Reviewed by: Chris J Kenworthy, for Armadillo magazine.
‘Monsters Born & Made‘ is a South Asian-inspired fantasy story about a brave teenager called Koral, who risks her life hunting and capturing mystical creatures called maristags. Maristags are dangerous creatures which can live on land and underwater, and Koral’s family makes a living hunting and breeding them.
However, when Koral’s brother is injured trying to capture a maristag, the family is left in dire financial circumstances. Out of desperation, Koral cheats her way into the ‘Glory Race,’ knowing that the prize money for winning the deadly chariot tournament could change her family’s lives.
She soon discovers that her rivals have trained for the ‘Glory Race’ their entire lives, and that one of them is her ex-boyfriend Dorian. This creates an internal conflict, as while they still have feelings for each other, they are rivals and both need to win the tournament.
The author’s fantastic world-building in the first part of the story later gives way to some intense action, and helps the reader to feel empathy towards the broad cast of characters through internal monologues. This is especially true given that Koral has to be fierce in fending off challenges from both the rebel factions that try to sabotage the tournament, and the societal leaders that will stop at nothing to push her out of the competition.
It is also within the initial stages of this dystopian narrative, that Koral is established as a naïve character. She too easily trusts others, which is an unfortunate weakness given that her rivals are ruthless in their pursuit of riches and glory – willing to kill, or exact revenge on to their rivals, to win.
Koral’s tendency to just roll with it and blindly trust others gives the supporting characters more than enough reasons to take advantage of her. Yet, it is her naïvety that also allows the reader to feel sympathy towards Koral and her family’s plight, even as the odds are stacked firmly against her.
‘Monsters Born & Made‘ is a genre-bending fantasy novel. Author Tanvi Berwah has brilliantly written this action-packed Young Adult story, which provides the reader with intense chariot races reminiscent of the Romans, romance, and lots of action with mythological creatures.
Stowmarket Reporter 