Author: Medha Nagur
Publisher: Self Published
Do you think love can make you do unexpected things?
Ruin of the Scarred by
Medha Nagur is the first book in the Sting of Love Duology. This book tells the
story of Bidisha, a 17-year-old braveheart who has lived all her life in hiding
since she is the daughter of the most wanted woman in Bishnupur. In the calm of
the British Raj, she embarks on the quest to free her mother from the false
accusation. But for that, she needs to challenge the royals who dare not stand
against the British. And when she enters the palace, she encounters the power-hungry
Yuvaraja Trinabh and his twisted mother, the Rani Maa. Rani Maa despises her
dutiful but meek step-son Yuvaraja Prabir and his hound Debesh Das, a Yodha who
is his master’s protector. And so, she assigns Bidisha a job to spy. But hearts
entwine, and love meddles their path in the most unpredictable and adventurous
ways. Furthermore, things become dicey when Bidisha slits off her lover’s
thumb, the Yuvaraja himself. Her dream to live free becomes a farfetched
nightmare as her hiding in the jungle is not an option anymore. When the deadly
romance and the moral complexity are only a superficial part of the deep-rooted
dark conspiracy, will Bidisha survive her sinking ground? Will she emerge a
warrior, save her own heart and win her love? Or, will she succumb to the royal
politics, lose her mother and lose herself too?
The book is set in the early period of the British era, and when the influence of the royalty was on the wane. The story starts off on an interesting note as we encounter Bidisha and her life in the woods. The first encounter that sets off the story of Bidisha and the royal family is wonderfully described. As the story moves ahead, the storytelling is so powerful that it keeps you hooked. The good thing about the book is that the intentions of the characters are so beautifully crafted and concealed that until the very end of the book, one is unaware as to why things are happening except for what the author chooses to reveal. The book is very visual and Medha takes her time to set up the premise and her focus is on setting up the plot for the second book. The book is a long read, but never for a moment, does it bore you or lag in its storytelling. The point where this book ends is quite interesting and I would surely be waiting for the second and the last part of the duology to see what it has in store for us.
Coming to the characters, I was pleasantly surprised by the characters
that are the soul of this story. Medha takes her time to set up her primary
characters, and I choose this term over protagonist because I am yet to figure
out who she considers the protagonist. While it is Bidisha’s story, it is
equally the story of Debesh, Prabir and Trinabh. The characters are the ones
that drive this story and it is their actions which act as fuel to propel the
tale as it moves. Personally, I liked the way Bidisha’s character has been
shaped and the multiple layers that come to the fore as the story progresses. I
am also looking forward to see how Prabir’s character shapes out because while
we see not much of him, I hope to see him playing more of a role in the upcoming
book.
Overall, this is a story I would definitely recommend for anyone who loves to read a well written romance with complicated threads. The book scores a 4.69/5 for me.
I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Get your copy of the book on Amazon India here.
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