You might recall from my previous Illumicrate Unboxing, the January 2022 box did not contain one, but two special editions. I’ve already posted a review of the featured hardcover, This Woven Kingdom, so now it’s time to discuss the featured paperback: The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman.
The Ivory Key
The Ivory Key tells the story of four royal siblings who have to find a way to put aside their differences and save their country. Ashoka relies heavily on magic for the defense of its borders, but this mineral resource is now running out rapidly. The Eldest sister, Vira, has recently become the new Maharani and knows that the only way to save the country is to find a new source of magic. To do so, she will require a legendary artefact, the Ivory Key, but she will not be able to retrieve it on her own. Together with her captain of the guard and her three siblings, she sets out on a mission filled with dangerous traps and riddles.
A great adventure story
The Ivory Key is the first book in a YA fantasy duology inspired by India. I loved the world building and the fluent narration. It’s written in such a way that I almost felt that it was I who was lost in the jungle on a treasure hunt. I also greatly appreciated the magic concept, which felt really unique. Magic is mined as a natural resource and there are three specific skills needed in order to do so. First, the raw magic needs to be extracted from the soil (which is quite dangerous). Second, it needs to be transformed into a form that is safer to work with. Third, it is woven into objects to give them magical properties. This is a type of magic that I’ve rarely encountered before and which has definitely triggered my interest.
I don’t think I’ve ready any fantasy novel set in a world inspired by India before. Sometimes, stories inspired by a culture that you are less familiar with can require a bit of additional effort to understand the references and/or lexicon, but that was not the case here. I looked up several words, but out of curiosity rather than out of necessity to understand the story. I love learning about other cultures so I found this novel to be very enriching.
“Identities don’t always fit in neat boxes, and the people who want to put labels on you will always do so regardless.”
I greatly enjoyed the way in which the different chapters alternate between the four siblings, as well as the character descriptions and development. The four main characters are constantly at odds with one another, but due to the fact that you get to know them all so well, you truly understand all of them and they all feel very convincingly “real”. I have to say I felt the least affinity with Vira. Although I understand why she did what she did, I feel that she frequently makes stupid decisions. Nevertheless, I’m sure she’ll be the character that will grow the most. My favourite character was Kaleb, the oldest brother. He’s very smart, likeable and thoughtful. I do understand why his younger brother sometimes wants to shake him, though. A bit more survival instinct and less selflessness wouldn’t hurt him.
As for the plot, is there anything cooler than a treasure hunt through the jungle? I almost felt 11 again, dreaming about exploring mysterious places and finding long lost artefacts. The story definitely gave me some Indiana Jones vibes, but I was also frequently reminded of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (probably due to the puzzles the siblings need to solve).
In general, I would have loved a bit more romance. However, I get the impression that we might have some more in part two and the adventure was more than interesting enough to capture my attention. Three out of five gemstones:
Age Category: Young Adult, but definitely also suitable for an older audience
Representation: F/F relationship between supporting characters. Potentially future M/M relationship (main character)
Trigger Warnings (click here, may contain spoilers)
Mild. Warnings for parental death, grief & racism.Do you want to discover more?
If my review inspired you to pick up the book, don’t hesitate to check it out at Goodreads or at the below online stores.
Amazon.nl: Hardcover edition
Amazon.nl: Paperback edition
My edition is the Illumicrate one, with blue sprayed edges, redesigned cover, and inbound author note. I love that all four main characters are depicted on the cover, that really helps me a great deal while reading. I really like this special edition cover, but I also quite like the normal UK paperback edition (similar cover, but with a green background). I think they would look marvellous next to each other so if I ever come across that one, I might have to buy it too…shhhh 😉
Similar to this
If you also enjoyed this wonderful book, you can rejoice: the second part of the duology, The Crimson Fortress, will be published in January 2023!
In case you are interested in similar magical concepts, I would also recommend This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi, which was the other book featured in the January 2022 Illumicrate box. You can learn more about this marvellous story in my review.
The story of The Ivory Key frequently reminded me of one of my favourite duologies: Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett. These novels have a very similar adventure feel to it and somewhat similar sibling interactions (though I absolutely despise the sister of the main character in those books). My review can be found here.
Last but not least, I would also like to recommend Fire with Fire by Destiny Soria. This is a story about sisters (told from both points of view), dragons and finding your place in the world. My review of this great stand-alone novel can be found here.
Recap: The Ivory Key
In the following section, you’ll find a recap that you can use to prepare for the next book when it is published. Of course, this is by default full of spoilers, so it is hidden behind a spoiler tag. Enter at your own risk!