**The links below are to the book’s StoryGraph page for reference. I do not receive any compensation for clicking links. **
Book: The Tainted Cup
Author: Robert Jackson Bennett
Pages: 432
Source: Penguin Random House, NetGalley
Publisher: Del Rey
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery
Publication Date: February 6, 2024
Summary:
An eccentric detective and her long-suffering assistant untangle a web of magic, deceit, and murder in this sparkling fantasy reimagining of the classic crime novel—from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.
In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible.
Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.
At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears–quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home.
Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.
As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.
Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.
My Review:
I received a free advanced reader’s copy of The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett from Penguin Random House via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Penguin Random House and Del Rey!
The Tainted Cup takes place in the fictional Empire of Khanum on the eastern coast of a large continent. Khanum is made up of cantons separated by huge concentrically ringed walls from the ocean moving inward. These walls, along with Khanum’s Legionnaires, serve as protection against huge ocean beasts called Leviathans. Every few months the Leviathans emerge from the ocean floor and attempt to come ashore into the Empire where they cause utter devastation.
At the beginning of one of these wet seasons, as they’re called in the Empire, Dinios Kol is called to investigate a murder on behalf of his master Ana Dolabra. A high ranking officer has been killed in a most unusual manner, and the murder occurred in the home of one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the Empire. The discoveries at the scene end up leading both Din and Ana on a journey neither of them could have expected. What begins as a mysterious death quickly snowballs into political intrigue and deadly danger. Ana and Din must unravel the mystery in which the existence of the Empire and all they know is being held in the balance.
This book was absolutely amazing! Everything about it from the characters to the setting and the mystery itself were so unique and interesting. The Empire of Khanum is one of the most distinctive settings I’ve seen in a book. The entire Empire is under a seasonal threat from the Leviathans emerging from the sea. It’s mentioned throughout the story that the entire reason the Empire exists is to kill or turn away the Leviathans when they attempt to come ashore. One of the ways the Empire has done this is by using the Leviathans’ blood and other parts (after they’ve managed to kill one of course) to synthesize all manner of technology.
For example, there are a class of people known as Sublimes who have been genetically altered to have special abilities. Dinios Kol is one such person, and he is known as an engraver. Everything he sees or hears, he remembers. He never forgets anything, which makes him perfect for his role as an apprentice investigator. Additionally, much of the technology in this world is plant-based. The buildings are made of strong, genetically enhanced vines, and there are even fungi and mushrooms that act as air conditioners. This blend of science within a fantasy setting is such an interesting take on what may otherwise be called magic in another book. I’ve had a hard time categorizing this book’s genre as a result, but that is by no means a criticism of the story.
Speaking of the story, Robert Jackson Bennett has managed to weave together seemingly unrelated threads to build an engaging and thrilling mystery with this book. I found myself comparing it to Sherlock Holmes where Ana was Holmes and Din was Watson. The dynamic between them as they sought to unravel each thread was very similar. Din would gather and engrave the information in his memory, and Ana would use her prodigious wealth of knowledge to piece everything together. There were a few instances when I fitted the pieces together myself before the story explained them, but for the most part, the story was difficult to predict.
Aside from the mystery and setting, what really made this story so engaging was the characters, especially Ana and Din. Both of them have mysteries in their own past, and this book only explains a few of them. For example, Din has a secret about how his engraving works that isn’t explained until late in the book, but his family and reasons for becoming a Sublime remain unexplained. Likewise, Ana is quite eccentric, even by the Empire’s standards. She reads obsessively literally anything she can get her hands on, and she blindfolds herself much of the time to avoid over-stimulation. Her reasons for these behaviors are explained, but her muddled past and secrets are only mentioned enough to make the reader want more.
Luckily, I saw that the Goodreads and StoryGraph pages for The Tainted Cup have been updated to indicate this is the first book in a planned trilogy! I’m hoping further installments will explain some of Din’s and Ana’s pasts as well as explore the world more. I really want to know what in the world is going on with these Leviathans. What are they really, and why do they try so hard to come ashore? It’s sort of explained in the book what happens if they do make it ashore, and what is explained doesn’t necessarily seem bad. It just seems inconvenient for the Empire and people in general. So, I can’t wait to read more about it all!
My Rating:
I gave The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett five out five stars. Just the setting and characters alone make this an interesting and unique book, but then Bennett wove it all into a mystery filled with murder and political intrigue on top of that. I keep wanting to say it’s like Sherlock Holmes in Ancient Rome except Rome was built on the edge of the ocean in a jungle with giant sea monsters. Then I realize, that’s not like Rome at all! And of course, just like any great mystery, the title makes so much sense once you finish the book. Definitely give this book a read if you’re on the lookout for something so different it’s difficult to even categorize!
Have you read anything by Robert Jackson Bennett? Are you looking forward to reading The Tainted Cup? Let me know in the comments!
Tea Rex Reads 