The Legend of Meneka by Kritika H. Rao ~ a Review

by MK French

Celestial dancers known as apsaras are revered for their beauty, allure, and enchanting magic. Meneka is trained in these skills and is used as a weapon for Lord Indra, the king of heaven. She craves her freedom, so when a mortal threatens Indra's supremacy, she strikes a deal—if she can seduce Kaushika, Indra will allow her to forgo future missions. When Meneka meets him, however, everything she has known changes. She isn't sure if she can overthrow Kaushika, and must choose between her duty and love.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

January 2025; Harper Voyager; 978-0063349186
audio, ebook, print (368 pages); romantic fantasy

The Legend of Meneka is book one of the Divine Dancers duology. Meneka is young and impetuous, hoping to get to Kaushika to stay in heaven and court her friend and supervisor who she loves. Kaushika is arrogant and distant, an ascetic hoping to devote his energy to Lord Shiva, he who destroys. This is antithetical to Lord Indra, just as his style is antithetical to Maneka's attention to pleasure, dance, and illusion. Kaushika has his own troubles to deal with, though quite frankly I don't like him and there's very little to soften his harsh demeanor. Meneka can do better than him, even as I recognize the opposites attract and grumpy/sunshine tropes at play. They find each other attractive and bring up points to challenge each other's views. The story becomes the challenge of humans and their abilities against the celestials.

The descriptions of the locations are well done and vivid, tinged with mythology and the question of how much influence the gods should have over humanity. This is a reflection of the known fragments of mythology and gives Maneka depth and nuance. Maneka is caught between her duty to Lord Indra, following his every whim without question, and Kaushika, who challenges the status quo. She sees the situations where Kaushika lost his faith and understands it but is still shaken and tries to please everyone. This is impossible to do, and Maneka feels more and more inadequate. By the end of the novel, she's trying to prevent a war, too. It's a hefty challenge, and her story doesn't end here. She's an aspara but more than that, and I enjoyed her part of the story. 

Buy The Legend of Meneka at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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