the time comes.

You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)

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Good book but I cannot overlook the animal cruelty running through out the book. Unfortunately for me this is a big factor and I cannot rate it any higher based on this

Kavithri is a punchy and gritty fantasy debut that does a great job of creating a familiar grimdark-esque feel in a vibrant Southeast Asian setting. The world created here is pretty brutal and unforgiving - though I wouldn’t describe it as Grimdark ala Joe Abercrombie or George R.R. Martin, readers of the darker side of fantasy might well enjoy this one.

At its heart, this book is a proper underdog story that delves into one character in lots of detail. Kavithri has a very limited sense of self-preservation when trying to get what she wants - this is somehow a trait that I feel gets stronger the further you get into the book! Stakes are well established right at the start of the novel, as we’re introduced to Kavithri for the first time and learn her situation and what she's hoping to achieve. I felt her feisty character traits and moral compass paired really well with her setting, and it was really interesting watching her make tactically poor decisions for morally right reasons.

The story felt like a wild ride from start to finish, and I found the plot to be pretty unpredictable. It kept throwing in twists that threw me off balance just when I thought I knew where the book was going - these twists weren’t outlandish and unbelievable, but just enough to keep me on my toes. As a spoiler free example, I was nervous when the plot appeared to be heading in a ‘tournament to the death’ direction, only to be pleasantly surprised when the book took a fresh and interesting new approach to it instead. There’s almost certainly going to be a sequel coming in this world, as the surface has only just been scratched on all the lore and interesting plot points we’re introduced to in this new world.

I’ve dropped a star off my rating as I have to give a heavy trigger warning for animal abuse throughout the book. I’m used to a lot a dark settings and violence in my fantasy, but animal lovers may want to steer clear of this one - due to a plot point I don’t wish to spoil, cruelty to animals plays a key role in the story, and whilst I must concede it was an interesting bit of world and story development, it stunted my personal enjoyment of the book as a result.

I enjoyed this book. It was a really interesting look into the caste system. Kavi is at the very bottom of society and is treated badly by so many people throughout the book. It was tough to see in some parts, but it made me really like the characters who treated her kindly and gave her a chance.

The magic system was really interesting too. I liked the idea of magic coming from other beings and I liked the idea of Kavi’s magic in particular and what she could do with it. I thought it was new and interesting.

This book also looks at war. It looks at it’s devastation and destruction and the effect it has on it’s characters. I will admit that some of this book was a lot. There are battle scenes and there are torture scenes and there’s description of violence against the Taemu too.

Overall, I’m choosing not to continue this series. A big part of that was the author using a slur as a description of a disabled character, which I felt was really unnecessary.

An underdog girl working to find her lost family in a world that's simply unfair to her. It could've made for a fantastic book, and if only it did not read like a combination of THE POPPY WAR and alternate Indian history, and also fast-paced. I realize that does sound like a good pitch, but in a world where there are thousands and thousands of fantasy books coming out, and the reader has possibly read so many that the books that stand out need to be either groundbreaking or have great execution, this fails the test.

Full review to come.

The Poppy War meets The Combat Codes in this underdog, heart wrenching, pounding book.

Kavi is a Taemu, a people hunted, killed, and hated for their role in the war. For their berserk rage and power.
To find her lost family, she must enter the elite mage academy where the Jinn will test her and the people will beat her.

It was the perfect recipe to create a monster. So easy even she could break it down. To start, you take: one Taemu woman. Add: her supposed propensity for violence and criminal acts and complete lack of morals.
Stir. Simmer. Then: add a sinister ability that undermines your conception of the basic structure of reality. Turn up the heat. Watch the line between human and animal blur. Wait until you can smell the threat, Serve and enjoy your monster with a helping of coconut chutney.

This will definitely appeal to fans of The Poppy War where there are castes and differential treatment and an underdog girl who will do anything to survive.
However, Kavi is more timid than Rin, scared to give in to her rage in case it overtakes her. She is also extremely compassionate and empathetic and must learn to put herself first.

”I want change. I want people to respect strength, not power. But to do that, I first need power.”

I do think the latter half suffered from a suddenly over-powering protagonist which propelled the story, but also made it frustratingly unrealistic.
But Caitlin, this is a fantasy book, obviously it’s going to be unrealistic! Yes, but I still expect certain rules to be followed otherwise I will stop rooting or feeling worried for the MC.

Overall, an extremely engaging premise with a slightly over-the-top end.

Thank you to Gollancz for providing a physical arc in exchange for a review!

Let me tell you this book is brutal. It's one of the most visually graphic books I've ever read, and is a story that deals with a lot of pretty heavy and poignant topics - colonialism, poverty, racism and oppression, and never really pulls any punches. It's raw and ruthless and unpredictable in a way that keeps you, almost uncomfortably, on your toes whilst reading, and I found myself gripped from the first page.

The story follows Kavi, a Taemu, a people who have been systematically murdered over the years, seen as nothing more than vermin in the eyes of the upper castes, but Kavi has always dreamt of being more. Determined to win her place in the hallowed halls of the Mage academy and help raise her people out of poverty, but she is working against a system that will never accept her. She's someone who, despite her place in the 'caste' system, has never learnt to back down, to not fight for herself or those she cares for, despite the danger she puts herself in. Her life isn't an easy one, she has been dealt a heavy hand and her plight begins from the first chapter, with her true story slowly unwinding the more she tries to stand up for herself. But you can't help but empathise with her, this girl who has been told she will never amount to anything more than a servant, and I enjoyed seeing her grow into her powers and show the world who she, and the Taemu, really were.

The story is set in an almost pre-independent India, and Aman skillfully weaves in the magical elements that make up Kavi's world. It's rich in it's history and we are certainly never spared any kind of world building, rather getting a deep dive into how the world came to look the way it does currently. My one, teeny issue was with some of the historical elements, there are a few chapters throughout that throw back to a different character and I never felt that these, and the stories they told, were truly developed enough for me. I could never work out what part they had to play in the story, but that might just be me being a little picky. Aman's descriptions bring Kavi's world to life, with rickshaw's rocketing down the street, to the street food haulers. It's a broken world, one that has been ripped apart by people claiming to want to help, but through Kavi's eyes we get to see the beauty that still lives there.

I mentioned above how the story deals with some pretty heavy topics and colonialism is definitely the one that sticks out the most to me. We see this most obviously through the Taemu people, the lowest caste and the one that Kavi belongs too. These are a people who have been hunted down and murdered over the years for the rebellion they lead years ago. They are treated as nothing better than scum, spat on, beaten, murdered, all for something that happened years ago. This element, along with so many others mean it's not an easy read. Rather it's one that makes you angry, angry not only at Kavi's situation, but at how these people are treated in general. If you do have any triggers for racism, oppression and colonialism I would be very wary going into this book.

It's also a story not for the faint of heart. I genuinely couldn't get over just how visceral and graphic some of the scenes are. There is a lot of action, thanks to Kavi's lot in life and then when she tries to join the Mage's academy, and Aman knows how to write the most powerful and raw of fight scenes. It's explosive in parts, and downright horror filled in others, all helped along by the magic system that features heavily in the story. I'm not going to mention the magic in detail because it plays a pretty large part in the book, but also features heavily in some of the plot twists, and you should absolutely go into this as blind as possible because the twists absolutely blindside you in the best, and most terrifying of ways.

All in all this was one of the most graphic and uncomfortable book's I've read in a long while, but I absolutely loved it. Aman just knows how to get you to feel the way they need you to for this book to have the emotional impact it should and, once I started and got invested in Kavi's story, I found it nearly impossible to put down. Perfect for lovers of dark and ruthless stories and characters who will burn down the world to save their people.

4.5 stars
My thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for a free eARC of Kavithri by Aman J. Bedi.
What an action packed Epic Fantasy, close to a Grimdark, standalone!
If you love a great underdog story with an excellent heroine you can help but cheer for, you cannot miss "Kavithri".
I appreciated the rich Indian inspired world that has accurate depiction of poverty, oppression, raw portraits of colonialism and caste system.
My love for Kavithri and the other misfits of this story made me care so much and was a great anchor for when the extreme violence of the book hit on full blast.
The more I think about this standalone, the more I want to do a re-read in the future as I strongly felt the lack of a glossary in the first half of the book.
I highly recommend "Kavithri" to all experienced Adult Fantasy readers that want a diverse, powerful and engaging reading experience.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. This is one of the best debut authors I have read in a very long time and I hope many many more people give this a read as it thoroughly deserves to do well. The worldbuilding is so amazingly rich (my only minor niggle is that at the beginning I slightly struggled with terms I was not familiar with mostly related to titles and clothing, but a quick google sorted me out). Kavi was a such a wonderful complex and relatable character to read. What really grabbed me is how well the plot was constructed, it was not predictable in any sense and kept me so gripped I could not put it down. The ending was beautiful. This will suit readers who like me love immersive epic fantasy - note that in comparison to most fantasy being published recently there is no romance in this. I really hope this book does well as I really would love to see more work from the author. Go read this book!