Of Light and Shadow

Of Light and Shadow is a standalone fantasy set in an Indian-inspired world similar to the one in Bhathena’s earlier duology, Hunted by the Sky. Roshan is a girl raised by bandits who now leads the Shadow Clan in Robin-Hood-like raids to keep impoverished villagers alive. The province’s governor is stealing magic out of the land, turning it into a badlands of desert canyons. When Roshan discovers the hungover prince Navin during a raid, she takes him hostage, hoping to force the queen to deal with the evil governor.

While Navin is a prisoner, the Shadow Clan take him to see the ruined villages and hear stories of the governor’s atrocities, hoping to enlist him on their side. Meanwhile, the prince is slowly using his soul magic, manifest in his voice, to manipulate Roshan. He brainwashes her into walking into a trap set by Navin’s best friend, the governor’s son.

During Roshan’s imprisonment, Navin learns that her accusations against the governor are true. He tries to get his grandmother, the queen, and his brother, the crown prince, to do something about the atrocities, but the governor is too powerful for them to fight against. When Navin’s supposed best friend tries to have him killed, Navin’s loyalties shift. He asks his estranged father, a winged Peri from a neighbouring land, for help in breaking Roshan out of prison.

Working together, Navin and Roshan try to unite the villagers in a protest against the governor, but one of the Shadow Clan betrays Roshan, and she falls into the governor’s hands. Navin, his Peri father and brother and the other Shadow Clan members rescue Roshan with secret help from the crown prince. The governor is arrested and put on trial. Roshan is given a short sentence for her banditry, and she and Navin are reunited in the province they can now restore to prosperity.

The fantastical world in Of Light and Shadow is lush and textured, an immersive backdrop to a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance. In addition to Nevin’s soul magic, Roshan has healing magic, other Shadow Clan members have the ability to levitate or turn invisible, and many wield magical weapons. Along with the Peris, there are other non-human beings that are based on Indian mythology.

The political plot is a relatively nuanced look at power and corruption, a gender-switched Robin-Hood plot that explores methods other than violence to achieve justice.
The romance is complicated by Navin’s use of magic, but Bhathena takes care to establish consent:

She had felt his magic. … Right now, though, … Roshan’s mind was clear. Entirely her own.

“I won’t do it again,” he said, his gaze intent. “Not without your consent.”

“How do I know that?” she said, unable to keep the sharpness from her voice.

“You can block your emotions from me.”

There are some steamy kisses and what some may consider to be an explicit sex scene.

Of Light and Shadow is an enjoyable adventure-romance that crafts an original take on some favourite YA tropes.