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fatimareadsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I've heard nothing but good things about this book. The reviews raved about its awesomeness and I honestly think it did not disappoint. I didn't have much high hopes for this book in the first place, so I'm relieved it turned out to be something more, something different. Not once did I even stop to check what page I was on, which is the case in most books I read. That's how good The Orphan Queen is. You get completely sucked in from the first page and find yourself so entrenched in the world Jodie has written that it's hard to pull away at the end.
My all-time favorite thing about this book is the characters. There were so many of them, yet they all still remained unique and easy to differentiate between. Especially the Ospreys. I was invested in every single character & their relationships. Wil is definitely my favorite character, she's everything I'd want in a protagonist. The only other person who ever came close to that was Celaena Sardothien from the Throne of Glass series. In addition to all of that, the way the character dynamics were written really pulled me in. Patrick, Melanie, Theresa, Wil... etc. I found their relationships with each other and the other Ospreys to be very realistic. I was glad it wasn't like in other novels which typically feature a group of self-righteous rebel teenagers who agree with everything their friend says because 'we're the good guys!!!1'. The characters in The Orphan Queen made their own decisions and weren't afraid to disagree with their 'queen', which I absolutely loved.
Another thing I really liked about this book was the world-building. You don't notice it happening, but by the time you're halfway through, you're already unconsciously piecing together pieces of the plot. They were revealed in a steady manner, with barely any information dumps, making it easy to follow along and such a page-turner. I love how at the beginning of the book, you get the sense that there was something going on and as the book progresses you find yourself trying to figure out what exactly is going on. I already have some type of mental picture of the world thanks to this book, so I'm very excited to read on & find out even more! I'll definitely be reading the other novellas.
What contributed to the book being such a page-turner is definitely also the writing. It's descriptive but not too over-the-top, enthralling but not too showy, and just overall fluent. Everything's perfectly balanced; I love when I find books like that!
Of course, this wouldn't be an Orphan Queen review if I didn't mention THE ENDING. Oh em gee. Why would you do this? I have an ARC of The Mirror Kings, so it was all I could do to restrain myself from running to it & devouring it at once. Now that I've written this review, I could finally go ahead and read it! *fist pumps*
To conclude, I'd just like to say that if you've ever felt hesitant or are thinking about picking this up then look no more! I'm here to tell you that you should DO IT. The characters, their dynamics, the writing, the world-building, and plot... such spellbinding elements to an addictive book! The Mirror King releases in April 2016, and it's the last book in this duology, so get with the hype if you haven't already!
My all-time favorite thing about this book is the characters. There were so many of them, yet they all still remained unique and easy to differentiate between. Especially the Ospreys. I was invested in every single character & their relationships. Wil is definitely my favorite character, she's everything I'd want in a protagonist. The only other person who ever came close to that was Celaena Sardothien from the Throne of Glass series. In addition to all of that, the way the character dynamics were written really pulled me in. Patrick, Melanie, Theresa, Wil... etc. I found their relationships with each other and the other Ospreys to be very realistic. I was glad it wasn't like in other novels which typically feature a group of self-righteous rebel teenagers who agree with everything their friend says because 'we're the good guys!!!1'. The characters in The Orphan Queen made their own decisions and weren't afraid to disagree with their 'queen', which I absolutely loved.
Another thing I really liked about this book was the world-building. You don't notice it happening, but by the time you're halfway through, you're already unconsciously piecing together pieces of the plot. They were revealed in a steady manner, with barely any information dumps, making it easy to follow along and such a page-turner. I love how at the beginning of the book, you get the sense that there was something going on and as the book progresses you find yourself trying to figure out what exactly is going on. I already have some type of mental picture of the world thanks to this book, so I'm very excited to read on & find out even more! I'll definitely be reading the other novellas.
What contributed to the book being such a page-turner is definitely also the writing. It's descriptive but not too over-the-top, enthralling but not too showy, and just overall fluent. Everything's perfectly balanced; I love when I find books like that!
Of course, this wouldn't be an Orphan Queen review if I didn't mention THE ENDING. Oh em gee. Why would you do this? I have an ARC of The Mirror Kings, so it was all I could do to restrain myself from running to it & devouring it at once. Now that I've written this review, I could finally go ahead and read it! *fist pumps*
To conclude, I'd just like to say that if you've ever felt hesitant or are thinking about picking this up then look no more! I'm here to tell you that you should DO IT. The characters, their dynamics, the writing, the world-building, and plot... such spellbinding elements to an addictive book! The Mirror King releases in April 2016, and it's the last book in this duology, so get with the hype if you haven't already!
ladytiara's review against another edition
4.0
This one definitely suffers from some lack of originality, and the big twist at the end was painfully obvious from the first chapter. That said, I still enjoyed it a lot, and it was a solid 3.5 stars for me.
teaturtlesandbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
buffy_garden's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.5
I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. I loved the characters, setting, and plot. Some parts of the book were a wee bit slow, but the slow parts never lasted too long. Very excited to read the second book and more from this author!
steph01924's review against another edition
4.0
An enjoyable and engaging read, and while not wholly original, it was a solid fantasy starter. It started a bit slow but definitely picked up as time went on, and Wil was a good character to root for. I'm intrigued about the
I don't know that this is a series I absolutely NEED to keep on top of or that I will really think a lot about while I'm waiting for the next book, but I do see myself picking up the sequel at some point after it comes out.
Spoiler
wraith becoming corporeal and what that means, and I would like to see more of Wil kicking butt as well as learning more about the wraith/magic connection.I don't know that this is a series I absolutely NEED to keep on top of or that I will really think a lot about while I'm waiting for the next book, but I do see myself picking up the sequel at some point after it comes out.
amybraunauthor's review against another edition
5.0
Really enjoyed this story! It had great characters, a great plot, and lots of fun twists. It didn't take long for me to absolutely love the main character, Wil who was easy to relate to and sympathize with. Tobiah was also a great character with many layers and secrets that I would like to know more about. Yet as much as I love both the main heroes and their sidekicks, Mel and James, it truly was the story that kept me engaged. It went a bunch of different directions and took place all over this world, but I was never bored and always enthralled by the locations that were described. This truly was a fantastic book that opened up a lot of possibilities and questions I want answered in its sequel. Definitely something that YA Fantasy fans should check out!
books4susie's review against another edition
5.0
Thank goodness that are four Black Knife novellas to help me make through the next year. Loved this fantasy!
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
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.***