A Drop of Venom Annotation

*** Trigger Warning: This book contains sexual violence and mentions of suicide, and this annotation will have some mention of this. ***

“But that was the thing about myths and legends. There was so much to get wrong, and so little one knew of their true origins.”

Author: Sajni Patel

Title: A Drop of Venom

Genre: Young Adult

Publication Date: January 16, 2024

Number of Pages: 416

Geographical Setting: India-inspired fantasy world

Time Period: Unspecified

Series (If applicable): N/A

Plot Summary: Manisha, a 16-year old descendant of the legendary nagin and refugee of the Fire Wars, is hidden on the floating mountains in the kingdom’s holy temples until her sisters come get her when it’s safe. Pratyush is the famed slayer of monsters, said to be the last one after his father died. He’s been in service to the king for years, and instead of fighting all the time, he would like a quiet, peaceful life.

When Pratyush visits the floating temples and meets Manisha, they each see the possibility of a different life with each other. But in a world filled with monsters, there are other plans. Manisha is raped by a temple visitor and thrown off the floating mountains into a pit of vipers. Instead of being killed, the snakes’ venom fills her blood and makes her powerful, able to turn people to stone. As she makes her way towards her homelands, she encounters dangers that force her to use this newfound power.

A month after his last visit to the floating temples, Pratyush is ordered to find and kill the nagin harassing the countryside. One last mission, and then he can have the peaceful life he dreams of with Manisha. However, the “monster” he’s been sent to kill is the girl he wants to marry. As Pratyush and Manisha traverse through the country, they ask question what it truly means to be a monster.

Subject Headings: Mythological fiction, Fantasy fiction, YA Fantasy

Appeal:

Character/Plot - A Drop of Venom loosely follows and is inspired by the myth of Medusa (Manisha) and Perseus (Pratyush). Subversion of that myth is integral to the plot and the characters. There is much more focus on Manisha’s trauma and story than in the original myth, allowing us to understand her pain and experiences. Pratyush has a different backstory, making him a more nuanced and balanced character. We alternate between Pratyush and Manisha’s POV, so we see the world through their eyes. They both struggle with feeling trapped, stifled, and used and abhor the treatment of the king to his subjects. While the plot of the story is action-packed and keeps moving, there is also much focus on how the plot affects the main characters emotionally.

Setting - The story takes place in a kingdom ruled by a greedy and power-hungry king. His army has taken over much of the land and pushed Manisha’s people out of their ancestral home. The kingdom is steeped in patriarchy, the men told to take whoever and whatever they want while the women are meant to be subservient and used by men. The political system of the kingdom informs much of what happens in the story.

Beyond the political system of the kingdom the characters live in, the landscape is inspired by India and Indian folklore, including jungles, farmlands, and floating mountains. While hiding in the floating mountains, Manisha deeply misses the jungle where she feels more connected to her family and heritage. Pratyush desires a quiet farm life with Manisha, like the life his parents had. As we move through other regions in the book, we see how the land affects the villagers living in different parts of the kingdom and how it has shaped their customs. 

Genre - The author described this as dark fantasy on their social media, a fantasy novel that incorporates disturbing and/or frightening themes. This is certainly a YA fantasy that also falls within the mythological reimagining area. Feminist retellings of myths have become increasingly popular in the last few years, but many of these are aimed at adults. An article from The Guardian last year shows that this subgenre shows no signs of decreasing popularity and is “shining a spotlight on the women in the tale could offer a different perspective to the same legend, breathing new life into it. And it might shine more light on the emotional heart of the tale” (Tan, 2023). Given many of these myths are so well-known, retellings like this can help frame the contemporary politics of being a woman in a new and easier way.

Pacing/Writing Style - For this book, I felt that pacing and writing style went hand-in-hand to make it a fascinating and compelling read. Both of Manisha and Pratyush’s first chapters are when they are children and are about the event that starts their stories. Manisha’s chapters after that are counting down to the present day while Pratyush’s chapters are in the present day. What was very fascinating and different was that the pacing and writing style was unique in each POV. Pratyush’s POV was more detail-oriented, noticing things and taking time to describe them, which made sense given his enhanced abilities as a slayer, and that he was typically in less immediate danger than Manisha. Manisha’s POV lingered less on detail and more on Manisha’s thoughts and feelings. What I really found interesting was how Manisha’s first chapter was written. She and her family are running from a battle during the Fire Wars. Manisha is only eleven years old and hidden for most of the fighting. The pacing and writing style was slightly disorienting and disjointed, which made sense, given the trauma Manisha was experiencing. At other points in Manisha’s POV when she experiences trauma, the pacing and writing style are similar to the first chapter, making you truly feel what Manisha is feeling.

Relationships - Manisha and Pratyush’s relationship is one of the most important to each of them. They first meet while Manisha is hiding as a temple priestess in the floating mountains when Pratyush comes to pay homage to the gods. The rules for the temple priestesses are strict and confining for Manisha, but Pratyush makes her feel listened to in ways she hasn’t since she was with her family. Pratyush sees a life beyond being the slayer with Manisha, a quiet farming life filled with love like his parents had. They are both instantly intrigued and attracted to the other. Pratyush offers marriage to Manisha, and throughout his quest to defeat the nagin, he is thinking about her and the life they could have. Manisha thinks of him often during her transition wondering if he was sincere in his love for her. At the end of the book, they are on the run together, with Manisha hoping that she can open herself up to being loved by a man, and Pratyush hoping that Manisha will one day feel comfortable enough to let him love her.

The burgeoning relationship between Manisha and Pratyush is not the only important relationship in the book. Manisha had a strong bond with her elder sisters, Eshani and Sithara, who she is desperately trying to find after leaving the floating mountains. She often thinks of their strength and courage to make herself more brave. Her love for her family and especially her sisters is what keeps her going.

During her time as a temple priestess, Manisha felt that she couldn’t get close or trust anyone since she was in hiding. Throughout her journey to find her sisters, she meets other young women who she forms a friendship with. Having these friends provides great comfort for Manisha after not being able to rely on anyone for years.

Manisha is a descendant of the powerful nagin and has a connection with snakes. When on the floating mountains, Manisha meets a golden snake who she names Noni. She and Noni strike up a friendship, with them protecting and supporting each other. Manisha fiercely loves Noni and considers Noni her best friend. She brings a lot of comfort to Manisha through her journey.

Pratyush often thinks of his older sister who was taken in by the king after his parent’s death and used as a pawn. Pratyush was threatened with her life if he did not fight for the king, so he tried to do whatever was expected of him. His sister was very unhappy at the palace and eventually sold off to marry a cruel man who abused her. Pratyush tried to get her out of the marriage but was unable to, and eventually she killed herself. Her suicide and his inability to help her haunts Pratyush throughout the story. He thinks often about how he failed her and tries to protect young women he fears are being mistreated.

Ideas - This book presents many questions to the traditional Medusa myth. Who is the real monster? The woman who suffered a violent attack, or her attacker? If you had the ability to hurt those who hurt you, would you? If so, would this bring you closure? Does taking revenge on those who hurt you make you as much a monster as they are? If you have power, would you be better than those who use power against you? What makes a monster and what makes a hero? Both Pratyush and Manisha grapple with these questions throughout their stories. Manisha in particular detests killing, but she is desperate to protect herself and others from very real threats. She wonders if she is a monster or an avenger. Pratyush questions if the nagin he is chasing is actually a monster or a victim trying to protect themselves. 

Violence - This book is incredibly violent. Pratyush experiences severe depression, anxiety, and survivor’s guilt due to years of fighting monsters on behalf of the king. He is traumatized not only by his parents’ death, but also his sister’s suicide after he was forced into servitude to the king. It’s not only physical violence but sexual violence. The kingdom that the characters live in does not value women whatsoever and the men see them as disposable and for their taking. Most of the women in the series have experienced sexual violence, including Manisha. She suffers not only from being chased out of her homelands as a child and the resulting Fire Wars, but also severe PTSD from her violent rape. On top of that, the temple where her mother and sisters brought her to hide stifled who she was and taught young women that they were essentially inferior to men. The violence is exacerbated and felt each chapter through Manisha and Pratyush’s emotional trauma from what they have seen and survived.

3 terms that best describe this book: Action-Packed, Suspenseful, Compelling

Similar Authors and Works (why are they similar?):

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

For non-fiction, I wanted some works that looked at the Greek myths from a feminist perspective. I tried to find a book about the legend of the nagin, but unfortunately, was unable to find any great ones. 

Medusa’s Gaze and Vampire’s Bites by Matt Kaplan

This book focuses on how different cultures created the lore of different monsters and why monster myths have remained popular.

Women and Other Monsters by Jess Zimmerman

This book analyzes the female “monsters” in Greek mythology and challenges women to reclaim these stories for inspiration of a more “monstrous” version of feminism.

Pandora’s Jar by Natalie Haynes

This book focuses on the women from the Greek myths and asks why are we so quick to villainize these women in the first place?

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

For fiction, I wanted mainly YA books infused with Indian culture or inspired by mythology. 

The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala

Both fantasies are inspired by mythology and Indian culture and feature love interests at odds in larger political schemes.

The Dream Runners by Shveta Thakrar

Both are character driven fantasy novels featuring Indian mythology that ask what it means to be a monster.

Dear Medusa by Olivia Cole

While Dear Medusa is realistic fiction and not fantasy, both books use mythological characters to confront the trauma of sexual assault.

References

Shaffi, S. (2023, March 24). Two sides to a story: Why feminist retellings are filling our bookshelves. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/mar/24/two-sides-to-a-story-why-feminist-retellings-are-filling-our-bookshelves