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From critically acclaimed author Shveta Thakrar comes a beautifully imagined contemporary fantasy about two teens, one a believer of magic who yearns to belong, the other a skeptic searching for an escape, who find themselves embroiled in a twisty world of court intrigue when they venture into a forest ruled by yakshas, mysterious woodland spirits drawn from Hindu and Buddhist folklore.
Plant-loving Ridhi Kapadia and popular Nilesh Batra were friends once.
Now, seventeen and alone, Ridhi blends natural perfumes, wears flower crowns, and wanders her local woods, listening for the leafy whispers of her beloved trees. Pleading for the yakshas to admit her into their enchanted forest kingdom, where she knows she truly belongs.
After learning his parents' perfect marriage is a sham and getting suspended from school, a heartsick Nilesh lands at Ridhi's doorstep—the last thing either of them wants. So when a pretty yakshini offers him the distraction of magic, the same magic he mocked Ridhi for believing in, he jumps at it.
Furious, Ridhi strikes a bargain with a noblewoman named Sulochana. In exchange for helping restore her reputation, Sulochana will turn Ridhi into the yakshini she yearns to be—and teach her to divine the trees' murmurs.
But when Nilesh ends up trapped in the yakshas' realm, Ridhi realizes the leaves might be telling a disturbing story about the forest her heart is rooted in—one that, even if the two of them band together, threatens to shred the future like so many thorns.
"Thakrar's writing is rich and detailed without being dragged under by its own weight, depicting her story like a fine tapestry... This is a complex, deeper dive than usual, but Thakrar leavens her satisfying story with humor and populates it with realistic and appealing characters." —Booklist (starred review)
"Thakrar's Hindu- and Buddhist-inspired story with a primarily Indian cast is overflowing with lush, sensual imagery... [an] undeniably beautiful fantasy." —Kirkus Reviews
"This heavily atmospheric story will transport readers into the Night Market and tickle their senses... [a] magical dream that will transport fans of Holly Black's The Cruel Prince and Sarah J. Maas." —School Library Journal
"Thakrar has crafted a charming book that feels like discovering an enchanted garden. Indian folklore and legends are expertly woven into the modern troubles of her two lovingly-rendered protagonists. This is a story to cuddle up with and follow along as Ridhi and Nilesh venture through a lush and verdant world to find a place where they truly belong." —Sunya Mara, author of The Darkening
"A coming of age story blends seamlessly with Indian mythology in this beautifully written novel. Shveta Thakrar is skilled at conjuring tastes and aromas with her words, bringing the dual worlds of the story to vivid life." —Juliet Marillier, author of the Blackthorn & Grim series
This information about Divining the Leaves was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Shveta Thakrar is a part-time nagini and full-time believer in magic. Her work has appeared in a number of magazines and anthologies, including Enchanted Living, Uncanny magazine, A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, and Toil & Trouble. Her debut young adult fantasy novel, Star Daughter, was a finalist for the 2021 Andre Norton Nebula Award, and her second and third novels, The Dream Runners and Divining the Leaves, take place in the same universe. Her adult fantasy novella, Into the Moon Garden, is available as an original audiobook from Audible. When not spinning stories about spider silk and shadows, magic and marauders, and courageous girls illuminated by dancing rainbow flames, Shveta crafts, devours books, daydreams, travels, bakes, and occasionally even plays her harp.
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