The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman

Happy New Year! THE IVORY KEY by Akshaya Raman first attracted my attention because of its beautiful cover, but I stayed for the story which is an excellent fantasy involving four siblings. Now young adults, they are estranged to the point where one, 18-year-old Vira, has recently become ruler and has had her brother Kaleb imprisoned due to suspicions that he was involved in their mother’s unexpected death. Another sister, Riya, has run away to join the Ravens, an opposition group living in the forest, while the remaining brother named Ronak gets involved with some dangerous, unethical people in an attempt to escape the kingdom and royal life. Their country, Ashoka, has always been a significant producer of magic which is used it to defend its borders, but the magic is running out and the kingdom could soon be overrun by enemies.  However, there is a legend involving an old map which leads to the Ivory Key to unlock additional magic quarries. Could these four combine their talents and learn to work together despite mistrust and the self-centered objectives of each sibling?  Told from alternating perspectives, the character development is especially strong and debut author Raman’s worldbuilding includes numerous references to Indian culture. An intriguing story full of adventure, romance, and betrayal which seems perfect for a movie adaptation, THE IVORY KEY received a starred review from Booklist and is the first of a planned duology.