Malini has fulfilled the prophecy of the nameless gods, crowning herself empress of Parijatdvipa. Yet she will not take it further from the throne to the pyre, decrying the unnecessary sacrifice of the women who burned before her. Back in Ahiranya, war looms. After thrice surviving the deathless waters, Priya thought there would be no consequences for the power simmering beneath her skin. Driven to betray her love, Priya walks a dangerous path against the Yaksa who unveil a plot that will further transform her world. Beneath the deathless waters lies the powerful Yaksa, Mani Ara, who instills faith in Priya, but whose support comes with an irreversible consequence, Priya herself. Led far away from her sister and home, Bhumika is without her memories, her connection to her powers and the Yaksa irrevocably severed. On a path to learn how to destroy their subjugators, Bhumika and Jeevan evade their pursuers by hiding out in small towns desperate to learn information that could turn the tide in this war. Set against an enemy ancient and powerful, three women torn apart by fate and their respective roles must reconcile or see the destruction of their kingdoms and the entire world.
The Lotus Empire is the third and final installment in the Burning Kingdoms trilogy, tethering three women across kingdoms against a grave threat that will further transform their already unstable world. Tasha Suri sets Parijatdvipa alight with further consequences as Malini, now empress, stands against the priesthood and taking to the pyre – the ultimate sacrifice, and Priya and Bhumika rage against the control of the Yaksa who have now taken over Ahiranya with sights set beyond its borders. Though old enemies have been ousted, a new fight is on the rise. Drawn outward like a flower in bloom, The Lotus Empire unfolds a deadly approach to the war with the Yaksa and the true cost of defining the future of an empire. Tasha Suri leaves no hold barred in this astounding series finale that tests the depth of our characters’ loyalty and the paths they will walk to reverse the hold of an unknowable enemy on their world. Its breadth of perspective and world scope increasing steadily outward as the stakes only intensify, The Lotus Empire challenges not just its former two books but how one rounds out an epic fantasy trilogy.
Before I sank into the treacherous waters of The Lotus Empire I decided to double back and read through the Burning Kingdoms trilogy in its entirety – quite possibly the best decision I could have made considering just how much I had forgotten from my initial read-through of this series. Witnessing the seeds of the plot unfurling over books one to three was so rewarding and made this finale all the better. The Lotus Empire brings more to the world stage with our three characters scattered to the winds, but slowly unifying against the fight to come. The character arcs given to Priya, Malini, and Bhumika across this final act are my favorite in the trilogy – Malini, desperate to hold fast to her position as empress and facing an alien enemy, Priya at a crossroads with a power that could save her people that comes at the expense of her autonomy, and Bhumika without her core memories on a path to destroy the Yaksa. The way these three narratives intersect and twine throughout the book is sheer perfection and it’s some of Suri’s best plotting so far. Tasha Suri uncovers the depth of the deception of the Yaksa, promising a better world that can only be accomplished through bloodshed and subjugation. Through Priya’s experiences and those working to find a weapon to use against them, The Lotus Empire elevates the history of the Yaksa and the Age of Flowers. Some of my favorite parts of this series have been the intricate histories and cultures, the past hidden from view, and that being unveiled after two books was just nothing short of spectacular. The revelation that the Yaksa fled their homeworld because of violence, making their way to Parijatdvipa where they place that burden of war and violence upon its peoples was a necessary tie-through for this novel’s exploration into empire and its roots.
After attempting to excise Malini from her heart in exchange for her safety and the aid of the Yaksa, Priya confronts her decisions and the truth of what the Yaksa truly desire. Going into this finale I had no idea how Suri was going to reconcile Priya and Malini after the events that concluded The Oleander Sword, only that it was going to be extraordinarily painful, and I had the right idea. Within her decision to turn away from the pyre, Malini grasps all the power she can and wields a weapon that could save her former lover and kingdom, and hold back the threat of the Yaksa. But all power comes at a price, one that Malini must weigh against crown politics and her intricate alliances. Though she went to such painful lengths to walk away from Malini at the end of The Oleander Sword, there’s a shift in equilibrium, with Priya walking into Malini’s orbit to save herself, ultimately casting off the protection the Yaksa granted those in Ahiranya. The callbacks to the wedding garlands with the gold necklace Malini uses to tether Priya away from the Yaksa’s influence was exactly the kind of pain I expected from Suri. But Priya accepts this willingly and reconciles how she went about saving Malini from the wrath promised by Mani Ara before her betrayal. That Priya views her betrayal as an extraordinary act of love because she was saving Malini and she would walk that painful path again even knowing where they are now completely shatters my heart. From dream sequences to confrontations, Tasha Suri ramps up the tension between these two, culminating in a send-off that feels fitting to their characters but no less devastating.
The Lotus Empire is a brilliant blossom of wrath and enduring love set ablaze in a final fight over Parijatdvipa’s future. Full of rage and unbridled determination, The Lotus Empire is a testament to Suri’s craft and everything her characters have fought so hard for, clawing their way toward a future of their own design. With her signature chapters jumping between our core three characters and other side perspectives providing necessary contexts, Suri brings an ending to fruition that honors the entire journey across this trilogy. There’s plenty of sapphic yearning, epic fight scenes, and emotional endings to cling to and leave you completely bereft by the end of this final chapter. This finale was everything I was hoping for and The Burning Kingdoms trilogy as a whole is some of the best in fantasy and deserves all of its flowers. Tasha Suri is an absolute legend and I need everyone to bear witness to her talent with this life-changing conclusion.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Orbit Books for providing the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger warnings: blood, death, violence
Literaryrobin 