This book was excellent, and as soon as I got a couple of chapters into it I didn't want to put it down.

The plot wasn't what I had expected it to be. I had thought that some aspects which happened almost immediately would take a lot longer, and so it did make them seem a little bit too easy. However, once the story launched into all of the ensuing drama, the decision made total sense, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

There were still a few other things that felt a bit too easy as the plot went along. When a character has a significant amount of power and very little compunction against using it, I suppose that's to be expected. But it did feel to some degree like there really was very little to divert the course of the story from the one this particular character had in mind. I do somewhat hope that this power will be curtailed in some way at some point.

The main characters, Ashoka and Shakti, are both so fascinating to me. They're brilliantly written, and while they both seem to be driven by similar ideas, they go about it in such vastly different ways. I particularly loved seeing how they developed as characters throughout the book, especially Ashoka, who I think changed a lot.

The world is a rather interesting one too. It seemingly doesn't discriminate with regards to sexuality or gender, but only women can be mayakari. (It was at one point phrased as those who "identify as women" which is kinda just...women, and the phrasing felt a bit clumsy in the context, though I do get the point I assume was being aimed for. But anyway.) Those two things seem somewhat dissonant, to me. Not so far as I didn't enjoy the book, but it was always sort of there niggling at the back of my mind.

Overall, this was a fantastic work of fantasy fiction which feels rather fresh and unique. I greatly look forward to reading whatever happens next.

The beginning was slow and I struggled a bit to get into the story at first.
I liked the characters and seeing how they become morally grey.
There was politics, tensions between the siblings of the royal family.
The world building was interesting and I'd like to know more in the next books.
The plot was slow but it is character driven and their development kept me going.
There was also a hint at a queer romance and I can't wait to see how it will be developed.
This book was a good introduction to the world and to understand the tensions between the different ethnicities.
I will also like to know more about the spirits and the magic.

DNF at 60%

I really tried. Then I remembered I could just stop reading. So that's what I did.

I specifically picked this up because of the reviews that complained about "not connecting with the characters" and other dogwhistles, and lo and behold, the characters were not impossible for me, a white Brit, to connect with! Were they frequently just kind of stupid? Yes. But that's not the same thing. Anyway, there was a lot of potential here, with interesting bits of worldbuilding and characters conflicts. Unfortunately the execution was sufficiently grating that it was a SLOG. It's been a while since I've read prose with so much repetition and redundancy.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review. I really appreciated that the chapter opening artwork had proper image descriptions in the EPUB file, kodus to the publisher for that.

This book was fantastic. As soon as I read the synopsis I wanted to read it and I was not disappointed. This was such a rich fantasy book full of twists and turns and main characters that I fell in love with straight away.

THE PRINCE WITHOUT SORROWS is a sweeping epic about the choices we make and how long we can cling to our principles.

Of the two perspectives, Ashoka was my favourite. He has a code of pacifism he clings to, but over the course of the book he's forced to ask whether he is truly doing the right thing by this or if he's using it as an excuse not to get involved and is causing more pain by not acting. It all culminates in him being forced to act and it was such a dramatic moment. I'm glad the following chapters looked at the consequences and I hope the next book goes deeper into them.

Shakti, by contrast, felt more like a child blundering around and somehow not getting caught. it felt a little implausible at times and I wished she got to spend more time with Ashoka, building a working relationship with him. I think they might find themselves on opposing sides in the upcoming books. I liked that she broke the code she was raised with early on, as a contrast to Ashoka, and was going ever further down that path because she'd already taken the hardest step. It was a nice warning of what might come for Ashoka.

I really liked the representation in this book. Ashoka's love that he did not dare voice was a slow burn delight and I look forward to seeing it finally come into the open. It was such a good balance of yearning and denial. Shakti was some much needed ace rep, uninterested in that side of things. I really liked that the book didn't try to set up a romance between its leads.

I am looking forward to seeing how this series continues, particularly how Ashoka squares up against his siblings as he starts making a plan to enact sweeping change.

The concept of the story and the cover drew me into this book, it was an anticipated read. Sadly it did fall a little flat for me and though not a bad book it didn’t deliver what I wanted.

At first I was really interested in the back story of both main characters, but as I continued I discovered I just wasn’t connecting with either of them. I was interested in the lore, but I felt like it could have been explored more and the pace felt quite slow. The story and the character POVs gave me vibes of An Ember in the Ashes but I did enjoy the writing of that book a lot more than The Prince Without Sorrow.

Overall I gave this book a 3⭐️ rating, I think the concept for the series could still lead to an interesting story but I felt pretty uninvested throughout. Not sure at this point if I’ll continue the series.

While this book has a beautiful cover and a great sounding premise, it didn't live up to the hype- I liked the characters but not enough to want to keep reading.

The Prince Without Sorrow by Maithree Wijesekara is a captivating debut! The world-building is rich, with a unique mix of political intrigue, witchcraft, and nature spirits that had me hooked from the start. I really enjoyed the character development, especially Ashoka’s journey as he tries to break free from his father’s brutal legacy. The pacing was a bit slow in parts, but the complexity of the characters and the setting kept me engaged. It’s a fantastic start to what promises to be an epic series, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes next!

My Rating System:
Enjoyment: i didn't love or hate this. it was interesting enough that i never considered DNFing the book but i didn't love it either - 3 stars
More?: i am interested enough in where the story might go that i think i will pick up the sequel but i don't find myself desperate to dive back into thois world - 4 stars
Criticisms/Comments: at times i was a little lost on where the plot was going, sometimes i was so invested and other times i had no interest at all. i am holding out hope that the writing might be a little better in the sequel as this author definitely has the potential to be someone who's work i enjoy - 3 stars
Rereadability: i am open to rereading before i read the sequel but i don't think i'd consider rereading it otherwise - 3 stars
Average Rating: 3.25 stars (rounded for goodreads and netgalley)

Thankyou to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced eArc copy of this book!

The Prince Without Sorrow was one of the debuts that got my attention this year. An Indian mythology inspired fantasy, with an intriguing synopsis? I was all here for it. And, honestly? It surprised me. First, I didn’t know where this book was going but, in the middle of it, I was hooked. And in the end? I just wanted to know where is my copy of the sequel.

Really, when I think about this book, I get how much more I enjoyed it than I hoped for. First, it has an intricate, deep and brutal worldbuilding that caught my attention very quickly. And we all know by now how much I appreciate that. Second: the magic system. It’s cool, different and has a morality in it that I wasn’t expecting and it was really refreshing for me. And the plot, even if it was slow, I could see it being built into a greater scheme, even if the story is more character driven than other things.

Actually, all the story is like a moral compass, where two different characters, from different settings, with different ideals, react and deal with the same event and how they’re two sides of the same coin. I don’t love Ashoka and Shakti but I appreciate their inner fight, their hopes and aspirations. I think they’re both too impulsive for my taste, but I loved to follow their moral journey and how that can get them where they want.

For a debut, I really think it was a well done job and that the next book will be in another level, with potential for greatness.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for giving me an eARC in exchange of an honest review

This was an interesting start to a what could be a very engaging Mauryan Empire inspired fantasy series!
We have witches, rebellion, royalty, spirits and nature gods/beings.
It sadly just fell a bit flat for me. I would consider reading the next book on the series, but I found that some of the characters fell a bit flat. To begin with the FMC was interesting, but then she just kind of went all ‘gung ho’ into a downward revenge arc that I couldn’t fully get behind- I expected a bit more conflict from her? The MMC had a bit more of an interesting story arc, even though he is somewhat spoilt and very arrogant, it was good to see his point of view and opinions change when more details were uncovered for him. I got to the point where I found his chapters much more engaging than hers!
But overall it felt a bit shallow, with a one-dimensional villain, out of place dialogue, and plot points that were a bit too easily solved.

Whilst I enjoyed this book, some of the language used was totally unnecessary and clashed with the whole style of the story. When will authors realise that expletives are almost never necessary and too frequently detract from the quality of their story telling.

In spite of the above comments, I am looking forward to the second volume as the tales are worth the telling.

This book was pure vibes - and they were immaculate.

Was there a coherent plan? Nope. Did anyone have a clue what they were doing? Also nope? Were the characters engaging and lovable enough that we all just sort of roll with it and trust that Shakir is going to get us where we need to go? Absolutely.


Thank you Harper Voyager for this e-arc to review!

The Prince Without Sorrow is a thoughtful and atmospheric fantasy inspired by the Mauryan empire, with compelling themes of resistance, identity, and trauma. I loved the strong female lead, unique magic system, and how it subverted expectations—especially with no central romance.

While the pacing dragged in the middle and the male POV felt overly idealistic at times, the intricate worldbuilding and bold, emotional ending won me over. A solid start to a series I’ll definitely be continuing.

The Prince without sorrow is the first book in the Obsidian Throne trilogy. A stunning emotional, high fantasy novel inspired by the ancient Mauryan empire in South India.

It's beautifully written, thought-provoking and a captivating story. If you're looking for a fantasy novel with depth, incredible characters, then add this to your TBR.

The world-building in this book is good and I felt completely immersed in this world from the very first page.The author writes with immersive and vivid pictures of the kingdom, the magic system, and the relationships between the characters. The plot is a slow burn, building with tension and unexpected twists although the pace was quite slow.

The Prince Without Sorrow is a book that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

Tropes
Indian folklore
Epic high fantasy
World building
Political intrigue/court politics
Witches in hiding
No spice

I really thought I would love this book, the premise sounded so good & the world it was set in too but it just fell flat for me. My main issue was the characters, the villain felt very two dimensional & I wish there had been more nuance. The two main characters too felt flat & it was obvious they were opposite views of each other but again it wasn't very nuanced.
There was a lot of potential but it just didn’t work for me unfortunately

I, unfortunately, can’t quite decide whether I liked this book or not. I spent the majority of the time while I was reading it, hoping that the ending would be near — and I think that says a lot?

While the plot was intriguing, I think the pacing and the writing never really gripped me. I enjoyed the dual POVs of Shakti and Ashoka and I thought they offered a good contrast to each other. Both are essentially on the same “side” but have remarkable differences in their standing in society.

I liked how the magic system focused on nature spirits. Unfortunately, because Shakti — and the world at large because of the burning of a library, texts, and the mayakari, themselves — was ignorant to a lot of what she could do, we as readers did not get to see much. However, it was intriguing to learn beside her and I suspect this is all part of a larger plot and this is just one part in a trilogy.

I liked that the characters were messy and dysfunctional and unlikeable, I think it added a lot of intrigue to the story. In particular, Ashoka was a very interesting character to follow as he goes through the book and how he begins to question letting go of his own morals for the greater good — because he thinks he is good. This will be interesting to see where it goes. This is the same with Shakti, how far will her vengeance take her down a dark path and away from her people?

Anyways, I rate this a 3/5 stars and will say, in the politest way, that it’s “mediocre”. There’s a lot going on that’s intriguing, and yet I found myself moving through it slowly, never truly hooked. I’ll probably stick around for the sequel as I do think there’s potential.

Thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | HarperVoyager for this e-arc

3.5 ⭐️

The Prince Without Sorrow is a charming fantasy tale, a little slow paced for me, nonethelessless it did pick up throughout the book.

The author did create a beautiful backdrop and great fantasy world setting of royal splendour, witches, curses and magic.

I adored the character of Prince Ashoka, and what he stood for.

A story of power, tyranny, hatred, revenge and the divide of an Empire with a little romance on the side.

Although I enjoyed this book, it just fell a little flat and left me wanting a little more.

I look forward to the next instalment though as there was so much to love about this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

♾️⭐ aka 5⭐

Thank you Maithree Wijesekara and Harper Voyager UK for the ARC!

THE PRINCE WITHOUT SORROW is my new lifeline! Maithree Wijesekara is now my auto-buy author! This book was mind-blowing on so many levels and as someone who loves read YA novels and diverse novels, I LOVED THIS SO MUCH! LGBTQ themes are not often explored in Indian-inspired fantasy novels, especially in YA novels! Harper Voyager UK & US picking up this book was an amazing power move and influence to readers!

I loved this plot so much. There are so many nods to the Mauryan Dynasty, Emperor Ashoka and locations in the book. There's no romance yet but the morally-greyness of these characters have me hooked for the better part! No one understands how much this book has influenced my life! I love the sibling banter, the feminine rage and the anger that's being boiling inside these characters! I love Ashoka, Rahil and Shakti so much! I loved the very subtle studio-ghibli recommendations!

I AM ALREADY BEGGING MAITHREE WIJESEKARA AND HARPER VOYAGER FOR THE NEXT BOOK! I literally CANNOT WAIT for the next installment. 🧎🏽‍♀️🧎🏽‍♀️🧎🏽‍♀️

This is a stunning fantasy debut with a rich world that draws inspiration from the real life Maurya empire.
The characters of Ashoka and Chakti are both well drawn and complex characters trying to navigate a world that's hostile to both of them.
I found this book very engagin and struggled to put it down when life got in the way of reading it. If you like a book with a well drawn engaging world, fights against oppression and winged serpents this is the book for you