The Prince Without Sorrow is an amazing debut fantasy novel from Wijesekara that follows two characters and their journey against a brutal empire.
Prince Ashoka was born into a family that has a history of suppressing and murdering the Mayakari (witches). Unlike his father, Emperor Adil, Ashoka has a more pacificist view on life. He has a soft heart and wants to stop the fight against the witches.
Shakti is a Mayakari who witnesses her aunt’s brutal execution. In her grief and rage, she curses the Emperor, which goes against the Mayakari’s pacifist beliefs.
What I loved about this book is how both characters go against the beliefs that they were born into. Ashoka defies the brutal ideals of his family because he uses his position of power to help the Mayakari. Shakti does the same, the Mayakari believe in pacifism but after witnessing the traumatic execution of her aunt she curses the Emperor. Both the characters, in their pursuit for what they believe to be right, end up becoming morally grey in their journeys. This was a great read and the characterisation was what really hooked me. This book has magic, betrayal, political intrigue and complex characters. I highly recommend it!
Reviewed by Ruth Freitas
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maithree Wijesekara is an Australian-Sri Lankan writer based in Melbourne. Graduating with a Master’s degree in Dentistry in 2021, she splits her time between telling people to please brush their teeth, and writing stories inspired by the fantastical and the real world.
When she isn’t writing, you can find her attempting to finish her never-ending TBR pile and ingesting unhealthy amounts of coffee.
If given the chance, she will slip in a mention of her dearly departed Labrador during conversation.
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