There have been myths about deadly, poisonous women that have cropped up over time. They tend to be beautiful and often used as assassins because who expects to be killed by a kiss? This story dabbles within that mythos, but brings more elements to the story.
An amazon summary, "A teenage assassin kills with a single kiss until she is ordered to kill the one boy she loves. This commercial YA fantasy is romantic and addictive—like a poison kiss—and will thrill fans of Sarah J. Maas and Victoria Aveyard. Marinda has kissed dozens of boys. They all die afterward. It’s a miserable life, but being a visha kanya—a poison maiden—is what she was created to do. Marinda serves the Raja by dispatching his enemies with only her lips as a weapon. Until now, the men she was ordered to kiss have been strangers, enemies of the kingdom. Then she receives orders to kiss Deven, a boy she knows too well to be convinced he needs to die. She begins to question who she’s really working for. And that is a thread that, once pulled, will unravel more than she can afford to lose. This rich, surprising, and accessible debut is based in Indian folklore and delivers a story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE
Marinda is a visha kanya, someone whose poisonous kiss kills whoever the Raja decides. Marinda works with Gopal as well as Iyla. Iyla usually finds the targets, gets close to them, learns as much as she can from them, before the Raja decides it's time to kill them. Marinda delivers the kiss, a killing blow. The poison usually kills them within an hour.
Marinda also has a younger brother, Mani, and in exchange for her continued service to the Raja, Mani receives medicine to make him well. Her handlers look after Mani while she's away. Marinda also helps out in a bookstore, where she and Mani love to be. Japa owns the bookstore and looks out for them in his own way.
BUT THAT'S ENOUGH SUMMARY.
PEOPLE. This book has such a slow way of luring you into the magical madness of culture, cults, and political intrigue. It's such a fascinating plunge into beautiful turmoil.
If it's not enough to be a visha kanya, Marinda also finds herself in the ever evolving mystery of her work for the Raja. Is she actually working for the Raja, or someone else? Is Iyla working for someone else?
DUN DUN DUNNNN.
There's also tons of magic throughout the book that comes into play, but not in the plot device way, but more in the explain character motivations sense. It's good.
I'm not going to say anymore, because I don't want spoil anything. If you read this, BUCKLE UP and pay lots of attention.
Happy reading!
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