Book review - Empire

Empire by Devi Yesodharan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just finished reading ‘Empire’ authored by Devi Yesodharan and published by Juggernaut. Wished it continued for a while more. Wonderful tale spun with wonderful introduction of characters, who tell the story in first person which ensures that you get an all-round ringside view of the action as it happens.
In the author’s notes she mentions that the novel is historical fiction and the characters and their stories are a work of imagination (fertile imagination, if I may add) based in an actual space and time in history. It is based in Nagapattinam during the Chola dynasty. The narration is flawless and flows with ease without any grammatical errors and neat editing. Devi has a firm grip on the tale and the actors therein, except for a bit towards the end where she seemed bored and unsure, but picks up pace with elan and rides on!
It is not a gripping novel but has a way of growing and sticking on your awake time to ensure you keep reading at a laid back pace. The story, as mentioned earlier, is not about just one person but a lot of different characters though the protagonist is Aremis who despite being a foreigner, a female, who is a part of the ‘winnings’ of the Chola King in a battle against invading Greeks, manages to rise a notch above just being a slave to a warrior of significance – a feat in a patriarchal and feudal society.
History buffs will love it and even history haters will enjoy it! Definitely worth a read!
Thank you Juggernaut for sending me this book for an unbiased review. Enjoyed it! Looking forward to more books from Devi Yesodharan.

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