I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
To Bargain With Mortals by R.A. Basu Series: The Reckoning Storm #1
Published by Bindery Books on 2025 October 28
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 454
Format: E-Arc
Source: Netgalley
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An outcast heiress. A notorious gang leader. A country on the brink of revolution.
In the colonized nation of Viryana, Poppy Sutherland lives between cultures. As the brown-skinned adopted daughter of the Viceroy, she is both rejected by white high society and alienated from the people of her native island. When she discovers her opportunistic fiancé’s plot to exile her, Poppy flees—straight into the clutches of the Jackal.
Hasan Devar, the ruthless criminal known as the Jackal, has long been targeted for his family’s divine magic, a gift the colonizers have tried to stamp out. When his brother is arrested, he seizes Poppy as leverage. But Poppy has powerful secrets—and political ambitions—of her own. As allies, they could do more than just free Hasan’s brother and keep Poppy safe. They could topple the very power structures that hold them all back.
The first book in the Reckoning Storm duology, To Bargain with Mortals is a stunning reflection on politics and purpose, blood and allegiance—and what we do with the histories we inherit.
What a dazzling read this book is. I am so glad that I took a chance on To Bargain With Mortals despite the fact that I haven’t read anything about the author and the premise seems like the usual fantasy trope of girl-of-destiny. But as I have mentioned in my previous reviews, I can put up with familiar fantasy tropes as long as executed well and To Bargain With Mortals has just done that. It’s not perfect but every page was perfect for me.
Inspired by colonial India, R.A. Basu’s To Bargain With Mortals follows the story of Poppy Sutherland, an orphaned Viryani who was adopted by a childless Duke and a Viceroy at that; and a Viryani criminal, Hasan a.ka. The Jackal, who despite being a criminal and being unrepentant about killing people still has morals to save the innocents. I know it’s crazy but he is just what he is. Heh. Know that these characters are already adults which made the story more novel in the sense that both protagonists seemed innocent about a lot of ways of the world. Poppy, having raised by the nobility, was sheltered and has this great tendency to act like the world owes her a lot for taking a lot from her. And Hasan for only seeing things the violent way. It’s almost always a black and white for him. If he wants to get something, he always faces it head on, with violence, without even thinking about the repercussions of his actions. Sounds irritating but Hasan is such an adorable guy despite the flaws. I may not relate with his logic but I can understand where he is coming from. He is jus a product of oppression who wants to do good but and make a better world for his fellow Viryans and at the same time, protect and provide for his family. Only that he still needs a lot of growing up to realize that fists are not the only way to do things.
I cannot say the same thing for Poppy though. She’s prolly the only reason why I did not give To Bargain With Mortals a perfect 5 star review because she really grated on my nerves. She’s a self-centered brat and is basically someone who had gotten everything that she wanted because she threw a tantrum or had coerced people to do her bidding. I did not feel that she worked hard enough to deserve her achievements at the end. She did not experience sufficient suffering for me to give her a pat in the back and tell her, “You did well, Young Padawan.” I did not see her displaying acts of remarkable brilliance or intelligence or cunning that made me “Oh, wow.” Yes, I know how miserable her life is and that she really has the right to feel hurt but it does not give her the right to invalidate the hurt of others when comparatively speaking, she had it better compared with the other Viryanis who did not even got a chance for any thing better. Le sigh.
Anyway, enough with Poppy lest I spoil the whole book for you with all my rant. Setting my dislike for Poppy, I am happy to tell you that I like all the characters in the book even the villains and the not-so villains. They’re well developed and has their certain depth that it’s difficult to not relate with them at some point. The way R.A. Basu made them was definitely not just your bad-bad kind of villain or good-good kind of protagonists. They have their admirable traits despite having both acceptable and non-acceptable flaws.
On top of the remarkable character development, I also enjoyed the author’s manner of writing. It’s poignant without being flowery. It really set the tone of the book which is inspired by colonial India. And yes, the way the author the built the story around the gods and goddesses of India made it so much more vibrant. I am only familiar with India’s history and mythology on the surface level but this book made me delve deeper into the intricacies of the Indians’ plight regarding their colonization. I also love the magic system created by the Author because there’s a balance. You cannot just use something so powerful without paying for it.
But most important of all, what I truly admired about To Bargain With Mortals was its heavy focus on family. It was just so heartbreaking to witness how the events of the book led to some heartwrenching scenes. Clarence Sutherland was a despicable man through and through but I could not find fault on how he tried, in his own perspective and views of the world, to be a good father to Poppy. How he tried his very best to protect Poppy is his own misguided ways. And then there’s The Jackal’s family whose filial bonds are so strong that they’d rather see the world in chaos than surrender one of their own. Truly, family is complicated but as this book has conveyed, it’s worth fighting for.
Summing it all up, To Bargain With Mortals had been a perfect companion these past days where the mundaneness of life has tried to swallow me whole. It’s surely a series that I’m looking forward to. Another gem in the Bindery books line up that I would not hesitate shoving down anyone’s throat. I pray to the gods of Virian that Poppy would at least grow up in the second and last installment of the series because she’s the only underachiever among the lineup of amazing characters in the book.