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books4susie's review
5.0
Thank goodness that are four Black Knife novellas to help me make through the next year. Loved this fantasy!
nicolemhewitt's review
5.0
4.5/5 Stars
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
The Orphan Queen is a compelling YA fantasy novel that will be sure to hook anyone who's a fan of the genre! I loved this one - and that ending! Now I can't wait for 2016!
The synopsis tells you pretty much everything you need to know, so I'll jump right into my review.
What I LOVED:
The characters.
There were so many characters in this book that I just truly enjoyed. First off, there was Wil herself, who I found to be extremely likable and intelligent. She didn't jump into stupid decisions and she always had others' needs at the forefront of her mind - but she didn't come off as being perfect either. She was just the type of person who seemed like she would make a good ruler! Then there was Black Knife, who Wil had always seen as an enemy but who proved to be an ally with the chips were down. The complicated relationship between Wil and Black Knife was one of my favorite parts of the book. Then there were secondary characters, all of whom seemed truly well-developed with realistic personalities and motivations. Even those characters who I didn't like, I understood!
Wil's dedication to her people.
I think the thing that I loved most about Wil was that she truly put her people first, not just her ideals. She wanted to regain her throne so that she could release her people from oppression and help to bring magic back to the world, but as the book progressed and she learned more about what that would all mean and what the consequences might be, she didn't just push ahead with her plans, ignoring the evidence in front of her, but she took it upon herself to try to learn the truth. In the end, she found that what was best for her people may not have been what the Ospreys had originally plotted after all, and she adjusted her plans accordingly. Wil was willing to sacrifice for her people, but she didn't just make herself into a figurehead and a martyr - and she didn't want to sacrifice others in the process of helping her own. I admired and respected that.
Shades of gray.
If you read my reviews often, you know that I love a fantasy with no clear lines between the "good guys" and the "bad guys," and this book definitely fell into that category. Even though Wil sees the men who took over her kingdom as her enemies, she's also able to see them as people as well. Her backstory seems simple at first, but as you learn more, you realize that there were layers to the story - some that Wil didn't even know about at the time. Nothing is simple and there are no easy answers for Wil. And as the story progressed, I was able to relate to all of the characters in one way or another. This is the type of story I love!
The wraith.
I found everything about the wraith to be downright fascinating, and something eventually happens with it that I was not expecting at all. I'm really eager to see where Meadows goes with this in the next book!
The negatives:
Predictable twist.
I found the revelation of who Black Knife was to be less than stunning. I had pretty much figured it out at the beginning of the book. Overall, I'd say that the book followed pretty predictable fantasy tropes, but that didn't really ruin my enjoyment of the book. I don't mind when a book is somewhat predictable as long as it's well-written and enjoyable. And there were still a few surprises!
So, if you enjoy YA Fantasy, then you should definitely read this book - it will not disappoint! I was happy to see that the series is just a duology (with some novellas to go along with it - I might have to check those out), and I can't wait to see how Meadows wraps the story up in The Mirror King. I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
The Orphan Queen is a compelling YA fantasy novel that will be sure to hook anyone who's a fan of the genre! I loved this one - and that ending! Now I can't wait for 2016!
The synopsis tells you pretty much everything you need to know, so I'll jump right into my review.
What I LOVED:
The characters.
There were so many characters in this book that I just truly enjoyed. First off, there was Wil herself, who I found to be extremely likable and intelligent. She didn't jump into stupid decisions and she always had others' needs at the forefront of her mind - but she didn't come off as being perfect either. She was just the type of person who seemed like she would make a good ruler! Then there was Black Knife, who Wil had always seen as an enemy but who proved to be an ally with the chips were down. The complicated relationship between Wil and Black Knife was one of my favorite parts of the book. Then there were secondary characters, all of whom seemed truly well-developed with realistic personalities and motivations. Even those characters who I didn't like, I understood!
Wil's dedication to her people.
I think the thing that I loved most about Wil was that she truly put her people first, not just her ideals. She wanted to regain her throne so that she could release her people from oppression and help to bring magic back to the world, but as the book progressed and she learned more about what that would all mean and what the consequences might be, she didn't just push ahead with her plans, ignoring the evidence in front of her, but she took it upon herself to try to learn the truth. In the end, she found that what was best for her people may not have been what the Ospreys had originally plotted after all, and she adjusted her plans accordingly. Wil was willing to sacrifice for her people, but she didn't just make herself into a figurehead and a martyr - and she didn't want to sacrifice others in the process of helping her own. I admired and respected that.
Shades of gray.
If you read my reviews often, you know that I love a fantasy with no clear lines between the "good guys" and the "bad guys," and this book definitely fell into that category. Even though Wil sees the men who took over her kingdom as her enemies, she's also able to see them as people as well. Her backstory seems simple at first, but as you learn more, you realize that there were layers to the story - some that Wil didn't even know about at the time. Nothing is simple and there are no easy answers for Wil. And as the story progressed, I was able to relate to all of the characters in one way or another. This is the type of story I love!
The wraith.
I found everything about the wraith to be downright fascinating, and something eventually happens with it that I was not expecting at all. I'm really eager to see where Meadows goes with this in the next book!
The negatives:
Predictable twist.
I found the revelation of who Black Knife was to be less than stunning. I had pretty much figured it out at the beginning of the book. Overall, I'd say that the book followed pretty predictable fantasy tropes, but that didn't really ruin my enjoyment of the book. I don't mind when a book is somewhat predictable as long as it's well-written and enjoyable. And there were still a few surprises!
So, if you enjoy YA Fantasy, then you should definitely read this book - it will not disappoint! I was happy to see that the series is just a duology (with some novellas to go along with it - I might have to check those out), and I can't wait to see how Meadows wraps the story up in The Mirror King. I give this book 4.5/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
eyreguide's review
5.0
The Orphan Queen is a wonderful fantasy adventure. Wilhelmina has so much to overcome, and discover about herself as she struggles to be the queen her people need, and it made for some fantastic character development and drama. Wil was faced with so many perils throughout the story and it kept the suspense and my interest very high. Wil had to deal with the wraith, with trying to get back her kingdom, with the Black Knife, and with some of her friends who might not be completely on her side. There's so much going on with this plot.
Not only does the book have to show how Wil deals with all of these things, but it also reveals, slowly, what happened to put Wil in the position of the orphan queen. Just the plotting of this book is exceptional. I enjoyed how complex it was, but I was never confused and the pace of the story never waned.
Wil is an intriguing protagonist too. She's an exceptional fighter, a clever and talented artist, a compassionate and nurturing mother-figure to the younger members of her band, and she takes her responsibilities very seriously. The strength of her character is impressive, and I also loved that she could be snarky and fun sometimes too. She's an amazing character to get to know. And almost matched by how awesome it was to get to know the vigilante Black Knife. He is an interesting enigma, but so wonderfully admirable, and I loved that Wil grew to appreciate that about him. Their relationship was another great aspect to this story. And as if there wasn't enough to this story, it's also wonderful to have a little mystery about who Black Knife is behind the mask!
I absolutely loved diving into the world of this book. There's so much to the plot, the characters and the world-building that it was totally engrossing and a vivid and emotional read. Unfortunately it comes with a pretty hefty cliffhanger - one that made me flip pages back and forth, just to make sure I wasn't missing something. Ugh, the anguish! But I'm only so upset over it because I loved the book so much!
Not only does the book have to show how Wil deals with all of these things, but it also reveals, slowly, what happened to put Wil in the position of the orphan queen. Just the plotting of this book is exceptional. I enjoyed how complex it was, but I was never confused and the pace of the story never waned.
Wil is an intriguing protagonist too. She's an exceptional fighter, a clever and talented artist, a compassionate and nurturing mother-figure to the younger members of her band, and she takes her responsibilities very seriously. The strength of her character is impressive, and I also loved that she could be snarky and fun sometimes too. She's an amazing character to get to know. And almost matched by how awesome it was to get to know the vigilante Black Knife. He is an interesting enigma, but so wonderfully admirable, and I loved that Wil grew to appreciate that about him. Their relationship was another great aspect to this story. And as if there wasn't enough to this story, it's also wonderful to have a little mystery about who Black Knife is behind the mask!
I absolutely loved diving into the world of this book. There's so much to the plot, the characters and the world-building that it was totally engrossing and a vivid and emotional read. Unfortunately it comes with a pretty hefty cliffhanger - one that made me flip pages back and forth, just to make sure I wasn't missing something. Ugh, the anguish! But I'm only so upset over it because I loved the book so much!
aayusha's review
2.0
“Why do you wear a mask?”
“To hide my face. That’s the function of a mask, after all.”
I rolled my eyes. “Why do you hide your face?”
He went still for a moment, almost a statue’s shadow. “I think the more pressing question is this: why don’t you wear a mask, considering your suspicious proximity to crime?”
Seriously though…why doesn’t she wear a mask?
Honestly, I never thought I’d see the day when I openly admit I should probably keep away from YA Fantasy.
While there was nothing wrong with the book itself or the plot, the whole thing just felt too “been there, done that”.
That’s it!! No more YA fantasy fictions for me! (At least for a while)
booklovinalicia's review
5.0
What an "ending"!!! I cannot wait until the next book! Read my full review on my blog http://www.booklovinalicia.blogspot.com
mulang's review
5.0
superrrr interesting, had me from the first page, though the middle was kinda slow when she goes to the wraithland but after that was also superrrr interesting and how cool is that the wraith turned into a boy?? I canooooooot wait to see where that leads. Ik he'll prob be the villan but I kinda want him to be an antihero or something idkkk I am already a huge fan of him already
talya_'s review
3.0
3.5 stars. Took me some time to get through it, and it somehow managed to be both better and worse than I thought it'd be.