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Toads and Diamonds
Diribani has come to the village well to get water for her family's scant meal of curry and rice. She never expected to meet a goddess there. Yet she is granted a remarkable Flowers and precious jewels drop from her lips whenever she speaks. It seems only right to Tana that the goddess judged her kind, lovely stepsister worthy of such riches. And when she encounters the goddess, she is not surprised to find herself speaking snakes and toads as a reward. Blessings and curses are never so clear as they might seem, however. Diribani's newfound wealth brings her a prince―and an attempt on her life. Tana is chased out of the village because the province's governor fears snakes, yet thousands are dying of a plague spread by rats. As the sisters' fates hang in the balance, each struggles to understand her gift. Will it bring her wisdom, good fortune, love . . . or death?
Toads and Diamonds is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Toads and Diamonds is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 2010
23 people are currently reading
4964 people want to read
About the author
Heather Tomlinson
9 books86 followersHeather Tomlinson grew up in California and New Hampshire, graduating from Wellesley College with a degree in French literature. After teaching English in France and French in the United States, she worked at a book wholesaler. Now she writes the kinds of novels she likes to read.
Heather lives on a sailboat in southern California with her engineer husband, her baby boy, and cats X, Y, and Z.
Heather lives on a sailboat in southern California with her engineer husband, her baby boy, and cats X, Y, and Z.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews
April 7, 2012
When I was younger I had a favorite picture book called "The Talking Egg" by Robert D. San Souci. Two girls are told to throw things over their shoulders, one girl is rewarded with jewels, and her less the kind sister, frogs and snakes. My love for that picture book is what drew me to this book in the first place. The intial concept in this book was original and beauitful. It discusses the meaning of "gifts" and "curse" and how, sometimes, our hardest trials might be our greatest blessings. That is something we would all do well to remember.
The first issue I had with this book was the "plodding" nature of the writing. Some authors have the ability to whisk you away into imagined lands and you float merrily along, hardly passing the time or story. Others, such as this book, sometimes leave you feeling like your glooshing through a mud pit. I don't know what makes the difference.
The setting was a little confusing to me. It was loosly based on Indian (as in India) history, but with little explanation I had a hard time understanding the roles of characters. There were two competing religions - Hindu and Islam - and occasionally the author seemed to be building up to this great understanding that could arise from looking at the beauty of both religions, but she always backed away from it. Infact, that was how most of the book went. Whenever I thought we were building up to some grand understanding, the author quickly moved away and left me hanging.
There were too many unfinished plots and too many unreal scenarios. I think the most moving moment, when the author was really finding her stride, was at the beginning when Tana was describing her feelings and how she was so undeserving. I felt that scene had so much emotion, and so much I could relate too, that it brought tears to my eyes. Yet, the author didn't build on that. Nor were her characters consistent in their thoughts and actions.
The romance plots, which could have been great, were also left unsatisfactorily hanging. And, Tana had been so worried about the villagers, but it never told us what happened to them. Then, when the sister's meet, they both seemed to act so out of character. Tana's character progressed a little more than Dhiribani's, but still, it wasn't good enough.
Initially, I was going to give it three stars, but the more I thought it about it, I realized it had too many flaws. Too many things lacking. I think part of the problem was the author tried to take too many plot twists and tie them neatly into one story. Better to focus on just one "life lesson." Good initial concept though. What would you do if you had been "blessed" to speak toads and snakes? Personally, I would probably never open my mouth again for fear of dying of fright. Lol.
The first issue I had with this book was the "plodding" nature of the writing. Some authors have the ability to whisk you away into imagined lands and you float merrily along, hardly passing the time or story. Others, such as this book, sometimes leave you feeling like your glooshing through a mud pit. I don't know what makes the difference.
The setting was a little confusing to me. It was loosly based on Indian (as in India) history, but with little explanation I had a hard time understanding the roles of characters. There were two competing religions - Hindu and Islam - and occasionally the author seemed to be building up to this great understanding that could arise from looking at the beauty of both religions, but she always backed away from it. Infact, that was how most of the book went. Whenever I thought we were building up to some grand understanding, the author quickly moved away and left me hanging.
There were too many unfinished plots and too many unreal scenarios. I think the most moving moment, when the author was really finding her stride, was at the beginning when Tana was describing her feelings and how she was so undeserving. I felt that scene had so much emotion, and so much I could relate too, that it brought tears to my eyes. Yet, the author didn't build on that. Nor were her characters consistent in their thoughts and actions.
The romance plots, which could have been great, were also left unsatisfactorily hanging. And, Tana had been so worried about the villagers, but it never told us what happened to them. Then, when the sister's meet, they both seemed to act so out of character. Tana's character progressed a little more than Dhiribani's, but still, it wasn't good enough.
Initially, I was going to give it three stars, but the more I thought it about it, I realized it had too many flaws. Too many things lacking. I think part of the problem was the author tried to take too many plot twists and tie them neatly into one story. Better to focus on just one "life lesson." Good initial concept though. What would you do if you had been "blessed" to speak toads and snakes? Personally, I would probably never open my mouth again for fear of dying of fright. Lol.
September 17, 2010
AWESOME IDEA. Toads and Diamonds always seemed like a really unjust fairytale, with a lot of ecological and economic problems to boot. One sister is polite to the faerie/goddess and is in turn granted with a gift: jewels and flowers fall from her mouth every time she speaks. The other sister is rude--well, at least abrasive--and gets snakes and amphibians instead. So the author does some really great things: she tells story from the points of view of sisters who don't hate each other, though they have contrasting personalities, and she sets it in India, where snakes have a different (valued!) cultural significance. Tomlinson thinks through each girl's gifts in an exercise of subversion--gems aren't so good with greedy government officials, and snakes aren't so bad when you've got a pandemic spread from the overpopulation of rats.
So far so good. Where are the problems then? The novel is told in alternating chapters, and Diribani's half of the story gets horribly boring halfway through, when she gets to the palace and her activities/social life is strictly monitored. Tana's point of view was far more engaging--she seemed the more genuine voice, one of survival and street smarts. And each girl had their own fellow to pine for--Tana for Kalyan, and Diribani for Prince Zahid--and they pined and pined. And in the end, they don't even get the guys, so, yeah, grr.
Plus, it never came up that, the amount of gemstones Diribani spit out, it might be really bad for the gem industry! Inflation, yo! At least Tana's snakes were meant to repopulate the ones that the evil governor had mass murdered, for ecological balance.
So far so good. Where are the problems then? The novel is told in alternating chapters, and Diribani's half of the story gets horribly boring halfway through, when she gets to the palace and her activities/social life is strictly monitored. Tana's point of view was far more engaging--she seemed the more genuine voice, one of survival and street smarts. And each girl had their own fellow to pine for--Tana for Kalyan, and Diribani for Prince Zahid--and they pined and pined. And in the end, they don't even get the guys, so, yeah, grr.
Plus, it never came up that, the amount of gemstones Diribani spit out, it might be really bad for the gem industry! Inflation, yo! At least Tana's snakes were meant to repopulate the ones that the evil governor had mass murdered, for ecological balance.
May 9, 2011
I’m rather amazed I’ve never heard of Heather Tomlinson until the Book Smugglers reviewed this book and her other, The Swan Maiden. For all that this book had some problems it was still really well written, and Tomlinson deserves more recognition.
The greatest part about the book was the fact that Diribani and Tana love and admire each other. In the original fairy tale, of course the sisters are polar opposites and the abrasive one hates the perfect one. Tana and Diribani aren’t the same, either (though they both come across as a little too perfect at times) but they love each other for their differences and admire the other’s best traits. This is wonderful and touching, and it needs to happen more often in YA. Their differences are even shown in the writing; Diribani tended to be more descriptive of her surroundings and tended to use lush words, and she would easily become distracted by a daydream. Tana was more practical, and while she had her moments of lush description, it wasn’t as often as Diribani’s. When Tana became distracted it was because she was planning, trying to secure her family’s future. Sometimes she let herself daydream but she almost always pulled herself back down to reality to focus on the task at hand.
The biggest issue I had with the book was the pacing, I think. It started off a little slow, then when the girls got their blessings it sped up, then it slowed down again as they went off their separate ways and tried to find footing in their new circumstances. Diribani’s storyline was the worst case of this, I think. The pacing in her story slows down to a snail’s pace, although I suppose it’s understandable because the dangers surrounding her and her gift are more subtle than the ones Tana faces. But because Diribani’s pacing was slow, Tana’s story turned out to be the more interesting one, because big things happened in hers. Her gift turned out to be a strong asset in restoring ecological order to her country, since a government official had ordered all snakes to be killed, and rats were running rampant. Tana also had a strong character arc throughout the book; she starts off as a woman with horribly low self-esteem and thinking she’s been punished with her gift for being a sinner, to a person who realizes she can use her gift for good, and someone who plans to save her entire village.
I never quite got the hang of Diribani’s story line. Hers was mostly building a stepwell for the miners and pining away after Zahid, but having to slowly come to terms with the fact that they can never be together. I never felt like her gift had much importance in the long run except as a tool of subversion; gems aren’t so nice when there’s a greedy government official around, wanting to use your gift for himself. Whereas snakes were important for the ecological balance and also have a strong religious importance in their culture. There were some good side characters in Diribani’s story--the princess, her maid, and some others--but they couldn’t quite spruce up Diribani’s side of the plot. While Tana’s story had some pacing issues in the beginning as well, hers quickly resolved, whereas Diribani’s never quite did.
I do respect Tomlinson for not feeling the need to tie everything off with one big happy ending, however. While Tana has a good chance of a happy ending in the future, Diribani’s is less clear. It’s a rather brave move in the genre that currently lives on happy endings, after a few books of “omg I love you but I can’t be with you BUT I WANT TO BE WITH YOU.” If you’re a reader who typically likes happy endings with everything in the book solved, Toads and Diamonds probably isn’t the book for you.
The only other quibble I have is the ending. I felt like the villain was defeated too easily, and that his characterization was weak compared to everyone else in the book. He was just the typical fanatical greedy villain, and we never got much more than that for his characterization. The pacing felt a little rushed, too, after pages of slow moving plot. It fits with the rest of the story, of course, but I still wish maybe more time had been taken on it and made it a bit stronger.
The writing itself was smooth and easy, and nothing except the pacing felt forced. Tomlinson has a truly lovely gift for description, and she shows it. Her character building was strong, too, and, as I said, while Tana and Diribani sometimes came off as a little too perfect, they were still strong characters. Tana ended up being the stronger one but Diribani wasn’t half bad herself. The fact that Tomlinson took the time to show that both religions present in the story had their good points and bad points was sadly remarkable. The fact that she showed Diribani staying strong and true to her religion while slowly learning about the white-coats religion, and learning to tolerate it, was even more remarkable. She also showed that not everyone who practiced a certain religion was a fanatic (as the government official, Governor Alwar, is) and intolerant of other religions. How often does one see this in YA? A lot of books simply make it black and white with no gray in between, but Tomlinson went for the harder choice and treated both religions respectfully.
All in all while the book had some issues, I really did enjoy Toads and Diamonds for breaking away from the usual mold of today’s YA. I’ll definitely be checking out Tomlinson’s other books, The Swan Maiden and Aurelie.
(Trigger Warning(s): There’s a scene of a group of soldiers sexually assaulting a young girl and slut shaming her. There’s also graphic descriptions of slavery later in the book, and one of the main characters gets taken hostage later on.)
The greatest part about the book was the fact that Diribani and Tana love and admire each other. In the original fairy tale, of course the sisters are polar opposites and the abrasive one hates the perfect one. Tana and Diribani aren’t the same, either (though they both come across as a little too perfect at times) but they love each other for their differences and admire the other’s best traits. This is wonderful and touching, and it needs to happen more often in YA. Their differences are even shown in the writing; Diribani tended to be more descriptive of her surroundings and tended to use lush words, and she would easily become distracted by a daydream. Tana was more practical, and while she had her moments of lush description, it wasn’t as often as Diribani’s. When Tana became distracted it was because she was planning, trying to secure her family’s future. Sometimes she let herself daydream but she almost always pulled herself back down to reality to focus on the task at hand.
The biggest issue I had with the book was the pacing, I think. It started off a little slow, then when the girls got their blessings it sped up, then it slowed down again as they went off their separate ways and tried to find footing in their new circumstances. Diribani’s storyline was the worst case of this, I think. The pacing in her story slows down to a snail’s pace, although I suppose it’s understandable because the dangers surrounding her and her gift are more subtle than the ones Tana faces. But because Diribani’s pacing was slow, Tana’s story turned out to be the more interesting one, because big things happened in hers. Her gift turned out to be a strong asset in restoring ecological order to her country, since a government official had ordered all snakes to be killed, and rats were running rampant. Tana also had a strong character arc throughout the book; she starts off as a woman with horribly low self-esteem and thinking she’s been punished with her gift for being a sinner, to a person who realizes she can use her gift for good, and someone who plans to save her entire village.
I never quite got the hang of Diribani’s story line. Hers was mostly building a stepwell for the miners and pining away after Zahid, but having to slowly come to terms with the fact that they can never be together. I never felt like her gift had much importance in the long run except as a tool of subversion; gems aren’t so nice when there’s a greedy government official around, wanting to use your gift for himself. Whereas snakes were important for the ecological balance and also have a strong religious importance in their culture. There were some good side characters in Diribani’s story--the princess, her maid, and some others--but they couldn’t quite spruce up Diribani’s side of the plot. While Tana’s story had some pacing issues in the beginning as well, hers quickly resolved, whereas Diribani’s never quite did.
I do respect Tomlinson for not feeling the need to tie everything off with one big happy ending, however. While Tana has a good chance of a happy ending in the future, Diribani’s is less clear. It’s a rather brave move in the genre that currently lives on happy endings, after a few books of “omg I love you but I can’t be with you BUT I WANT TO BE WITH YOU.” If you’re a reader who typically likes happy endings with everything in the book solved, Toads and Diamonds probably isn’t the book for you.
The only other quibble I have is the ending. I felt like the villain was defeated too easily, and that his characterization was weak compared to everyone else in the book. He was just the typical fanatical greedy villain, and we never got much more than that for his characterization. The pacing felt a little rushed, too, after pages of slow moving plot. It fits with the rest of the story, of course, but I still wish maybe more time had been taken on it and made it a bit stronger.
The writing itself was smooth and easy, and nothing except the pacing felt forced. Tomlinson has a truly lovely gift for description, and she shows it. Her character building was strong, too, and, as I said, while Tana and Diribani sometimes came off as a little too perfect, they were still strong characters. Tana ended up being the stronger one but Diribani wasn’t half bad herself. The fact that Tomlinson took the time to show that both religions present in the story had their good points and bad points was sadly remarkable. The fact that she showed Diribani staying strong and true to her religion while slowly learning about the white-coats religion, and learning to tolerate it, was even more remarkable. She also showed that not everyone who practiced a certain religion was a fanatic (as the government official, Governor Alwar, is) and intolerant of other religions. How often does one see this in YA? A lot of books simply make it black and white with no gray in between, but Tomlinson went for the harder choice and treated both religions respectfully.
All in all while the book had some issues, I really did enjoy Toads and Diamonds for breaking away from the usual mold of today’s YA. I’ll definitely be checking out Tomlinson’s other books, The Swan Maiden and Aurelie.
(Trigger Warning(s): There’s a scene of a group of soldiers sexually assaulting a young girl and slut shaming her. There’s also graphic descriptions of slavery later in the book, and one of the main characters gets taken hostage later on.)
July 19, 2016
After reading and reviewing so many stupid books, it makes me very happy to introduce a good one.
Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson takes place in an imaginary land - the Hundred Kingdoms - very similar to India under Moghul rule during the 1500s - 1700s. The natives worship twelve gods and practice vegetarianism. The invaders are monotheists.
Diribani and Tana are the daughters of a poor widow. Diribani is beautiful and kind. Tana is plain and snarky, but clever. In a twist patterned on a Perrault fairytale, both girls give a drink of water to a goddess in disguise - for which she rewards them. Now Diribani can't speak without flowers and precious gems spilling from her mouth; likewise Tana can't speak without spitting out toads and snakes.
It's no spoiler to say that Diribani's gift attracts a position at court and a handsome prince. But Tana is feared and hunted by the invader authorities, who believe her animals are evil. (The natives believe frogs are lucky, and snakes eat household pests).
Tomlinson clearly did her homework on Indian flora, fauna, food, fashion, and architecture. Her writing is so descriptive as to be transporting. Despite all the detail, the chapters are short and the pace never flags. Her protagonists and supporting characters are relatable and empathetic.
This richly-imagined, squeaky-clean book is warmly recommended
You may also like:
- Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier, another fairytale adaptation featuring a quasi-historical setting and awesome sisters
- Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst, set in an alternative ancient Middle Eastern culture
- Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale, set in an alternative medieval Mongolian culture
- Jahanara: Princess of Princesses by Kathryn Lasky, a look at a real-life princess whose existence was much like that of the fictional Princess Ruqayya in Toads and Diamonds
Toads and Diamonds by Heather Tomlinson takes place in an imaginary land - the Hundred Kingdoms - very similar to India under Moghul rule during the 1500s - 1700s. The natives worship twelve gods and practice vegetarianism. The invaders are monotheists.
Diribani and Tana are the daughters of a poor widow. Diribani is beautiful and kind. Tana is plain and snarky, but clever. In a twist patterned on a Perrault fairytale, both girls give a drink of water to a goddess in disguise - for which she rewards them. Now Diribani can't speak without flowers and precious gems spilling from her mouth; likewise Tana can't speak without spitting out toads and snakes.
It's no spoiler to say that Diribani's gift attracts a position at court and a handsome prince. But Tana is feared and hunted by the invader authorities, who believe her animals are evil. (The natives believe frogs are lucky, and snakes eat household pests).
Tomlinson clearly did her homework on Indian flora, fauna, food, fashion, and architecture. Her writing is so descriptive as to be transporting. Despite all the detail, the chapters are short and the pace never flags. Her protagonists and supporting characters are relatable and empathetic.
This richly-imagined, squeaky-clean book is warmly recommended
You may also like:
- Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier, another fairytale adaptation featuring a quasi-historical setting and awesome sisters
- Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst, set in an alternative ancient Middle Eastern culture
- Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale, set in an alternative medieval Mongolian culture
- Jahanara: Princess of Princesses by Kathryn Lasky, a look at a real-life princess whose existence was much like that of the fictional Princess Ruqayya in Toads and Diamonds
August 21, 2019
I was slow getting into this one, but it was because of the book I read before it. I had some major book hangover! The quality of this book following on the heels of Ship of Smoke and Steel was just bad juju. There is no comparison between them! This book felt like a middle-grade after that exceptional read by Wexler. Definitely bogged me down with disappointment for the first third of this.
Aside from the writing quality though, this little standalone centers around an India-inspired setting. Something I’m totally obsessed with, have been for ages. I loved the ideas of the storyline, and the characters were quite likable 🧕🏽🤴🏾🧙🏼♀️I enjoyed the alternating sister perspectives and how the plot was tidily wrapped up at the end. My only issue with it is not getting to see the sisters’ reunion with their prospective boys. I really wanted to see that!! I wanted to SEE their “Happily ever after”, but oh well. I still enjoyed it over all 🐍🌺👑💎🌸
Aside from the writing quality though, this little standalone centers around an India-inspired setting. Something I’m totally obsessed with, have been for ages. I loved the ideas of the storyline, and the characters were quite likable 🧕🏽🤴🏾🧙🏼♀️I enjoyed the alternating sister perspectives and how the plot was tidily wrapped up at the end. My only issue with it is not getting to see the sisters’ reunion with their prospective boys. I really wanted to see that!! I wanted to SEE their “Happily ever after”, but oh well. I still enjoyed it over all 🐍🌺👑💎🌸
April 5, 2011
This book started off a little slow for me but eventually picked up. It was interesting to see how each of the two different "blessings" bestowed upon Dribani and Tana by the goddess Naghali-ji affected their lives in different ways. They both learned and grew from the experience.
One thing that really irked me about this book is that so much time is spent developing the relationship between Dribani and Prince Zahid. So much stress was put on the fact that their was little hope they could end up together. The ending was so vague about a HEA for her. At least, with Tana it was pretty obvious that she and Kalyan would end up together. For Dribani the obstacles just were too great for Zahid and her. For me, it seemed that developing that relationship was rather pointless if their was not going to be any true resolution so that they could be together. I was disappointed by that. I have never been a huge fan of such open endings so this rather marred the story a great deal. All in all, I enjoyed it somewhat with the exception of the ending which seemed too rushed and abrupt.
One thing that really irked me about this book is that so much time is spent developing the relationship between Dribani and Prince Zahid. So much stress was put on the fact that their was little hope they could end up together. The ending was so vague about a HEA for her. At least, with Tana it was pretty obvious that she and Kalyan would end up together. For Dribani the obstacles just were too great for Zahid and her. For me, it seemed that developing that relationship was rather pointless if their was not going to be any true resolution so that they could be together. I was disappointed by that. I have never been a huge fan of such open endings so this rather marred the story a great deal. All in all, I enjoyed it somewhat with the exception of the ending which seemed too rushed and abrupt.
April 3, 2011
A very interesting riff off the old fairy tale. In this version, set in an alternate India during the Mughal Empire, sister and step-sister are both blessed by the goddess Naghali-ji, whom they encounter at the community well: from Diribani's mouth come flowers and jewels when she speaks, and from Tana's lips spring the lucky frogs and useful, rat-eating snakes the villagers value so highly. Still, both blessings can be awkward, and the girls follow separate and often difficult paths in their quests to understand how the goddess means them to use their gifts. The sense of place in rural India is powerful and lush, and there is an interesting plot-line following a cultural clash between the followers of the One God, who have conquered the country (and with whom Diribani's life becomes intertwined), and the followers of the Twelve, among whom the sisters were raised by their jewel-merchant father.
April 15, 2016
4.5 stars
OMGosh!!!! Words cannot describe how much I loved this book. Heather Tomlinson has a wonderful writing style. The story was about faith and sisterly love with a touch of slow burn romance. It was a great retelling of a classic folklore. I would have given the book 5 stars but I wished the ending was tied up better, but that's a negligible complaint to be honest. After my previous book, I wanted to read something that was deep. This book delivered. It was lyrical, evocative and breathtaking. Heather Tomlinson is a master at world-building. With every page, I was caught up in a colourful and vibrant world. I felt I was there with Tana and Diribani, feeling their emotions and what not. I'm going to be utterly disappointed if the next book doesn't match up to the feelings I have right now. I definitely look forward to reading more books by this author :)
OMGosh!!!! Words cannot describe how much I loved this book. Heather Tomlinson has a wonderful writing style. The story was about faith and sisterly love with a touch of slow burn romance. It was a great retelling of a classic folklore. I would have given the book 5 stars but I wished the ending was tied up better, but that's a negligible complaint to be honest. After my previous book, I wanted to read something that was deep. This book delivered. It was lyrical, evocative and breathtaking. Heather Tomlinson is a master at world-building. With every page, I was caught up in a colourful and vibrant world. I felt I was there with Tana and Diribani, feeling their emotions and what not. I'm going to be utterly disappointed if the next book doesn't match up to the feelings I have right now. I definitely look forward to reading more books by this author :)
February 28, 2022
Sweet little take on some folklore.
August 14, 2016
***So this is kinda spoilery - but really - I wouldn't recommend this book in the first place so yeah read the spoilers and save yourself time from reading the book. Or don't read on and be kinda sorta spoiled. Up to you - ***
UGHhh this book put me in the WORST reading slump. The book is just under 300 pages and it took me from Feb to May to finish it!
I checked it out from the library because it was recommended as a book type I like - fairytale retellings. This was likened to the Princess and the Frog by my library. Um - NO.
Well - maybe. I mean, there were frogs, and a well, and I guess there was a princess. But it was just bleh and boring. The story involves 2 sisters and the chapters alternate between the two. They are from a poorer/struggling family class in India and through a somewhat odd series of events, both of them are blessed by a goddess with a ?power? (I guess you could call it that).
Anyway - the powers are related in that both girls spit things out whenever they speak. One spits flowers and gemstones (rubies, diamonds, emeralds etc), the other spits frogs and snakes.
The rest of the book just kind of goes on as what happens to them after they get blessed/cursed.
I would like to say that I think the author was going for the "what you think is good and what you think is bad may not be as obvious as you think" type of message. But it was kind of poorly conveyed.
You would think with such blessings/powers whatever that something really unique and amazing would happen to these girls (either for the better or the worse). But, their life events to me were just kind of meh. And the ending was completely non climactic.
A running topic through the story is also that there are these 2 clashing religions. The first being the one that the sisters follow (which is gods & goddesses & whatnot) and the second being "believers" who wear white. It was never really completely explained in the story what the believers were - but I still think maybe it was an allusion to Christianity or maybe Muslim - I really still don't know for sure since it wasn't made clear. But just about every 3rd paragraph in the book mentions these 2 religions in some way. So one would think there would be a huge reason for that in the end right? NO. The ending really had nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that there was this "other" religion.
You would think that maybe at least one of these sisters would use their power/gift to significantly change India, their town, their family SOMETHING - yeah no. Basically, they get separated - both go through their own version of feeling like their life is worse than it was before (one lives in a palace, one becomes an outcast and lives like a beggar) but basically, after being separated they sort of "randomly" find eachother again. End of story. I guess getting back together was supposed to be the point. But I wanted them to go find their mom and have their whole family reunited. Or use their gifts to solve some of the class issues (you know, spit some diamonds and use the money to feed and house some people and then spit a ton of snakes to kill all the rats and get rid of the plague that was killing people, then have them both honored and revered by the royalty and the public or something like that). Yeah none of that happened. They meet, both more or less on the verge of death, sing and bathe in a well for a few days, their powers go away, and story is over.
The 2 love interests/relationships that the story tried to build for each sister - no mention. Why spend time building those love interests just to have them not even be part of the ending. There is no mention of whether the sisters went and found their guys or decided that they were too changed or anything... Just they found each other and lost their blessing/curse thing.
Overall, it was slow to get through because I just never really cared or was invested in either of the lives of these sisters. I feel like I spent a ton of time reading filler or fluff about religions and relationships that really had no impact on the stories final outcome. I think this story could have been about 3 chapters long. First chapter, they get blessed, second chapter even though they think the blessings will make their life better/worse it doesn't really turn out that way, third chapter, they are reunited and blessing gone.
I really need to start picking better books because I keep winding up with these ones that just don't go as well as I hoped.
UGHhh this book put me in the WORST reading slump. The book is just under 300 pages and it took me from Feb to May to finish it!
I checked it out from the library because it was recommended as a book type I like - fairytale retellings. This was likened to the Princess and the Frog by my library. Um - NO.
Well - maybe. I mean, there were frogs, and a well, and I guess there was a princess. But it was just bleh and boring. The story involves 2 sisters and the chapters alternate between the two. They are from a poorer/struggling family class in India and through a somewhat odd series of events, both of them are blessed by a goddess with a ?power? (I guess you could call it that).
Anyway - the powers are related in that both girls spit things out whenever they speak. One spits flowers and gemstones (rubies, diamonds, emeralds etc), the other spits frogs and snakes.
The rest of the book just kind of goes on as what happens to them after they get blessed/cursed.
I would like to say that I think the author was going for the "what you think is good and what you think is bad may not be as obvious as you think" type of message. But it was kind of poorly conveyed.
You would think with such blessings/powers whatever that something really unique and amazing would happen to these girls (either for the better or the worse). But, their life events to me were just kind of meh. And the ending was completely non climactic.
A running topic through the story is also that there are these 2 clashing religions. The first being the one that the sisters follow (which is gods & goddesses & whatnot) and the second being "believers" who wear white. It was never really completely explained in the story what the believers were - but I still think maybe it was an allusion to Christianity or maybe Muslim - I really still don't know for sure since it wasn't made clear. But just about every 3rd paragraph in the book mentions these 2 religions in some way. So one would think there would be a huge reason for that in the end right? NO. The ending really had nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that there was this "other" religion.
You would think that maybe at least one of these sisters would use their power/gift to significantly change India, their town, their family SOMETHING - yeah no. Basically, they get separated - both go through their own version of feeling like their life is worse than it was before (one lives in a palace, one becomes an outcast and lives like a beggar) but basically, after being separated they sort of "randomly" find eachother again. End of story. I guess getting back together was supposed to be the point. But I wanted them to go find their mom and have their whole family reunited. Or use their gifts to solve some of the class issues (you know, spit some diamonds and use the money to feed and house some people and then spit a ton of snakes to kill all the rats and get rid of the plague that was killing people, then have them both honored and revered by the royalty and the public or something like that). Yeah none of that happened. They meet, both more or less on the verge of death, sing and bathe in a well for a few days, their powers go away, and story is over.
The 2 love interests/relationships that the story tried to build for each sister - no mention. Why spend time building those love interests just to have them not even be part of the ending. There is no mention of whether the sisters went and found their guys or decided that they were too changed or anything... Just they found each other and lost their blessing/curse thing.
Overall, it was slow to get through because I just never really cared or was invested in either of the lives of these sisters. I feel like I spent a ton of time reading filler or fluff about religions and relationships that really had no impact on the stories final outcome. I think this story could have been about 3 chapters long. First chapter, they get blessed, second chapter even though they think the blessings will make their life better/worse it doesn't really turn out that way, third chapter, they are reunited and blessing gone.
I really need to start picking better books because I keep winding up with these ones that just don't go as well as I hoped.
May 25, 2016
This book retold a new fairy tale for me. Two sisters, one is polite and gets rewarded by having gems and flowers fall from her mouth when she speaks, the other is rude and is rewarded by having toads and snakes fall from her mouth when she speaks. This sort of reminds me of a childrens' book I read when I was younger called "The Talking Eggs" (in which there are two sisters, one who is kind and can follow directions, and is rewarded with riches. The other is rude and greedy, and is attacked by animals).
The author made an interesting move by setting her book in India (or and India-like country; it's never named), where snakes are valued within the native religion. The two sisters are given different blessings, and each must discover what the purpose is of their relative gifts.
I liked this book, and may consider placing it on my "Books to Buy" list after I mull it over for a while. The setting was colorful, the descriptions lovely. I liked the contrast between the native religion (who worship The Twelve), and the invading religion (which is monotheistic and is probably intended to represent one of the Abrahamic religions). The book's chapters trade back and forth between the two sisters. The first sister's story drags a little toward the end because she ends up living in a palace (which us fairy tale readers know is always dull), where the second sister has an actual journey and struggle for survival.
Overall, I would recommend this book to fans of retold fairy tales, Indian culture, and general fantasy. I didn't view this as a retold fairy tale when I read it, because I was unfamiliar with the tale. However, I still enjoyed it and will look for other versions of this tale as well as more books by the author.
The author made an interesting move by setting her book in India (or and India-like country; it's never named), where snakes are valued within the native religion. The two sisters are given different blessings, and each must discover what the purpose is of their relative gifts.
I liked this book, and may consider placing it on my "Books to Buy" list after I mull it over for a while. The setting was colorful, the descriptions lovely. I liked the contrast between the native religion (who worship The Twelve), and the invading religion (which is monotheistic and is probably intended to represent one of the Abrahamic religions). The book's chapters trade back and forth between the two sisters. The first sister's story drags a little toward the end because she ends up living in a palace (which us fairy tale readers know is always dull), where the second sister has an actual journey and struggle for survival.
Overall, I would recommend this book to fans of retold fairy tales, Indian culture, and general fantasy. I didn't view this as a retold fairy tale when I read it, because I was unfamiliar with the tale. However, I still enjoyed it and will look for other versions of this tale as well as more books by the author.
December 9, 2011
Diribani lives with her stepmother, Ma Hiral, and her stepsister, Tana in their humble abode, set in their fictional hometown of Gurath. They may suffer economically, but their family is a happy one. One fateful day at the water-well, Diribani has an unexpected encounter with the divine goddess Naghali. Diribani is granted a miraculous gift; delicate blossoms and precious jewels fall from her lips when she does so much as to utter a word. When envious Tana is sent to the well, she is not too surprised to find that, while her lovely sister speaks flowers and jewels, she herself is left with a much less desirable gift of snakes and frogs.
I know you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but I do. I totally do. So when I saw this book, I was immediately enchanted... the bright colors and patterns drew me in. Not to mention the obvious Indian implication. This, especially, led me to believe that this book wouldn't be too hard to relate to. But right from the first few chapters, I could tell that it wasn't what I had expected. First off, this novel is set way back in precolonial India, with societies and customs totally new to me, so there were few points in the book where I could seriously relate. Additionally, much of the language used, although powerful and illustrative, sounded forced at points and was not always easy to stay interested in. Many parts I had to read, read, and read again just to digest what the author was exactly trying to say. In all, however, I think this was a fascinating and ultimately worthwhile rendition of the classic French fairy tale.
I know you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but I do. I totally do. So when I saw this book, I was immediately enchanted... the bright colors and patterns drew me in. Not to mention the obvious Indian implication. This, especially, led me to believe that this book wouldn't be too hard to relate to. But right from the first few chapters, I could tell that it wasn't what I had expected. First off, this novel is set way back in precolonial India, with societies and customs totally new to me, so there were few points in the book where I could seriously relate. Additionally, much of the language used, although powerful and illustrative, sounded forced at points and was not always easy to stay interested in. Many parts I had to read, read, and read again just to digest what the author was exactly trying to say. In all, however, I think this was a fascinating and ultimately worthwhile rendition of the classic French fairy tale.
February 15, 2016
Toads and Diamonds is a retelling of an old fairy tale by the same name. The retelling is set in India and has a lot of names I couldn't pronounce, which is a minor annoyance. The author made up the religions and kingdom in the book, but the whole culture was very rich and interesting and well thought out so it seemed real. She was good at painting pictures of scenery, so I was never bored by this book. The ending happened pretty abruptly and although it wrapped up the story line of the main girls, there were some things left hanging. But I still liked it! It was one of those escape-to-faraway-lands-where-magical-things-can-happen, kind of books, and for that it served it's purpose.
April 29, 2021
Absolutely lovely retelling of the fairy tale of similar name. The author is so clever in how she weaves the tale elements into her own story. I loved both sisters, and I enjoyed both of their stories equally, and how they paralleled each other as it explored what makes the gifts each sister receives a blessing or a curse.
I loved how gently paced the book was, it read like a fairy tale. I've wanted to check out this author's retellings before and just never got around to it, but I am absolutely going to make it a higher priority now to read more of her books.
I loved how gently paced the book was, it read like a fairy tale. I've wanted to check out this author's retellings before and just never got around to it, but I am absolutely going to make it a higher priority now to read more of her books.
August 14, 2017
4.5 stars
A pleasant reading experience
Ah, I so loved this book. Reading Toads and Diamonds was like settling into a hot bath after a long, hard day. I just laid back and allowed myself to float into the story. The pacing was languid, but not slow, moving along with the almost dreamy quality of fairy tale retellings. Though I prefer fast paced books, the pacing of T&D is perfect for the story. Just like you wouldn’t gobble down a Godiva chocolate, T&D requires a pace that allows you to savor the book.
The chapter perspectives alternate between the two sisters, though both are told in the third person. This is a standalone book. Though I eventually loved the story, it did take me about fifty pages to really get into it. Once the girls begin speaking toads and diamonds, the story really picked up for me. Before that point I had considered DNF-ing. I am very glad I stuck with it.
Excellent world-building
Sinking into the story was easy, in large part due to the superb world-building. The story takes place in a blend of fictional and real India and follows the sisters as they travel across the varied landscape. The arid deserts and lush jungles were described so well that I felt transported there. I could almost hear the insects buzzing and feel the humid air.
The cultures and religions are also a blend of fiction and reality and are told with exquisite detail. I never felt mired in the details though. I was just as curious to learn about these traditions and beliefs as I was to see the plot advance. As interesting as it was to see the characters interact, it was equally interesting to see how their competing cultures struggled for dominance and compromise.
Fairy tale characters
This is a fairy tale retelling and, as such, the characters are not extremely fleshed out. Their characteristics are told more than shown and they are unrealistically perfect. Their romances are equally unrealistic and advance at the rapid pace of a typical fairy tale with the perfect love interest and happily ever after ending. In a regular novel, these features might be something to quibble over, but this is a fairy tale retelling. As such, it hits the mark perfectly.
Both sisters possessed such a pure goodness about them that I really enjoyed reading. Sure, it might have been unrealistic, but sometimes it’s nice to read about a character that is just genuinely goodhearted. The secondary characters were more realistic, especially the princess. Though a secondary character, she possessed a complexity that really stood out and intrigued me.
Hits the mark
When I read retellings, I primarily look for the author to create an original spin, but still retain enough identifiable features of the original story. T&D met my highest expectations. The original story is French, and so the Indian setting is entirely new.
The relocation to India is a stroke of genius and allowed Heather Tomlinson to subtly tweak the story to add depth and a new perspective on what constitutes a curse and a gift. The relocation is so perfect, in fact, that it feels like the story was created for this setting—chafing all these years in its European setting and only now in Heather Tomlinson’s hands has it found its natural place.
I loved her interpretation of the gifts, even though I did find it predictable. I thoroughly enjoyed following the ripple effects of each gift. Tomlinson took the original story, which is not terribly far reaching, and spun two separate journeys that are as much physical quests as they are exercises in personal growth. The moralistic quality of fairy tales is retained, but the scope is much wider.
Once upon a time
I highly recommend Toads and Diamonds to readers looking for a fairy tale retelling, especially one set outside the more traditional European setting. Though the world building is very fictional, there is much basis in fact as well and I think readers who enjoy immersing themselves in historical fiction will appreciate the world Heather Tomlinson has created.
Originally posted at Small Review
I received a copy of this book for review through Goodreads First Reads free of charge in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my review.
A pleasant reading experience
Ah, I so loved this book. Reading Toads and Diamonds was like settling into a hot bath after a long, hard day. I just laid back and allowed myself to float into the story. The pacing was languid, but not slow, moving along with the almost dreamy quality of fairy tale retellings. Though I prefer fast paced books, the pacing of T&D is perfect for the story. Just like you wouldn’t gobble down a Godiva chocolate, T&D requires a pace that allows you to savor the book.
The chapter perspectives alternate between the two sisters, though both are told in the third person. This is a standalone book. Though I eventually loved the story, it did take me about fifty pages to really get into it. Once the girls begin speaking toads and diamonds, the story really picked up for me. Before that point I had considered DNF-ing. I am very glad I stuck with it.
Excellent world-building
Sinking into the story was easy, in large part due to the superb world-building. The story takes place in a blend of fictional and real India and follows the sisters as they travel across the varied landscape. The arid deserts and lush jungles were described so well that I felt transported there. I could almost hear the insects buzzing and feel the humid air.
The cultures and religions are also a blend of fiction and reality and are told with exquisite detail. I never felt mired in the details though. I was just as curious to learn about these traditions and beliefs as I was to see the plot advance. As interesting as it was to see the characters interact, it was equally interesting to see how their competing cultures struggled for dominance and compromise.
Fairy tale characters
This is a fairy tale retelling and, as such, the characters are not extremely fleshed out. Their characteristics are told more than shown and they are unrealistically perfect. Their romances are equally unrealistic and advance at the rapid pace of a typical fairy tale with the perfect love interest and happily ever after ending. In a regular novel, these features might be something to quibble over, but this is a fairy tale retelling. As such, it hits the mark perfectly.
Both sisters possessed such a pure goodness about them that I really enjoyed reading. Sure, it might have been unrealistic, but sometimes it’s nice to read about a character that is just genuinely goodhearted. The secondary characters were more realistic, especially the princess. Though a secondary character, she possessed a complexity that really stood out and intrigued me.
Hits the mark
When I read retellings, I primarily look for the author to create an original spin, but still retain enough identifiable features of the original story. T&D met my highest expectations. The original story is French, and so the Indian setting is entirely new.
The relocation to India is a stroke of genius and allowed Heather Tomlinson to subtly tweak the story to add depth and a new perspective on what constitutes a curse and a gift. The relocation is so perfect, in fact, that it feels like the story was created for this setting—chafing all these years in its European setting and only now in Heather Tomlinson’s hands has it found its natural place.
I loved her interpretation of the gifts, even though I did find it predictable. I thoroughly enjoyed following the ripple effects of each gift. Tomlinson took the original story, which is not terribly far reaching, and spun two separate journeys that are as much physical quests as they are exercises in personal growth. The moralistic quality of fairy tales is retained, but the scope is much wider.
Once upon a time
I highly recommend Toads and Diamonds to readers looking for a fairy tale retelling, especially one set outside the more traditional European setting. Though the world building is very fictional, there is much basis in fact as well and I think readers who enjoy immersing themselves in historical fiction will appreciate the world Heather Tomlinson has created.
Originally posted at Small Review
I received a copy of this book for review through Goodreads First Reads free of charge in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my review.
January 18, 2015
More like three and a half stars.
The Lukewarm: Overall, I enjoyed this book, so there was nothing particularly "bad" about it. However, Diribani and Tana get separated fairly early on, and as the chapters alternated between their adventures, I kept forgetting what had happened to each of them by the time the action returned to her. The storytelling was fairly surface-y and light, with a bit of character development for the heroines, but no real insight into anyone else (such as the two love interests). Even when they were each in danger, it never felt quite serious to me because of the light tone, and there were a couple of opportunities where the author could have explored some darker aspects of the tale but backed away from them. I'm sure this is a plus for many people, but it was a minus for me. The most uncomfortable aspect of the book for me was that while the author insists that the two religions are entirely made up, they FELT like Hinduism and Islam to me, which diluted the fantasy feel of the book.
I would call this book a very pleasant diversion, and recommend it to anyone who likes fairy tale retellings. It's well-written and well-presented and I enjoyed spending time with the two heroines.
Sisters Diribani and Tana are blessed and cursed on the same day: After they each meet an old woman at the local well, pretty and polite Diribani finds flowers and gems dropping from her lips with every word she speaks, while Tana, plain in looks and blunt in speech, gets toads and snakes. They soon draw attention for their gifts, both welcome -- and not.The Good: This re-telling of the classic fairy tale is set in a sort of pre-colonial India which suits the story well with its Arabian Nights-style atmosphere. There is tension between the worshippers of The Twelve, which include Diribani and Tana, who eat no meat and value house snakes that eat vermin, and the conquering Whitecoats, who worship one deity, eat flesh, and hate snakes. The world-building felt solid to me, and the mistrust between the invaders and the conquered gave the story some genuine depth. Diribani and Tana are both likable and resourceful heroines who are determined to discover why they have been chosen to receive these gifts and are eager to accept responsibility for themselves.
The Lukewarm: Overall, I enjoyed this book, so there was nothing particularly "bad" about it. However, Diribani and Tana get separated fairly early on, and as the chapters alternated between their adventures, I kept forgetting what had happened to each of them by the time the action returned to her. The storytelling was fairly surface-y and light, with a bit of character development for the heroines, but no real insight into anyone else (such as the two love interests). Even when they were each in danger, it never felt quite serious to me because of the light tone, and there were a couple of opportunities where the author could have explored some darker aspects of the tale but backed away from them. I'm sure this is a plus for many people, but it was a minus for me. The most uncomfortable aspect of the book for me was that while the author insists that the two religions are entirely made up, they FELT like Hinduism and Islam to me, which diluted the fantasy feel of the book.
I would call this book a very pleasant diversion, and recommend it to anyone who likes fairy tale retellings. It's well-written and well-presented and I enjoyed spending time with the two heroines.
November 30, 2015
A gorgeous book both inside and out! With a beautiful mix of mythology and fairy tale/folk tale feel, with goddesses and gifts that could be blessings and curses.
The story is one that I think I've heard before, two girls meet a woman that is a Goddess in disguise (could be a fairy or something other, cannot remember the first time I heard it) and each of them get a different gift/curse. For one diamonds and flowers drop from her lips everytime she speaks and for her sister it's toads and snakes.
I've just loved the way the author twisted the tale here though, although the girls get the same gifts, in both cases it's bestowed both as a gift and a lesson, not gifting one girl and cursing the other. And the relationship between both girls although they're stepsisters is wonderful, they love each other as sisters and support each other as such.
I love how each of them faces their gift/curse differently, and how their mother handles each curse with the same aplomb and want for secrecy and how it just goes awry.
Diribani is taken to court with the prince and princess, and there among privilege she wonders what good is the miracle she's been gifted and how can she help others. Tana is feared by the conqueror rulers but not the people, and starts a journey to understand the Goddess' purpose.
I simply loved the writing and the descriptions in this book, so lush and vivid! It was clearly based on the Mughal empire conquest & of the many hindu kingdoms of India, even if the religions are changed and don't really correspond, they do have that feel of cultural clashes and how the conquerors handle letting the conquered having their traditions and their faith.
It has a very clear folk tale feel in the telling of it all, because while there's plenty of world building to show us the kingdoms, the plot doesn't drive to a certain event per se, but more as a way to change things and to get the girls to find their way and learn their lessons and teach them to others.
A wonderful take on a known folk tale, where the girls get to make their choices and fight their battles as well as they can, with a wonderfully diverse background! Very much deserved 4.5 to 5 stars!
The story is one that I think I've heard before, two girls meet a woman that is a Goddess in disguise (could be a fairy or something other, cannot remember the first time I heard it) and each of them get a different gift/curse. For one diamonds and flowers drop from her lips everytime she speaks and for her sister it's toads and snakes.
I've just loved the way the author twisted the tale here though, although the girls get the same gifts, in both cases it's bestowed both as a gift and a lesson, not gifting one girl and cursing the other. And the relationship between both girls although they're stepsisters is wonderful, they love each other as sisters and support each other as such.
I love how each of them faces their gift/curse differently, and how their mother handles each curse with the same aplomb and want for secrecy and how it just goes awry.
Diribani is taken to court with the prince and princess, and there among privilege she wonders what good is the miracle she's been gifted and how can she help others. Tana is feared by the conqueror rulers but not the people, and starts a journey to understand the Goddess' purpose.
I simply loved the writing and the descriptions in this book, so lush and vivid! It was clearly based on the Mughal empire conquest & of the many hindu kingdoms of India, even if the religions are changed and don't really correspond, they do have that feel of cultural clashes and how the conquerors handle letting the conquered having their traditions and their faith.
It has a very clear folk tale feel in the telling of it all, because while there's plenty of world building to show us the kingdoms, the plot doesn't drive to a certain event per se, but more as a way to change things and to get the girls to find their way and learn their lessons and teach them to others.
A wonderful take on a known folk tale, where the girls get to make their choices and fight their battles as well as they can, with a wonderfully diverse background! Very much deserved 4.5 to 5 stars!
August 3, 2010
2.5 stars
A very original take on the fairytale Diamonds and Toads or Toads and Diamonds, a French fairy tale by Charles Perrault, and entitled by "Les Fées". Andrew Lang included it in The Blue Fairy Book.
(Other tales of this type, of the kind/generous/deserving girl/daughter/sister and the unkind/selfish/undeserving girl/daughter/sister, include Shita-kiri Suzume, Mother Hulda, The Three Heads in the Well, Father Frost, The Three Little Men in the Wood, The Enchanted Wreath, The Old Witch, and The Two Caskets.)
This is the first retelling I have come across and as such, it does a good job of reimagining the story, transplanting the setting to India, and in a unique way telling the story from both sister's POV's, creating sympathy for both and insight into who they are and why they responded the way that they did. It had a good resolution and ending. It does not pay very strict attention to its source material, but creates its own story, while still being recognizable as a retelling.
I am only giving it a 2.5 b/c I had some issues with pacing and I did not find myself invested in the characters. That said, Tomlinson gives the sisters their own personalities and goals which breathes a new vivacity into this old fairytale
A very original take on the fairytale Diamonds and Toads or Toads and Diamonds, a French fairy tale by Charles Perrault, and entitled by "Les Fées". Andrew Lang included it in The Blue Fairy Book.
(Other tales of this type, of the kind/generous/deserving girl/daughter/sister and the unkind/selfish/undeserving girl/daughter/sister, include Shita-kiri Suzume, Mother Hulda, The Three Heads in the Well, Father Frost, The Three Little Men in the Wood, The Enchanted Wreath, The Old Witch, and The Two Caskets.)
This is the first retelling I have come across and as such, it does a good job of reimagining the story, transplanting the setting to India, and in a unique way telling the story from both sister's POV's, creating sympathy for both and insight into who they are and why they responded the way that they did. It had a good resolution and ending. It does not pay very strict attention to its source material, but creates its own story, while still being recognizable as a retelling.
I am only giving it a 2.5 b/c I had some issues with pacing and I did not find myself invested in the characters. That said, Tomlinson gives the sisters their own personalities and goals which breathes a new vivacity into this old fairytale
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2010
I really enjoyed this twist on the fairy tale "Diamonds and Toads." As in the fairy tale, the youngest daughter is sweet and beautiful, and when she goes to the well to fetch water, she allows a beggar woman to drink from her water jug. As so often happens in these stories, the beggar woman is actually not a beggar woman, and she gifts the younger daughter, Diribani, so that when she speaks, precious gems and flowers fall from her mouth. The older sister, Tana, also makes the trek to fetch water to see if she will also be blessed as her sister was, and as in the fairy tale, she ends up not with flowers and gems but rather toads and frogs and snakes. Unlike in the fairy tale though, this is not because she was mean and proud - she is not as lovely as her sister, but is more practical and just as good.
Both sisters must discover why the goddess Naghali-ji gave them the gifts that she did. What is Diribani meant to do with her flowers and gems? What are the purpose of Tana's frogs and toads and snakes?
I felt the ending a little too abrupt, but that didn't detract much from my enjoyment of the story.
Both sisters must discover why the goddess Naghali-ji gave them the gifts that she did. What is Diribani meant to do with her flowers and gems? What are the purpose of Tana's frogs and toads and snakes?
I felt the ending a little too abrupt, but that didn't detract much from my enjoyment of the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2015
this book was very good but, hmm, anti-climatic? I'm not usually into 'split' views on books but as far as that category goes this one was actually pretty good. I enjoyed Tana's chapters the most as I found her the most interesting. Diribani was just ok, not a big fan of her but she was ok as far as heroine's go. The one thing I really liked abut this book was there wasn't any of the usual the girls get into the trouble and the boys have to come save them, it was refreshing and nice to have Tana save her man instead of the other way around. Over all it was a good read, a fresh look at fantasy and very interesting with it's descriptions of the culture of the fantasy world the author made up.
February 3, 2014
It's always nice to discover a prize winning book that deserves the prize. This one's another novel based roughly on a fairy tale, with a bit of cultural history thrown in. Set in a kind of India of the Maharajahs, where invaders of a monotheistic religion are ruling over the polytheistic natives, the story concerns sisters who are "blessed" by one of the goddesses--one to strew flowers and diamonds when she speaks, the other to produce frogs, snakes and toads when she speaks. The story is their adventures, with point of view alternating between the sisters. Lots of adventure, with strong female protagonists learning and acting, and some romance, too....positive and clean!!
February 5, 2017
Review to come
January 13, 2012
A retelling of a Cinderella tale. Two sisters meet a fairy; one is apparently rewarded while the other is punished. But which is which?
January 23, 2015
A bit slowly paced which might put off some readers, but I loved the setting, the fairy tale-ness, and the sisterly love.
Want to read
May 6, 2018It was a good description but I want to know if I can read the entire thing one time.
It sounds like a mystery, suspense and love
It sounds like a mystery, suspense and love
June 24, 2015
Nice different take on a classic fairy tale- Diamonds and Toad- slow start, but neat location
July 20, 2021
This book has been on my to-read list for what feels like forever, so when I saw it featured at my library I decided enough was enough. I can definitely see what would have drawn me to it many years ago, but I think it’s not as great a fit for me now.
Representation:
- the two protagonists, as well as the rest of the cast, are Indian
When sisters Diribani and Tana encounter the snake goddess Naghali-Ji at their local well, they’re each given extraordinary gifts: Diribani the ability to speak gemstones and flowers into existence, and Tana snakes and frogs. Diribani’s gift brings her a life among royalty, where she hopes her riches can improve the life of her people. Tana’s gift, however, makes her forced to live outside town by the snake-fearing governor. But Diribani’s world also comes with assassin’s and back-stabbing nobles, and without Tana’s ability in the village, plague spreads. The sisters are left wondering what exactly the goddess meant by giving them these abilities.
I’m familiar with the Toads and Diamonds fairytale so I know about its annoying, “bad sister gets snakes, good sister gets gems” deal. Heather Tomlinson does the story a million favors by showing that not all things are as straightforward as they seem and making her characters a little more complicated. Her writing is also beautiful and lush, transporting you to this fictional India deeply and fully.
But the religions in this world took me out of it. In the author’s note, Heather Tomlinson says the two religions featured in the novel (the MC’s religion, worshipping the 12 gods and goddesses; and the religion of those who have conquered the MC’s people, the monotheistic Believers) are invented, simply containing characteristics of many of India’s religions. However, it reads like Tana and Diribani’s religion is largely based on Hinduism, with little bits of inspiration taken from other religions -- and the Believers largely on Islam. Even more so when she notes that the novel resembles the Mughal Empire’s time period, in which Islam ruled over many Hindu artisans.
Obviously, that’s not a problem by itself, but the Believers and their religion aren’t really depicted in a lovely kind of light. There are specific Believers who are good people, but the religion itself and its customs don’t stop being badmouthed throughout the entire novel. For a book made for a Western audience, this leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
Not to mention, I expected religion to play a larger role than it did. It was presented as a huge issue between all the characters, and then it was kind of dropped by the end.
I do think the story is okay. It has its strengths, but it didn’t engross me as much as I hoped it would.
Representation:
- the two protagonists, as well as the rest of the cast, are Indian
When sisters Diribani and Tana encounter the snake goddess Naghali-Ji at their local well, they’re each given extraordinary gifts: Diribani the ability to speak gemstones and flowers into existence, and Tana snakes and frogs. Diribani’s gift brings her a life among royalty, where she hopes her riches can improve the life of her people. Tana’s gift, however, makes her forced to live outside town by the snake-fearing governor. But Diribani’s world also comes with assassin’s and back-stabbing nobles, and without Tana’s ability in the village, plague spreads. The sisters are left wondering what exactly the goddess meant by giving them these abilities.
I’m familiar with the Toads and Diamonds fairytale so I know about its annoying, “bad sister gets snakes, good sister gets gems” deal. Heather Tomlinson does the story a million favors by showing that not all things are as straightforward as they seem and making her characters a little more complicated. Her writing is also beautiful and lush, transporting you to this fictional India deeply and fully.
But the religions in this world took me out of it. In the author’s note, Heather Tomlinson says the two religions featured in the novel (the MC’s religion, worshipping the 12 gods and goddesses; and the religion of those who have conquered the MC’s people, the monotheistic Believers) are invented, simply containing characteristics of many of India’s religions. However, it reads like Tana and Diribani’s religion is largely based on Hinduism, with little bits of inspiration taken from other religions -- and the Believers largely on Islam. Even more so when she notes that the novel resembles the Mughal Empire’s time period, in which Islam ruled over many Hindu artisans.
Obviously, that’s not a problem by itself, but the Believers and their religion aren’t really depicted in a lovely kind of light. There are specific Believers who are good people, but the religion itself and its customs don’t stop being badmouthed throughout the entire novel. For a book made for a Western audience, this leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
Not to mention, I expected religion to play a larger role than it did. It was presented as a huge issue between all the characters, and then it was kind of dropped by the end.
I do think the story is okay. It has its strengths, but it didn’t engross me as much as I hoped it would.
October 18, 2022
Toads and Diamonds are about a girl named Diribani that comes to a village to get water for her family’s meal. There in the village, she is greeted by an old woman who asks for a drink of water. Diribani happily gives the old woman a drink of water there she is rewarded for her kindness. The old woman was a goddess disguised as an old woman. Diribani is gifted flowers and jewels. She goes home to show her stepmother all the goods she got. Once she goes home her stepmother makes her sister tana go to the well. There Tana finds the goddess as a wealthy old woman who offers Tana a drink of water but she refuses. The goddess sees that tana just wants to get gifts so the goddess gifts her Toads and Snakes. It shows the difference between both the two girls.
I really liked this novel because it was about Indian culture kind of. I liked how It’s kind of showed similarities to the India and Pakistan conflict. It shows the differences and similarities between the sisters. I honestly feel like the author did a good job writing this novel and how it was formed. How Heather Tomlinson wrote this novel really shows realness. I liked how one sister was humble and the other was greedy. I was really was an interested and took the time to book read the book. When the mom sent the other sister that really showed the true colors of who she was. I liked how both the author showed the true colors of both the girls when approaching the old woman. I think if the author wrote more books like this I would defiantly read the books. I feel like I would recommend this book just because it was a good book to read and I honestly liked reading it. I feel like my sisters would like this book a lot just because of how the book is based on two Indian sisters. I feel like this book could be taught in schools because of how it shows not to be greedy and to be kind to others no matter what. Most people might feel like it doesn’t have any learning abilities. The book shows just how to treat people by the same no matter their status in society. Why did the goddess decide to test the sister for rewards? How did their father pass away? I feel like the only skill or sort of skill would is just don’t be too greedy with what you have. For an example I feel like people that are greedy for an item are sometimes going to lose it fast.
I really liked this novel because it was about Indian culture kind of. I liked how It’s kind of showed similarities to the India and Pakistan conflict. It shows the differences and similarities between the sisters. I honestly feel like the author did a good job writing this novel and how it was formed. How Heather Tomlinson wrote this novel really shows realness. I liked how one sister was humble and the other was greedy. I was really was an interested and took the time to book read the book. When the mom sent the other sister that really showed the true colors of who she was. I liked how both the author showed the true colors of both the girls when approaching the old woman. I think if the author wrote more books like this I would defiantly read the books. I feel like I would recommend this book just because it was a good book to read and I honestly liked reading it. I feel like my sisters would like this book a lot just because of how the book is based on two Indian sisters. I feel like this book could be taught in schools because of how it shows not to be greedy and to be kind to others no matter what. Most people might feel like it doesn’t have any learning abilities. The book shows just how to treat people by the same no matter their status in society. Why did the goddess decide to test the sister for rewards? How did their father pass away? I feel like the only skill or sort of skill would is just don’t be too greedy with what you have. For an example I feel like people that are greedy for an item are sometimes going to lose it fast.
June 6, 2017
Toads and Diamonds is a beautiful retelling of the fairy tale The Fairies. Until around five minutes, I'd never read the actual fairy tale, but I knew the story thanks to Gail Carson Levine's hilarious retelling The Fairy's Mistake. This one has a more serious nature, but since it's for a YA audience and not for children, that makes a lot of sense.
For those of you who don't know the story, it's about two sisters. One is gifted with jewels and flowers coming out of her mouth, and the other is cursed with toads and snakes. The former is found by a prince and the latter is kicked out of her home town. This book follows the same basic plot, but diverges in the best ways.
This book is set in India, and applaud Tomlinson for her use of such rich detail in really grounding me in the setting. It was beautiful and interesting. I loved how she portrayed Hinduism and Islam in the story, as well as the mannerisms of both cultures.
Along with a beautiful setting, this book has a wonderful cast that centers around two stepsisters, Diribani and Tana. I loved the relationship between these two. I was expecting a very contentious relationship, probably because of the actual fairy tale and Levine's version, but these two sisters are very loving towards one another. They never stopped thinking about each other's safety. I thought this sibling relationship was very fresh and real, especially with their circumstances. All of the side characters are beautifully written as well, but the story focuses the most on the sisters.
This book was a really fun, easy read. I'd definitely recommend it to any fairy tale lovers out there!
For those of you who don't know the story, it's about two sisters. One is gifted with jewels and flowers coming out of her mouth, and the other is cursed with toads and snakes. The former is found by a prince and the latter is kicked out of her home town. This book follows the same basic plot, but diverges in the best ways.
This book is set in India, and applaud Tomlinson for her use of such rich detail in really grounding me in the setting. It was beautiful and interesting. I loved how she portrayed Hinduism and Islam in the story, as well as the mannerisms of both cultures.
Along with a beautiful setting, this book has a wonderful cast that centers around two stepsisters, Diribani and Tana. I loved the relationship between these two. I was expecting a very contentious relationship, probably because of the actual fairy tale and Levine's version, but these two sisters are very loving towards one another. They never stopped thinking about each other's safety. I thought this sibling relationship was very fresh and real, especially with their circumstances. All of the side characters are beautifully written as well, but the story focuses the most on the sisters.
This book was a really fun, easy read. I'd definitely recommend it to any fairy tale lovers out there!
February 21, 2021
There are mixed reviews about this book, but if you know what to expect, I think it is an enjoyable read. The story is based off a French fairytale, so it is written like a modern day fairytale. It negates all the casual, emotion filled writing of typical young adult books. Its more straightforward.
I agree the pacing could be better. It did get slow during the middle and that led to the end being slightly rushed in my opinion. There were a couple of side plots that could've been fleshed out more to add to the story, and crucial points of the main plot that were not emphasized enough. I think that's why this book missed the mark for most people.
Overall I enjoyed it. It was a nice reprieve for a YA book. So love triangles or over done troupes that seem to be in every YA novel now. I liked the cultural approach to set it in India but also put the story in a other timeline so she wasnt restricted by history (she mentions in the authors note the creative liberty she took which I found very intriguing). I liked the different perspectives brought out on what is a gift or curse and how you have the choice to use what you were given. I think if the writing was prioritized different this book would be better received, however, I found the book enjoyable regardless. Though it was not revolutionary, it was a pleasure read that I enjoyed as a break from all the other intense books I've read lately.
I agree the pacing could be better. It did get slow during the middle and that led to the end being slightly rushed in my opinion. There were a couple of side plots that could've been fleshed out more to add to the story, and crucial points of the main plot that were not emphasized enough. I think that's why this book missed the mark for most people.
Overall I enjoyed it. It was a nice reprieve for a YA book. So love triangles or over done troupes that seem to be in every YA novel now. I liked the cultural approach to set it in India but also put the story in a other timeline so she wasnt restricted by history (she mentions in the authors note the creative liberty she took which I found very intriguing). I liked the different perspectives brought out on what is a gift or curse and how you have the choice to use what you were given. I think if the writing was prioritized different this book would be better received, however, I found the book enjoyable regardless. Though it was not revolutionary, it was a pleasure read that I enjoyed as a break from all the other intense books I've read lately.
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