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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
I was already pumped as hell for this book just knowing it was the sequel to the wonderful Sorceror the the Crown, and that it would have fairies and sisters and the kind of hijinks and shennanigans Prunella was born for, magnified by her position as Sorceress Royal. So realising that it's also GAY was just *chef's kiss*
Enjoyable parts:
Dragons, always dragons. Foreshadowing was well done. There was no twist at the end. As a reader I was able to follow along with the characters and enjoyed the revelations along the way.
Didn't quite work for me:
Personal relationships between characters felt a bit constructed, I didn't get the feeling that they developed at a natural pace and some of them felt a bit forced and rushed especially because not that much time passes within the narrative.
But overall I really enjoyed the story. Having some of the characters from the first book return was fun. I wonder if there will be a third book in the series.
Dragons, always dragons. Foreshadowing was well done. There was no twist at the end. As a reader I was able to follow along with the characters and enjoyed the revelations along the way.
Didn't quite work for me:
Personal relationships between characters felt a bit constructed, I didn't get the feeling that they developed at a natural pace and some of them felt a bit forced and rushed especially because not that much time passes within the narrative.
But overall I really enjoyed the story. Having some of the characters from the first book return was fun. I wonder if there will be a third book in the series.
Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.
The True Queen is the sequel to Sorcerer to the Crown, one of my all time favorite books. I know many think this is a companion novel as the book focuses on different characters based on the synopsis but beware that you are best to read this after having read Sorcerer to the Crown. In ways it deals still with the backlash of what happened in Sorcerer to the Crown and we get a lot of relationships and characters from that novel in this one.
With that out of the way, The True Queen is an altogether different book from Sorcerer to the Crown. Where in the first book we dealt with Zacharias and Prunella’s places in society, in this book we deal with two sisters who don’t even know who they are. It is a different story about finding out who you really are. I didn’t love this as much as I loved Sorcerer to the Crown but overall it is still a really good book.
One of the reasons why I didn’t end up loving this book is because I guessed the plot twist very early on. And at about 75% I was about ready to bash everyone’s head in for not having guessed it yet. Clearly they needed more of Zacharias council but he was very much on the sidelines in this book (one that I am sad about).
Another reason is that this book switches around in point of views a lot. Some characters only having one, maybe two point of views throughout the whole book where I wondered if it was really necessary to get their view on those situations.
Having said all that however I just really enjoyed being back in this world. I loved seeing a bit of Janda Baik at the start and I would love to see a book set there (but then this series is called sorcerer royal so bloody unlikely). I loved seeing Prunella being petty with all of the English magicians and throwing in their face her position of Sorceress Royal. I loved getting to know Henrietta more and seeing a slight focus on her relationship with Prunella.
Muna was interesting though it took some getting used to her. I found her sister incredibly grating and I was glad she wasn’t there for most of the book . I loved the relationships that Muna build with those around her, especially Henrietta. Her priorities shifted throughout the book, and I was pleased to see that at the end she still retained that new bit of her. And hey, that last chapter, totally on board for that!
The True Queen is the sequel to Sorcerer to the Crown, one of my all time favorite books. I know many think this is a companion novel as the book focuses on different characters based on the synopsis but beware that you are best to read this after having read Sorcerer to the Crown. In ways it deals still with the backlash of what happened in Sorcerer to the Crown and we get a lot of relationships and characters from that novel in this one.
With that out of the way, The True Queen is an altogether different book from Sorcerer to the Crown. Where in the first book we dealt with Zacharias and Prunella’s places in society, in this book we deal with two sisters who don’t even know who they are. It is a different story about finding out who you really are. I didn’t love this as much as I loved Sorcerer to the Crown but overall it is still a really good book.
One of the reasons why I didn’t end up loving this book is because I guessed the plot twist very early on. And at about 75% I was about ready to bash everyone’s head in for not having guessed it yet. Clearly they needed more of Zacharias council but he was very much on the sidelines in this book (one that I am sad about).
Another reason is that this book switches around in point of views a lot. Some characters only having one, maybe two point of views throughout the whole book where I wondered if it was really necessary to get their view on those situations.
Having said all that however I just really enjoyed being back in this world. I loved seeing a bit of Janda Baik at the start and I would love to see a book set there (but then this series is called sorcerer royal so bloody unlikely). I loved seeing Prunella being petty with all of the English magicians and throwing in their face her position of Sorceress Royal. I loved getting to know Henrietta more and seeing a slight focus on her relationship with Prunella.
Muna was interesting though it took some getting used to her. I found her sister incredibly grating and I was glad she wasn’t there for most of the book . I loved the relationships that Muna build with those around her, especially Henrietta. Her priorities shifted throughout the book, and I was pleased to see that at the end she still retained that new bit of her. And hey, that last chapter, totally on board for that!
It took me a long time to finish The True Queen, even though I'd been waiting eagerly for it to be published - it just turned up at a time when life was a bit busy and I was having trouble concentrating on anything much. I think that wasn't helped by the fact that while it's set in the same universe as [b:Sorcerer to the Crown|23943137|Sorcerer to the Crown (Sorcerer Royal, #1)|Zen Cho|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1430239646s/23943137.jpg|43548024] and follows on from it in terms of its timeline, the characters I'd grown to know and love from that book play mostly supporting roles in this story.
The main point of view character is Muna - along with her sister Sakti, she finds herself under the tutelage of Mak Gengang and has no memory of her past. After a misjudged attempt to ransack the library of the English consul on Janda Baik, the sisters are sent through Faery to seek some kind of refuge in England but get separated along the way. Muna, who has no magic of her own, is forced to pretend she does and subsequently also becomes embroiled in problems coming from Faery, where a valuable talisman has been stolen.
While I enjoyed this book, I felt that at times the foreshadowing was quite heavy-handed as I could predict a number of what should otherwise have been unexpected plot twists. Alongside this, at the end there's a (for me, anyway), unconvincing ending to a sub-plot around one of Prunella's friends agreeing to an unwanted marriage in order to save her family's fortunes - an alternative is offered, in fact two alternatives, with the second suddenly not mentioning the financial issues involved at all. Just one throwaway line could have fixed that for me but instead it just nagged at me as something unresolved.
So, despite feeling miserly, I've gone from 5 stars to 4, not that this will stop me picking up anything else this author writes, it's just that Sorcerer to the Crown was an incredibly tough act to follow and this book (again, for me at least) didn't quite pull it off.
The main point of view character is Muna - along with her sister Sakti, she finds herself under the tutelage of Mak Gengang and has no memory of her past. After a misjudged attempt to ransack the library of the English consul on Janda Baik, the sisters are sent through Faery to seek some kind of refuge in England but get separated along the way. Muna, who has no magic of her own, is forced to pretend she does and subsequently also becomes embroiled in problems coming from Faery, where a valuable talisman has been stolen.
While I enjoyed this book, I felt that at times the foreshadowing was quite heavy-handed as I could predict a number of what should otherwise have been unexpected plot twists. Alongside this, at the end there's a (for me, anyway), unconvincing ending to a sub-plot around one of Prunella's friends agreeing to an unwanted marriage in order to save her family's fortunes - an alternative is offered, in fact two alternatives, with the second suddenly not mentioning the financial issues involved at all. Just one throwaway line could have fixed that for me but instead it just nagged at me as something unresolved.
So, despite feeling miserly, I've gone from 5 stars to 4, not that this will stop me picking up anything else this author writes, it's just that Sorcerer to the Crown was an incredibly tough act to follow and this book (again, for me at least) didn't quite pull it off.
The True Queen is a beautifully-imagined fantasy, rich in detail and imagery and with a really diverse cast of characters. Its an absorbing and engaging read, and it almost reminds me of The Invisible Library series of books by Genevieve Cogman. If you enjoy fantasy with stunning descriptive writing, then definitely add The True Queen to your TBR.
This is my favorite type of sequel - it is adjacent to the first book but for all intents and purposes could be read separately, or before, with only minor inconveniences.
Like Sorcerer to the Crown this book is quick-witted, hilarious, and generally a good time all around. Malaysian sisters Muna and Sakti try to travel to England and their plans go amiss. Muna must navigate the overwrought waters of British society and thaumaturgy to save her sister from the Fairy Court. The writing is delightful, the characters distinct, and the plot compelling. A fantastic follow up to the Sorcerer to the Crown.
Like Sorcerer to the Crown this book is quick-witted, hilarious, and generally a good time all around. Malaysian sisters Muna and Sakti try to travel to England and their plans go amiss. Muna must navigate the overwrought waters of British society and thaumaturgy to save her sister from the Fairy Court. The writing is delightful, the characters distinct, and the plot compelling. A fantastic follow up to the Sorcerer to the Crown.
I adored this book. I enjoyed Sorcerer to the Crown but this book, I loved.
Even though I could see the twist, and the major plot point about two chapters in (I think this is more a sign of how much genre fiction I read than any thing to do with intelligence), it didn't tarnish my enjoyment at all. Muna and Sakti's sisterly relationship was beautifully portrayed and acted as a great foil for the other sisterly relationship in the book.
It was hilarious to see Pru and Zacharias from the outsider point of view because of course Prunella would be a force of nature. Also how much do I love that the women in this novel (and there are SO MANY OF THEM which is great!!!) are probably some of the most ruthless characters? Speaking of ruthless, Georgianna Without Ruth is the best aunt, though Rollo might disagree.
Last of all, I am floored by how familiar this book and the world of Janda Baik was to me. This book is unabashedly SEAsian, and never compromises itself for western readability. It was a delight to read it and go "OH! I recognise this" and "ha! yeap that's a SEAsian fam for you." I felt seen and acknowledge, and for that alone I would give this book five stars.
Even though I could see the twist, and the major plot point about two chapters in (I think this is more a sign of how much genre fiction I read than any thing to do with intelligence), it didn't tarnish my enjoyment at all. Muna and Sakti's sisterly relationship was beautifully portrayed and acted as a great foil for the other sisterly relationship in the book.
It was hilarious to see Pru and Zacharias from the outsider point of view because of course Prunella would be a force of nature. Also how much do I love that the women in this novel (and there are SO MANY OF THEM which is great!!!) are probably some of the most ruthless characters? Speaking of ruthless, Georgianna Without Ruth is the best aunt, though Rollo might disagree.
Last of all, I am floored by how familiar this book and the world of Janda Baik was to me. This book is unabashedly SEAsian, and never compromises itself for western readability. It was a delight to read it and go "OH! I recognise this" and "ha! yeap that's a SEAsian fam for you." I felt seen and acknowledge, and for that alone I would give this book five stars.
Once again, Zen Cho writes an enchanting epic fantasy for those of us who have so longed for one, but could not find a place for ourselves in Gondor or Camelot.
