Obviously The Majesties by Tiffany Tsao had me at its comparisons to Gillian Flynn AND Crazy Rich Asians. Like, could it be anymore intriguing in that alone?



In this riveting tale about the secrets and betrayals that can accompany exorbitant wealth, two sisters from a Chinese-Indonesian family grapple with the past after one of them poisons their entire family.

Gwendolyn and Estella have always been as close as sisters can be. Growing up in a wealthy, eminent, and sometimes deceitful family, they’ve relied on each other for support and confidence. But now Gwendolyn is lying in a coma, the sole survivor of Estella’s poisoning of their whole clan.

As Gwendolyn struggles to regain consciousness, she desperately retraces her memories, trying to uncover the moment that led to this shocking and brutal act. Was it their aunt’s mysterious death at sea? Estella’s unhappy marriage to a dangerously brutish man? Or were the shifting loyalties and unspoken resentments at the heart of their opulent world too much to bear? Can Gwendolyn, at last, confront the carefully buried mysteries in their family’s past and the truth about who she and her sister really are?

Traveling from the luxurious world of the rich and powerful in Indonesia to the most spectacular shows at Paris Fashion Week, from the sunny coasts of California to the melting pot of Melbourne’s university scene, The Majesties is a haunting and deeply evocative novel about the dark secrets that can build a family empire—and also bring it crashing down.


 As always, a copy of this book was provided by the authors in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way. 

The first thing readers will noticed about The Majesties is its striking cover and intriguing premise. It is easily captivating and, fortunately, so, too, is the novel. Tiffany Tsao had me from the first page due to her electric and fully poetic prose. Nothing hits you like good storytelling and writing--Tsao writes in a way that is breathtaking and compelling.

Part of me expected something different when it came to The Majesties. This doesn't make it any less enthralling, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Actually, if we're being honest, this made The Majesties far more surprising. The story itself wasn't what I was expecting--and that leads to a great thriller; because I didn't always catch onto where the plotline would go.

As serious as it is indulgent, The Majesties speaks to its readers on a personal level. We get a front row seat to every explosive secret and betrayal. There's this sharp, witty and dramatic flare to every chapter and character. As the story builds, readers can feel their interest pique and questions arise. The mysteries at hand unravel in a way that is stylish and quickly paced.

There's this smoothness in Tsao's writing that makes The Majesties all the more riveting. It is easy to get into and sparks of life. Even if you end up disliking the characters, this writing will surely hook you from the very start.

While it has been compared to the likes of Kevin Kwan and Gillian Flynn, Tiffany Tsao stands in a league of her own and The Majesties proves to be an incredibly engaging novel. I definitely enjoyed this one and would recommend it in a heartbeat. It is a great story to curl up to and let your imagination wander.