3.5
We Shall Be Monsters
By Tara SimPublisher Description
Frankenstein meets Indian mythology in this twisty, darkly atmospheric fantasy where the real horrors are not the monsters you face, but the ones you create.
“One of the most unique and intelligent books I’ve read. . . Alluring, completely enthralling, and masterfully rendered.” —Axie Oh, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
Kajal knows she is not a good person. If she were, she wouldn’t selfishly be risking her sister’s soul in a dangerous bid to bring her back to life. She would let Lasya rest in peace—but Kajal cannot stand the horror of living without her.
As Kajal prepares for the resurrection, the worst happens: Her sister’s soul warps into a bhuta—a murderous, wraith-like spirit—and Kajal gets sentenced to death for her sister’s rampage. There seems little hope of escape until two strangers offer to free her. The catch: She must resurrect the kingdom’s fallen crown prince to aid a growing rebellion against a tyrannical usurper. Desperate, Kajal rushes to complete her end of the deal . . . only to discover that the boy she’s resurrected, Tav, is not the crown prince.
Now Kajal—prickly, proud, admirer of the scientific method—must team up with Tav—stubborn, reticent, and fonder of swords than of books—to find the real crown prince. With only a scalpel and her undead dog, Kutaa, at her side, Kajal must work fast before her mistake is exposed or Lasya’s bhuta turns its murderous fury on the person truly responsible for her death: Kajal herself.
“One of the most unique and intelligent books I’ve read. . . Alluring, completely enthralling, and masterfully rendered.” —Axie Oh, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
Kajal knows she is not a good person. If she were, she wouldn’t selfishly be risking her sister’s soul in a dangerous bid to bring her back to life. She would let Lasya rest in peace—but Kajal cannot stand the horror of living without her.
As Kajal prepares for the resurrection, the worst happens: Her sister’s soul warps into a bhuta—a murderous, wraith-like spirit—and Kajal gets sentenced to death for her sister’s rampage. There seems little hope of escape until two strangers offer to free her. The catch: She must resurrect the kingdom’s fallen crown prince to aid a growing rebellion against a tyrannical usurper. Desperate, Kajal rushes to complete her end of the deal . . . only to discover that the boy she’s resurrected, Tav, is not the crown prince.
Now Kajal—prickly, proud, admirer of the scientific method—must team up with Tav—stubborn, reticent, and fonder of swords than of books—to find the real crown prince. With only a scalpel and her undead dog, Kutaa, at her side, Kajal must work fast before her mistake is exposed or Lasya’s bhuta turns its murderous fury on the person truly responsible for her death: Kajal herself.
Download the free Fable app
Stay organized
Keep track of what you’re reading, what you’ve finished, and what’s next.Build a better TBR
Swipe, skip, and save with our smart list-building toolRate and review
Share your take with other readers with half stars, emojis, and tagsCurate your feed
Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities37 Reviews
3.5
Mimi
Created 3 days agoShare
Report
“I liked it, but I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would when I first started it.”
Kristen_K
Created 6 days agoShare
Report
raye
Created 10 days agoShare
Report
“4/5
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the eARC. All opinions are honest and my own.
When books market themselves as “a ---- retelling” or a mix of “A plus B”, I always take it with a grain of salt. Something about describing an original work using other well known pieces of literature / media creates an unrealistic expectation, in which the actual story falls short because I’ve already crafted a picture of an alternate version. We Shall Be Monsters manages to assuage my apprehensions with a flair.
As written in the book blurb, this is a Frankenstein x Indian Mythology fantasy. And surprisingly, it really is. Throw in some sugar and spice and everything nice and you get a feisty zombie x rebellion x other shenanigans à la anime style. This is a great balance of fun and interesting, with well developed characters that play off of each other to build a dynamic world.
My only gripe that keeps this from 5 stars is the mid-novel identity crisis of the narrative atmosphere. The story started out with a fog of light horror, but the curtain lifted to reveal a plotline that existed independent of that undertone. In a way, this didn’t have to involve Frankenstein elements after a few chapters, which may be a reflection of the story drawing initial inspiration from a work but eventually taking flight. Is this a good thing? Absolutely – originality is always great. Should this have been noticeable in the writing? Probably not. Regardless, the story itself remains an enthralling read and a great Halloween-time treat.”
Geena
Created 11 days agoShare
Report
Sace Reads
Created 23 days agoShare
Report
MultilayeredSuspensefulDarkDark
About Tara Sim
Tara Sim is the author of The Dark Gods trilogy, the Scavenge the Stars duology, and the Timekeeper trilogy. She can typically be found wandering the wilds of the Bay Area, California. When she’s not chasing cats or lurking in bookstores, she writes books about magic, murder, and mayhem.
Other books by Tara Sim
Start a Book Club
Start a public or private book club with this book on the Fable app today!FAQ
Do I have to buy the ebook to participate in a book club?
Why can’t I buy the ebook on the app?
How is Fable’s reader different from Kindle?
Do you sell physical books too?
Are book clubs free to join on Fable?
How do I start a book club with this book on Fable?