Book Review: Secrets of the Snakestone (2024) by Piu DasGupta

I received a review copy of this book from Nosy Crow via NetGalley for which my thanks.

A cursed gemstone, a dark secret society, a colourful circus and a sweet sloth, all amidst nineteenth century Paris where a young Indian girl must find her missing father and solve the mystery of why she was so suddenly sent to Paris make Secrets of the Snakestone by Piu DasGupta an entertaining read full of mystery, adventure and some drama as well!

In the book we meet Zelie Dutta, a young girl from Bengal, working as a lady’s maid with the awful Madame Malaise. Because she has mismatched eyes, the other servants in the house see her as a witch, all too eager to blame not only all that goes wrong but their own mistakes on her as well. Zelie is not too sure why she was withdrawn from school and sent there in the first place for her father Robi’s story of owing the Malaises some money doesn’t ring true, and she knows there is more to it. When she meets a young sewer boy Jules who has found her father’s locket in a Paris sewer, thousands of miles from where it (and he) should be, she knows something is very wrong. With the initially reluctant Jules’ help, and her own resourcefulness, she sets off to solve the mystery, on the way encountering a dark society up to no good and sinister villains and uncovering various secrets while also rescuing a darling sloth on this adventure which takes them from the sewers and catacombs under Paris to secret lairs and a circus full of flamboyant characters.

This fast-paced and adventure-filled read was absolute good fun from start to finish and besides the mystery and quest elements also weaves in themes of family, friendship and trust, as also the important lesson of not judging people, much like books, by their ‘covers’.

The author packs in numerous shades and aspects into the story from the classic sensation-novel elements of cursed stones and mysterious societies (and of course, the ‘India’ connection) to riddles, steampunk, circuses and a very dramatic, film-like conclusion but without it feeling like too much. Additionally there are aspects of colonialism, prejudices, class elements and the setting itself which takes one mostly through the city’s underbelly.

Zelie makes for a great heroine, who while not faultless, is courageous, resourceful and determined, willing to go to any lengths to help those she loves. Her little pep talks to herself (mostly reiterating her various achievements, from doing away with a dangerous snake to beating her father at chess multiple times) are great fun, as is the inspiration she draws from the fictional character she enjoys reading about, Count Rodolphe (from The Mysteries of Paris by Eugene Sue, an actual book as the author points out in her afterword as are also some of the other historical elements woven in with the fictional). Jules too makes for a very likeable character, drawn into the mystery unwillingly but soon a valuable participant.

I loved that the animal characters too were different from the usual but felt ‘natural’ and not contrived whether it be Zelie’s ‘pet’ pigeon, Rodolphe or Jules’ pet snails, or even the sweet baby sloth they rescue along the way.

The ending keeps open possibilities for newer and further adventures, so if the author does decide to develop this into a series, there will be lots more fun to look out for.

(Book details: Nosy Crow, 2024; paperback 272 pp.; edition read: Kindle ARC)

p.s. There is some artwork decorating the pages but in the kindle ARC, this was a bit wonky so I couldn’t make out the exact effect).