This is indeed a garden of delights. A beautifully crafted story of fantasy in a world based on the India we know.. plus a bit more. Two cultures, one rational and industrial, one floral and rustic; yet both also not dissimilar. Xenophobia, plots, cruelty and kindness. What sets it apart for me is the gentle richness of the prose that allows me to smell the perfume if petals and taste the fragrance and substance of the food. An excellent novel reminding me of Silverberg's Majipoor Chronicles and the lyricism of Guy Gabriel Kay or Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Exquisite, like a Rose.

This was a complimentary ARC copy from Netgalley.

3 Stars!

I decided to stay in the fantasy genre with Flame Tree Press and another upcoming release that held a lot of promise. The Garden of Delights by Amal Singh promised a new perspective in the genre and a fresh take on magic. That was enough for me and off I went for a new, fantastic journey.

Sirvassa is a city in which flowers are the ultimate currency, and the Caretaker is the unofficial power in the city. As the keeper of the Garden of Delights, the Caretaker uses his power to create delights: mystical potions that can grant their user magical powers for a limited amount of time. He cannot defeat Father Time, however, and the Caretaker is on a constant quest for immortality. The answers to his prayer, and the end of his eternal search, seems near when a young girl gets the power to warp reality through one of his delights. This is the moment he has been waiting for.

A rot has set in the garden and the city, however, and the Caretaker finds the world he has always known eroding around him. Politics begins to plague the Garden of Delights and public opinion is now turned against it. The Caretaker is desperate to turn the tides and keep the world of magic intake amidst the political turmoil that surrounds it. It may all prove futile in the end, however, as the Caretaker comes to learn that Delights ultimately lead to Sorrow and the garden hangs on the brink of being turned into something much darker.

The Garden of Delights is a fantastical story with a unique twist on magic. There is magic in the world here, but it is very limited and only comes into contact with humanity on a limited basis. The Caretaker is the gatekeeper of magic in the world and seeks to use his magic for good. That is a bit of a paradox, however, as he also uses it as wealth and a means of maintaining his standing in the world. He spurns the opportunity to enter into politics as he sees his skill as the pinnacle of power in the world, but he is already in deep in the politics of the city by virtue of his position. The garden, like life, is a balance that the Caretaker tries to maintain. There is a dark side of everything and Singh does a good job of illustrating the balance between light and dark. There is a beauty to this story that comes through the subtlety of the magic that makes the story almost read as a dream.

That dreamlike quality of this book may have worked against the story for me as I found my mind wandering at times and had to refocus on what was happening in the novel. The Garden of Delights is not a linear novel and it takes a little bit of work to keep in line with where the story is going. The writing in superb, which alone makes it worth reading, but the story seemed to meander along at times without much sense of urgency. I sometimes got lost in the words, however, and had to go back and read some passages to get to the meat of the story. Overall, Singh's voice and writing are very strong and carried the story through to a satisfying ending. The action in this story is sparse but the intrigue is high as there is a lot going on the creates tension. The Garden of Delights is a beautifully written story and well worth the time it takes to read for those who are looking for a story that has many layers that are slowly peeled back throughout the novel until it comes to a head. I cannot say it is my favorite read of the year, but it was worth the time invested and will work better for some readers than it did for me. This book is recommended for fans of the genre who are looking for a fresh voice and who may find an author that will rise toward the top of their must-read list. I look forward to what the future holds for Singh as this talented writer's voice is sure to only become stronger.

I would like to thank Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for this review copy. The Garden of Delights is scheduled to be released on May 14, 2024.