ILLUSIONS OF FIRE

When fire runs in your blood, destiny will always strike a spark.

Eighteen-year-old Laila Bansal, a descendant of Draupadi (from the Hindu epic the Mahabharata), lives with her three immortal rakshasi aunts and is bound by her bloodline to bear a child before age 25 in order to maintain the cosmic balance. Laila’s masis raised her in remote areas—Mauritius, forests in Indonesia and Germany, and now, a winery in upstate New York. She longs for normality, scrolling social media and envying her friends’ college experiences (she’ll be attending college classes online). Laila’s world explodes when Karan Singh, “descendant of warrior and demigod Karna,” arrives, hunting an asura, or supernatural monster—and their forbidden connection triggers apocalyptic consequences. Sharma authentically integrates Hindu mythology into contemporary settings, drawing from oral traditions and regional variations. The romance develops organically despite the leads’ star-crossed origins, and a late revelation adds layers of tension and tenderness. Central themes of autonomy versus destiny emerge through Laila’s struggle against predetermined motherhood, echoing Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, which is her favorite book. The story also explores grief and inherited legacies through sharp dialogue and vivid action sequences. While the pacing occasionally slows during exposition-heavy sections, and the third-person narration feels distant at times, Laila’s journey to self-acceptance and the explosive finale provide readers with a satisfying resolution.

A fiery fantasy that proves that sometimes the most dangerous battles are the ones within.