This was a bit of a mixed bag for me, with good bones but writing that ultimately didn't connect for me and that disconnect hindered my enjoyment of this book.

Let's start with the things I liked! The spirits and that form of magic was a great idea. The first page was excellent and captivating, with the witches - witches themselves are always a positive, honestly. And I do love a woman set on revenge, which was the heart of the arc for Shakti, one of the two POV characters.

So there were a lot of things that boded well for me! But it truly does sadden me to say: these things were let down by the clunky and often overwrought writing, along with the heavy-handed themes and character traits. For the latter, the idea of a witch set on revenge and a pacifist prince as your main characters is a great idea, especially with the questions of morality that each character will surely stumble across. But it felt like being hit upon the head with "ASHOKHA IS A PACIFIST, LOOK HOW OSTRACIZED HE IS FOR IT" over and over, with very little else to his character or development for much of the book. The characters read very young as well, and I kept having to remind myself they were written to be adults.

I don't want to come across as I'm picking apart the writing, because overall, the writing was good! But when I did find it awkward, boy, did I ever find it awkward. And because that happened more than a few times, I unfortunately started to get distracted by it. Some examples below:

"She wasted no time helping Prince Ashoka saddle Sahry, though it took some time."
Did it take no time or some time?

"Hundreds of years ago, during the reign of his namesake, Ashoka the First, the mountain had been as natural as any other, until magic - either mayakari or Great Spirit, not even the empire’s greatest scholars could deduce - caused half to deteriorate like a necrotic limb. This reason was the most well-known, but later stories for the mountain’s current state often veered into downright fantasy."
1) What is the reason? No actual reason was stated, beyond "magic." 2) How is magic not fantasy??

"He recognized the clear and sharp handwriting in a heartbeat and, almost immediately, he noticed a glaring disparity in his father’s writing."
The disparity is in the content of the letter, not the handwriting, but you'd be forgiven for thinking otherwise with this sentence.

"Godlike fury spiralled into him, working its way into his head, twisting in the deep trenches of his heart."
While this isn't clunky writing, it is overwrought af, and also an odd choice of "godlike" when I don't believe any gods are mentioned in this book.

So again, not terrible and almost certainly not going to bother every reader, but just enough to worm into my brain as I read and take me out of the story itself.

I'll end with saying that I had made a list of a handful of quotes that just didn't quite sit right as I read, and in a couple of cases, had noted only the quote with no further notes or context. Such was the case with what is now my favourite quote: Shakti, please be serious.

Thank you to the publisher, HarperVoyager, and to NetGalley for the ARC.

3.5 Stars

I enjoyed this book, I really like the world. The story starts strong and very interesting, keeps going well until near end. I feel unsure about where book is at the end and potential changes to main character motivations.

It's a suspenseful book, especially at the end. It kept me reading and not letting me put it down.

I am curious where the plot will go and I look forward to learn more of collective and how did Shakti become part of it. I am also very curious why Adil hates mayakari. I will likely read the next book, to find this out.

Well, the book is inspired by the Mauryan Empire of Ancient India. The characters were interesting and author has completely captured the vibe of the Ancient Empire. Expect the gothic twists and a plot filled with curse, spirits, death, and brutal happenings. The world building is immersive. It will draw you in. Loved how the two main characters get along to stop the mayakiri killings and then their bond develops. This was such a good read

Thanks to the Publisher.

This book follows Shakti who is a witch or Mayakari, she vows retribution for the death of her aunt and the rest of her village. She curses the ruler, a tyrannical Emperor named Adil. This leaves her tied to him. She wants to undo the damage he has done and is on a mission to find his youngest son, Prince Ashoka, to aid her in overturning the past.

I struggled a bit with this book. I liked the overall story with the witches, folklore, spirits and world-building. I just found it really slow. I listened to the audiobook rather than read the ARC digital copy as I’ve been unable to read books. I found that the book just jumped from character to character and nothing was really achieved. The other Prince and Princess did not really need to be in the book as much as they led to further confusion. I’m not sure if I would read the other books in this series.

Thank you to Harper Collins UK, Harper Fiction, Harper Voyager and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this ARC. Apologies for the delay in sending my review.

An absolute chore to read. The writing is pretentious, the worldbuilding is paper-thin, and the characters are emotionally hollow. This book tries so hard to sound intelligent that it forgets to make sense. Genuinely one of the worst fantasy books I’ve finished. Wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

Middle of the road for me! It's taken me a while to finish this, I just wasn't as gripped as I had hoped.

I was genuinely really interested in the premise, particularly the historical elements. I wish the plot felt a little more cohesive - it was a little too chaotic for my liking and I think that is why I struggled to stay connected to the text.

This may work really well for some, just not a favourite for me! I may continue the series

The Prince Without Sorrow is a fantasy debut inspired by the Mauryan Empire, and the first in a new trilogy. The historical inspiration was what initially drew me to this book, as I am really interested in Indian history and mythology and usually find it underrepresented in fantasy. We follow the POVs of our two main characters: a mayakiri named Shakti who survived the witch burnings in her village, and Prince Ashoka, the pacifist son of a tyrannical emperor.

Shakti and Ashoka’s lives become tangled when she casts a forbidden curse, and the two find themselves united in their mission to stop the mayakiri killings and to appease the Great Spirits that are razing the land. I thought both characters were initially well written, and I really enjoyed the way they contrasted each other - Shakti wrestling with her rage and her need for revenge, and Ashoka struggling to reconcile his pacifism with the violence that is essential to reach his goals. I do wish that we got to see them interact more, though, as their individual paths unfortunately led them in different directions!

Everything in this book seemed to work for me, from the worldbuilding and lore (I loved the Minor Spirits!) to the themes of environmentalism, but it ended up falling a little flat. There were many plot points that were initially a huge deal and a big obstacle but ended up being solved quickly and simply. The characters made illogical, nonsensical plans and decisions and this led to the pacing being pretty slow for a large part of the book.

It took me longer than it normally would to read a book of this length, and I wasn’t feeling particularly motivated to pick it up. The Prince Without Sorrow had a lot of potential but was ultimately let down by convoluted writing and a meandering plot. 3.5 stars.

I wasn't a huge fan of this one.
The writing style was okay at best and the plot was all over the place. The main characters spend a lot of this book running around like headless chickens!
This book felt like it had no clear plot focus just random acts of violence after another. A mess!

Book 1 of a new trilogy drawing on the Mauryan Empire of Ancient India, The Prince Without Sorrow has a really interesting premise that drew me in. We follow Shakti, a witch meant to live as a pacifist, but who wants nothing more than to seek revenge for the massacre of her village. We also have the POV of Prince Ashoka, the youngest son of the tyrannical witch-killing Emperor, who is vehemently opposed to violence and longs for change.

While I ultimately liked this book, I do feel it could have been... more, especially when it came to the character development. The characters were interesting, especially as they were opposites, and I was looking forward to seeing their interactions, but was ultimately disappointed since they met only briefly. Both of them had great setups for their motivations, but I found as we went along their plans lacked logic and became quite slapdash, which, while entertaining, was baffling. I was surprised at how young they seemed to be, since this is advertised as an adult book, but to me it is solidly ya. Honestly, nobody acted as an adult should.

The worldbuilding on the other hand, was great, I loved the mythology behind it with the Great Spirits that roam and protect the land and the witches bound by their codes. The political backdrop to the wider world was also intriguing, and while ultimately it didn't feature too much in this book, it did ground and give context to the events we see.

I also liked the themes we explored, especially around environmental destruction and the consequences of that. We also explore oppression and rebellion, and whether in the quest for peace could violence really be the answer.

All in all, I did enjoy this, though it ultimately felt like a huge setup for the next book. I will likely continue and hope that the characters develop more in the next instalment. Also note - this is not a romantasy in the slightest, so don't be fooled by the genre listings!

DNF at 20%

This is another book where witches are the oppressed class in society, although this one is inspired by Indian mythology. The premise is interesting, however the writing, characters, and plot struggled to hold my attention and I only managed to get 20% through it in five days. In order to avoid what was becoming a reading slump, I decided to DNF. I don't think it's bad, it's just not for me.

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