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poppywarphan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Arc provided by publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All of this is was my immediate impression during and after I read the book. Kind of spoilery. Also, tw for child sacrifice and human trafficking, among other things
Sapphic rep, lots of politics, though women, betrayal and blood. The story takes place over multiple years and follows multiple characters. There was a lot of describing and less dialogue. The beginning was very hard to get through and I almost dnf'd this. After my initial struggle I did come to quite like it however it still kept occasionally throwing some weird fertility/sex/impregnation/birth stuff, that made me uncomfortable, into my face. I'm not a fan of how the author decided to construct her matriarchy. I was hoping for a functional harmonious society not a flipped patriarchy where men are the ones who have to fight for equality and are used only for siring children and as lovers. The personal relationships between the men and women felt shallow. Women either discarded them or they themselves left because they were neglected/dissatisfied.
In this world there are five queendoms. Scorpica - warriors, Bastion - scholars, Arca - magic, Sestia - religion or something, Paxim - diplomacy. Girls and women are valued while the men are deemed week and useless. Newborn boys are sold or traded (at least in Scorpica). Girls stop being born which is a catastrophe especially for Scorpica because men aren't allowed to be warriors. (One does show up and asks to be one but the queen just kills him.) In fact, girls are so needed the scorpican queen decides they will take them from elsewhere (and declares them her daughters because she's love/attention starved.) and causes a war to start brewing.
The characters:
• previously mentioned scorpican queen and her new daughters
• a girl with all-magic (which makes her a threat to the queen of Arca. Something about having a claim to the throne) who was in hiding with her mother and some buff woman who had decided to take them under her protection
• the queen of Arca and her daughter
• the previous scorpican queen, her daughter and her advisor best friend
• a sorceress who wants to take over all the queendoms
This was mostly the first half. I did add details after finishing the whole thing but didn't summarize the 2nd part because I got lazy. It wasn't clearly explained why the girls had stopped being born. Some magic?
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this.
Sapphic rep, lots of politics, though women, betrayal and blood. The story takes place over multiple years and follows multiple characters. There was a lot of describing and less dialogue. The beginning was very hard to get through and I almost dnf'd this. After my initial struggle I did come to quite like it however it still kept occasionally throwing some weird fertility/sex/impregnation/birth stuff, that made me uncomfortable, into my face. I'm not a fan of how the author decided to construct her matriarchy. I was hoping for a functional harmonious society not a flipped patriarchy where men are the ones who have to fight for equality and are used only for siring children and as lovers. The personal relationships between the men and women felt shallow. Women either discarded them or they themselves left because they were neglected/dissatisfied.
In this world there are five queendoms. Scorpica - warriors, Bastion - scholars, Arca - magic, Sestia - religion or something, Paxim - diplomacy. Girls and women are valued while the men are deemed week and useless. Newborn boys are sold or traded (at least in Scorpica). Girls stop being born which is a catastrophe especially for Scorpica because men aren't allowed to be warriors. (One does show up and asks to be one but the queen just kills him.) In fact, girls are so needed the scorpican queen decides they will take them from elsewhere (and declares them her daughters because she's love/attention starved.) and causes a war to start brewing.
The characters:
• previously mentioned scorpican queen and her new daughters
• a girl with all-magic (which makes her a threat to the queen of Arca. Something about having a claim to the throne) who was in hiding with her mother and some buff woman who had decided to take them under her protection
• the queen of Arca and her daughter
• the previous scorpican queen, her daughter and her advisor best friend
• a sorceress who wants to take over all the queendoms
This was mostly the first half. I did add details after finishing the whole thing but didn't summarize the 2nd part because I got lazy. It wasn't clearly explained why the girls had stopped being born. Some magic?
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Pregnancy, Body horror, Child death, Murder, Blood, and Sexual content
Minor: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Torture, Trafficking, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Medical content, and Slavery
irl_bookworms's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-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
4.5
Right away, I can tell this will be a Marmite book. This fast style of storytellig is just not going to work for some folks. But those that do love it? Oh they will love every minute of it!
In a really interesting style that is both brutal and unforgiving, Macallister develops a world of five Queendoms, each with their own unique cultures, religions, and economies.
First off, I love to see an author who is unafraid to kill, harm, or injure their imperfect characters and Macallister is that kind of author. We follow an incredible cast of characters from Queens to slaves, an ancient god, and even ragtag group of bandits. And I devoured every single POV.
First off, I love to see an author who is unafraid to kill, harm, or injure their imperfect characters and Macallister is that kind of author. We follow an incredible cast of characters from Queens to slaves, an ancient god, and even ragtag group of bandits. And I devoured every single POV.
Second, there is so much that happens in these 450 pages - it almost feels as if this could have been an epic series on its own if each of the stories were more fleshed out. As it stands, the plot moves very quickly, but not so fast that you don’t connect with the characters and become involved in the plot. Still, I would have loved to have gotten even closer and to have had the chance to get very emotionally involved with each fascinating character in this cast. They were just so good!!
I definitely recommend readers giving this a chance, but if the first few chapters don’t entrap you, I would advise against continuing - this won’t be the book for you and that is plenty okay.
Actual rating 4.5 rounded up - 0.5 stars knocked off because of the suddenness of the resolution and how this seems to read as a complete standalone - so I’m not sure where a series can develop from this? Ooh but if we get a series of standalones, with a focus on each of the five Queendoms? I would adore that!
CW: Human sacrifice, descriptions of birth, child abandonment, slavery, selling children, graphic violence, sexual content
*I received an eARC from Simon & Schuster Canada, Gallery / Saga Press & NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Death, Blood, Slavery, Violence, and Sexual content
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