A nod to our elders and nonviolence in demon-girl fable.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a little
Characters don't die, but are separated from loved ones, sucked into wormholes, and mourned heavily -- it's not known if they will ever be found. A nonviolent protest is surrounded by heavily armed soldiers who beat protesters, round them up as prisoners, and set fire to property. Characters injured while nearly falling into a wormhole. Some fights with air, fire, and water magic, but mostly a call to fight less and find a peaceful solution. Tales of rival consorts to queen killing each other or queen killing one of her consorts and choosing the other.
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Most of the characters are from West Bengali, Indian folktales and children's stories, as well as Hindu epics, and all have brown skin. The main character, Pinki, is a rakkhosh demon girl who ascends to power, embracing her big muscles and fierce powers. Her rakkhosh friend is lesbian, and another rakkhosh friend, a boy, goes against stereotypes to be the one to fix Pinki's makeup and hair.
The idea of ahimsa, the Indian principle of nonviolence, is put into practice in protests for freedom. Nonviolent protest takes practice, patience, and the ability to control emotions. Violence may be tempting when so much injustice is faced, but it takes a toll on a person's spirit. Another big theme is the value of our elders as loved ones, keepers of our history, and so much more. When Rontu calls them "useless oldies" Prince Arko explains to his thoughtless brother that, "It's so easy to think that we young people invented everything radical, everything forward-thinking, but that's just self-serving nonsense! Our elders are radical, and visionary, and not expendable!"
Positive Role Models
a lot
Pinki is a rakkhosh demon, who, in the first book feared her power and now embraces it, along with the friendships she's earned. Now she's tasked with controlling her power in ways that will keep the innocent from harm. At first she finds her friends' newfound love of nonviolent protest annoying -- why have all this power if she can't use it to smite the mean snakes? -- but then discovers how helpful it is in sticky situations. She also spends the book fearing the responsibility of leadership and learns what a good leader she can be. She accepts that she's not perfect, that she can often make rash decisions, but she also accepts more responsibility to protect others.
Educational Value
some
Author's note explains how this book draws from many West Bengal, India, folktales and children's stories, as well as Hindu epics. It explains how the conflict in this story was inspired by the Indian revolution and extraordinary revolutionaries who fought against Britain for independence, including members of her own family. In this sequel, the focus is on the ideas of nonviolent resistance and includes quotes from Audre Lorde and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and of course ideas from Gandhi, including that of ahimsa (refraining from harm).
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Sayantani DasGupta's Crown of Flames is the sequel to Force of Fire and prequel of sorts to the Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond trilogy featuring the origin story of a rakkhosh fire demon named Pinki, who lives in the Kingdom Beyond. Like the trilogy and Force of Fire, this is inspired by folk tales and folklore from West Bengal, India. The violence shifts in this story thanks to many characters' new focus on nonviolence. During a nonviolent protest, marchers asking for freedom from oppressive rule are surrounded by heavily armed soldiers who beat them, round them up as prisoners, and set fire to property. Also in retaliation, characters are separated from loved ones, sucked into wormholes, and mourned heavily -- it's not known if they will ever be found. Of course nonviolence is a strong message in Crown of Flames. So is the value of our elders as loved ones, keepers of our history, and so much more. When Rontu calls them "useless oldies" Prince Arko explains to his thoughtless brother, "It's so easy to think that we young people invented everything radical, everything forward-thinking, but that's just self-serving nonsense! Our elders are radical, and visionary, and not expendable!"
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What's the Story?
In CROWN OF FLAMES: KINGDOM BEYOND, BOOK 2, Pinki the rakkhosh demon has the worst dream imaginable. Not only is she the winner of the Demon King or Queen contest at her school, a contest she definitely has no interest in entering, but also the long-dead Demon Queen Hidimbi herself bequeaths Pinki her magic crown. Pinki wakes up when the crown sets on fire, signifying that she's unfit to rule and better not ever try to put it on. So of course the next day she's goaded into joining the very same contest by her disapproving headmistress. How does she know just how much her headmistress disapproves? When a professor's soul-bee gets stolen, Pinki is the one she blames. Now Pinki must recover it in a hurry and tries to enlist the help of her fierce rebel friends. Only problem is her rebel friends aren't so fierce anymore. They are all about nonviolence now and want Pinki to join them in protesting against their snake overlords who have led the Kingdom Beyond with cruelty for too long. Add to that problem that Sesha, the snake prince, is the one Pinki must negotiate with to find the missing soul-bee. Before Pinki knows it, she's made a mess of the contest and all her friends' important work. She's forced to strike a deal with Sesha declaring the prince her consort-to-be if she wins the Demon King or Queen contest.
This sequel strikes a more soulful, less playful tone with talk of nonviolence, oppression, and the importance of our elders. Sure, there are still some fun characters to follow in Crown of Flames, like the hair-product-loving Aakosh and Pinki's three little demon cousins who try and fail to be fierce. And all those distinctively rakkhoshi terms of endearment are still there, in excess when Pinki and Seshi feign a courtship. "My dumpling-faced evil genius of a cruciferous consort" is a particular favorite. But now the fight for the Kingdom Beyond is ramping up, the villains are behaving more villainous, and Pinki is caught in the middle of it, especially after she's accused of soul-bee theft, needs the terrible snake-prince's help, and gets it for a horrible price. Having Sesha for a consort can't be a good idea. And when she finds out she can have two consorts and they can fight to the death for her hand, her prospects don't improve in the least.
For Pinki and her friends, the Demon Queen's next consort is the least of all their worries, at least for now. The revolutionaries, including Prince Arko and the moon maiden Chandni, have launched a new nonviolent movement and the snake overlords retaliate in a major way. A scene with marchers surrounded by snake soldiers escalates and readers will feel Pinki's frustration and Prince Arko's despair when things get violent. And soon it's not just the marchers who need saving. Whole families are torn apart. Author Sayantani DasGupta notes in her afterword that she was so stricken by how much was lost with the death of elders from COVID-19 (and treatment of the vulnerable during the pandemic in general) that she was inspired to make respect for them a lesson in Crown of Flames. Besides it being a good reminder for us all to call our grandmas, it adds poignancy and an urgency for Pinki and friends to stop those nasty snakes in the series finale.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the "useless oldies" as thoughtless Rontu calls them in Crown of Flames. Respecting your grandparents isn't a common theme in fantasy books. How does this story pay tribute to the elderly and remind readers of their importance?
The most violent moment of the story comes during a nonviolent protest. How do the soldiers react to Prince Arko's march? How hard do you think it is for the protesters to refrain from violence when they become victims of violence? There are many moments in history this scene calls to mind. Can you think of any of them depicted in books you've read or movies you've seen?
Available on:
Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
Last updated:
September 26, 2022
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Crown of Flames: Kingdom Beyond: The Fire Queen, Book 2
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