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baexlee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The Traitor Queen is a satisfying follow up installment in the Bridge Kingdom series and Danielle Jensen continues to round out Lara and Aren's complex romantic entanglement. As in The Bridge Kingdom Jensen does a great job utilizing foreshadowing throughout the book, leaving hints of what is to come or the intentions or motivations of the characters. The balance of narrative perspective varies a bit more in this one that in the first, but it is fitting to the story given the circumstances that Lara and Aren initially find themselves in, and the fact that less is hidden about the kingdom of Ithicana as a whole in this novel. The pacing has also picked up, and this is likely due to the stakes being higher, Lara and Aren always had a threat to their lives hanging over their heads, but the threat is much more immediate throughout these pages and it makes for a page turner.
The guilt of both Lara and Aren is portrayed well throughout, delving into the complexities and the volatility of their emotions as they work to free Ithicana and deal with their consequences of their choices, their relationship and the lingering feelings that they may have for each other. I think that Jensen explores Aren's guilt especially well through the expanding of his perspective. Not only is he a king who's kingdom has suffered because of his choices, but he cannot seem to help himself from continuing to make those damning choices that made his people suffer those losses in the first place. All of this is done however, without over complicating (or perhaps bloating is a better word) the narration.
The primary reason that I cannot rate this 5 stars like I did the initial installment is the ending. Perhaps it just felt too rushed when it was all said it done, and I can tell that while Lara and Aren's story has predominately come to a close, Keris and Zarrah's story will be taking off in the third book and the political entanglements have certainly not come to a close, especially not after it was revealed that Keris is Lara's full brother rather than half brother, and now he sit's on one throne and she sits on another . So we'll see Lara and Aren again I'm sure I just wanted something a little more for the final chapter between the two of them, and I guess I'll leave it at that, we'll see what happens in the third book.
The guilt of both Lara and Aren is portrayed well throughout, delving into the complexities and the volatility of their emotions as they work to free Ithicana and deal with their consequences of their choices, their relationship and the lingering feelings that they may have for each other. I think that Jensen explores Aren's guilt especially well through the expanding of his perspective. Not only is he a king who's kingdom has suffered because of his choices, but he cannot seem to help himself from continuing to make those damning choices that made his people suffer those losses in the first place. All of this is done however, without over complicating (or perhaps bloating is a better word) the narration.
The primary reason that I cannot rate this 5 stars like I did the initial installment is the ending. Perhaps it just felt too rushed when it was all said it done, and I can tell that while Lara and Aren's story has predominately come to a close, Keris and Zarrah's story will be taking off in the third book and the political entanglements have certainly not come to a close, especially not after it was revealed that
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Drug use, Death, and Confinement
Moderate: Alcoholism
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