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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
As was the case with the first installment of this series, I wanted to enjoy The True Queen much more than I did. Sadly, I found this book even less engaging than Sorcerer to the Crown.
The pacing is off and the tone is inconsistent (I'm here thinking largely of one climactic scene towards the end, which seemed copied and pasted in from a far less frothy book.) While the main POV character, Muna, is less irritating than Prunella in the first book, Muna is largely a reactive character and I didn't find myself hugely invested in whether or not she saved the day. The romance is unconvincing and clumsily shoehorned in.
(Minor note: I found it a bit odd that, while most of the book is set in England, English characters refer to characters of South/South East Asian origin who are in England as "natives." Native to...? Perhaps Cho felt that there was no term she could use that was accurate, period-appropriate and not offensive to present-day sensibilities, but like much of the book it seemed as if that detail hadn't been thought through.)
The pacing is off and the tone is inconsistent (I'm here thinking largely of one climactic scene towards the end, which seemed copied and pasted in from a far less frothy book.) While the main POV character, Muna, is less irritating than Prunella in the first book, Muna is largely a reactive character and I didn't find myself hugely invested in whether or not she saved the day. The romance is unconvincing and clumsily shoehorned in.
(Minor note: I found it a bit odd that, while most of the book is set in England, English characters refer to characters of South/South East Asian origin who are in England as "natives." Native to...? Perhaps Cho felt that there was no term she could use that was accurate, period-appropriate and not offensive to present-day sensibilities, but like much of the book it seemed as if that detail hadn't been thought through.)
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Racism, Sexism
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Violence
Set in the same magical-Regency world as Cho’s earlier Sorcerer to the Crown, but overlapping only slightly in characters, this book tells the story of two sisters in Malaysia, struck by a curse that sends one on a quest to England and fairyland to find a cure for her sister’s fading. Along the way, she must conceal her own lack of magic, enlist the aid of the sorceress royal and a dragon, and untangle the mystery of her own identity.
The story was utterly delightful, full of brash and daring women, incidentally queer relationships, unexpected magic, and a couple of plot twists that were no less enjoyable for me having predicted them from the beginning.
The story was utterly delightful, full of brash and daring women, incidentally queer relationships, unexpected magic, and a couple of plot twists that were no less enjoyable for me having predicted them from the beginning.
A delightful romp! In parts funny, lovable characters, a fun little mystery, and good representation.
So much better than the first book with more fun characters and plot but also just a lot of interesting aspects. Well worth reading.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I wish I liked this one as much as I like Sorcerer to the Crown, but I don’t. This is my second or third time reading it and it always feels like there’s something missing. It doesn’t have the same spark for me.
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No