#Review: Saranyu by Saiswaroopa Iyer

Saranyu: Surya’s Wife is a mythological retelling that glows quietly, much like its cover—beautifully designed by Amrita Chakravorty, who captures Saranyu in a shaft of golden radiance, equal parts divine and burdened. It’s a visual that mirrors the book’s emotional temperature: warm, intense, and edged with shadows.

Saiswaroopa Iyer takes on a lesser-explored figure from Vedic lore and gives her a voice textured with doubt, desire, and defiance. The premise itself is compelling—Saranyu, overwhelmed by Surya’s brilliance, forges her own shadow and sets in motion a cosmic duality. The blurb promises a tale that blends grandeur with intimacy, and for the most part, the writing delivers. Iyer’s narrative style is lyrical but grounded; she has a knack for weaving emotional truth into mythic structure.

At times, the prose leans a little heavily into exposition, especially when setting up the cosmic stakes, but the emotional arc of Saranyu’s rebellion and rediscovery keeps the story anchored. The exploration of identity—light versus shadow, duty versus selfhood—feels surprisingly contemporary despite its ancient setting.

What makes the book stand out is its insistence on viewing Saranyu not as a mythic accessory but as a creator, a mother, and a force in her own right. If mythology is often a tapestry of grand events, this novel reminds you to look at the threads—delicate, stubborn, essential.

A thoughtful and evocative reimagining.

Find this book here.