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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I know The Warrior Heir by this author was popular in my library a few years ago, but I only gave it 3 stars on Goodreads. So I was pleasantly surprised when this book served as a good fantasy romp for me. I'm always a fan of medieval-ish British-like fantasy worlds and this book seemed like a Dickensian Aladdin Robin Hood to me.
Told in alternating chapters, the book focuses on Han Alister, a street rat who has survived as a street gang leader for most of his short life. He's rough, but loves his mam and sister and tries to escape that life to become a trader. He's spent his summers with the clan people in the woods who have taught him much about healing and living a good life.
Raisa is a princess who has grown up sheltered. She's close to her marrying age, but she knows there is more to her life than acting fancy and smiling a lot. She wants to get out into the city (think Princess Jasmine of Aladdin) and needs the help of a few good men. Fortunately, she's pretty, smart, rich, and a princess, so she has plenty willing to help. The only problem is that she isn't sure who to trust. Even her mother the queen may not be trustworthy.
The two separate stories are thrilling and DO NOT merge by the end of the book! Ugh! But it makes me itching to read the sequel, which, I guess, is the whole point. Raisa and Han are fated to meet eventually!
Told in alternating chapters, the book focuses on Han Alister, a street rat who has survived as a street gang leader for most of his short life. He's rough, but loves his mam and sister and tries to escape that life to become a trader. He's spent his summers with the clan people in the woods who have taught him much about healing and living a good life.
Raisa is a princess who has grown up sheltered. She's close to her marrying age, but she knows there is more to her life than acting fancy and smiling a lot. She wants to get out into the city (think Princess Jasmine of Aladdin) and needs the help of a few good men. Fortunately, she's pretty, smart, rich, and a princess, so she has plenty willing to help. The only problem is that she isn't sure who to trust. Even her mother the queen may not be trustworthy.
The two separate stories are thrilling and DO NOT merge by the end of the book! Ugh! But it makes me itching to read the sequel, which, I guess, is the whole point. Raisa and Han are fated to meet eventually!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Aquele da linha de rainhas e do garoto que era chefe de uma gangue e tinha pulseiras que não saíam. Não é ruim mas foi ficando chato. DNF mas talvez eu volte.
This book has a slow start, but the world was interesting enough that I was really pulled into the story. Han and Raisa only meet briefly in this book, but their plots run parallel to each other. It is a little frustrating that they don’t really interact with one another with one brief exception, but it seems like they’ll have more interaction in the next book. The chapters switch back and forth from each of their points of view which means sometimes we get the same events from different points of view which is very interesting.
The world building is really well done, and I felt gave a lot of depth to the setting as did the way it was presented. Little drips and drabs of information presented by different people that are connected to what goes on the plot. The same stories told from different points of view also help give a more lived in feel to the world. It’s easy to see the ways the borders of the world interact. The Queendom is an intersection of several different peoples, and it shows in the way that everyone interaction with the world. I also am seeing parallels with the history of the world. The little bits and pieces we get of Hanalea’s story seem to dovetail with Raisa’s.
Both of the point of view characters are really interesting. Han acts like an adult for the most part because he very much is one. Despite his age, his life experiences have meant that he’s had to grow up fast. But he hasn’t lost his sense of curiosity even if it does get him in trouble at times. His love for his family both birth and chosen really does come through in his actions, and it’s easy to see how he ended up a street lord in his past. He also makes a very good foil for Raisa due to his experience and cynicism. Raisa very much felt like a teenage princess who is an actual teen. Her between torn between her parents’ two worlds as well as figuring out how to be a queen who isn’t like her mother feel like reasonable struggles, and while her behavior is frustrating at times, it definitely is in line with what an actual teenager might do. She does have a well developed sense of justice and clearly wants to do well by her people even if she isn’t sure how to go about that.
I’m looking forward to seeing Han and Raisa really interact with one another as well as finding out more of what’s going on. The author is very good at planting little seeds of information and then building upon them little by little. While this is pretty standard fantasy fare for the most part, it does a good job of being a great example of that. My biggest complaint is that it is a little slow to start, and that could definitely turn off readers. Four out of five stars.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
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:
Yes