Flower and Thorn

Flower and Thorn adds magic to the historical context of India during the time of its invasion by the Portugese in the 1500s. Irinya is part of a nomadic group that travels the grasslands on the edge of a large salt flat called the Rann. Irinya and other young people in her kul go into the Rann to hunt for magical flowers, each of which possess unique properties. When one of the flower hunters finds an especially rare flower that grants considerable power, it sets in motion of chain of events which sends Irinya far from her home to try to save her kul and all of India.

I enjoyed this book, not just because it is an engaging story, but also because I learned more about a time and place I was not very familiar with. There is a fun cast of characters and a well-paced plot. This was my second Rati Mehrotra book and I look forward to reading more!