Thank you to HarperCollins for sending me a copy of Divining the Leaves in exchange for an honest review.
Spring is here, so why not celebrate with a novel that emphasizes the magical nature of Earth’s flora? Divining the Leaves by Shveta Thakrar is just such a book. This captivating fantasy novel follows two teenage cousins as they make ingress into a realm of Hindu and Buddhist folklore come to life. Fantasy genre fans won’t want to miss Divining the Leaves.
Divining the Leaves
Divining the Leaves is the story of two teenage cousins, Ridhi Kapadia and Nilesh Batra. Thanks to the tutelage of her Mummy, Ridhi is enchanted by the magic behind the natural world. She adores spending time in the forest and concocting perfumes based on what she experiences there. She has even had some success in selling these perfumes online. However, the masses abhor those with truly unique perspectives, and she finds that she’s something of an outcast among her peers.
Meanwhile, her cousin Nilesh is part of the popular crowd that sneers derisively at Ridhi’s predilection for “fantasy.” Nilesh would prefer to spend his days riding in his friend Amar’s aging sedan, roaring around town with the music blaring. But Nilesh’s world comes crashing down when he learns that his father has been cheating on his mother. Soon, he’s been sent to stay with Ridhi’s family for a couple of weeks.
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While Ridhi and Nilesh were friendly in childhood, there is now significant tension between the pair. Although Ridhi pretends to ignore the moody Nilesh’s derision, it’s clear it bothers her. But things are complicated when Nilesh meets an enigmatic girl while shopping. She possesses an unearthly beauty and some supernatural secrets.
Before long, both Ridhi and Nilesh have made ingress into the realm of yakshas and yakshinis. For Ridhi, this is the destination she has always longed for. Meanwhile, Nilesh welcomes the chance to escape from the reality of his family’s troubles and trevails. But while this realm is filled with wonder, it’s also jam-packed with danger. And this is especially true for mortals. How will the two cousins fare in this brave new magical world?
The Realm of Yakshinis and Yakshas
From the very first pages, I was enchanted by Divining the Leaves. The story immediately hooks the reader with its interesting characters, who are well-developed and unique but believable. Both Ridhi and Nilesh have struggles that are relatable throughout the book, and you’ll be rooting for them by the time the first few chapters have ended. Plus, the book’s structure alternates between chapters about Ridhi and chapters about Nilesh. This creates a nice rhythm that pulls the readers forward.
Also engaging is the novel’s excellent worldbuilding. I am not as familiar with Hindu and Buddhist folklore as I am with other types of mythology. But this only served to bolster my interest in the cousins’ explorations of this magical realm. It was also a nice change of pace to have the relationship between the main characters be familial, rather than romantic. Which isn’t to say the book lacked romance, but it wasn’t the focal point. While I obviously have no objection to romantasy, this was a nice change of pace from many of the genre books I’ve read lately.
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I also appreciated that Divining the Leaves took time to let its characters breathe. This allowed the characters to become even more interesting. Furthermore, because the story is slung between our world and the magical realm, this breathing room gave the book the chance to bolster the otherworldly tone by contrasting it with more mundane activities in contemporary Georgia.
Finally, while there was a lot to love in this book, I especially loved the inclusion of a batch of enchanted lilac donuts. Maybe my only complaint is the absence of a recipe for these in the back of the book. They will haunt me until I can make a batch for myself.
Available Now
Divining the Leaves is the perfect springtime reading adventure. But, if you don’t get around to it until summer or later, this self-contained story would still be an excellent read at any time of year. I’m eager to read more from the talented author and will be seeking out her two previous novels while I wait for the release of her next title.
Divining the Leaves is available at a bookstore and/or public library near you now.
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