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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
Great second installment of the Seven Realms series. Chima's characters come alive in very well-rounded ways, with Dancer being an exception (he plays second fiddle, dutifully studying off-scene for most of the book). They are torn between actions and choices, often lamenting that there is no easy path or that their actions may have been judged differently from what their true intentions were. It's fun to watch Raisa come to terms as a princess in exile, struggling to fit in and become educated in advance of her succession to queen.
This will sound cliche: I couldn't help but think that The Exiled Queen bears some superficial resemblances to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in the way that the plot moves and the characters align themselves. However, the overall plot of the series is so different from HP that this is can be overlooked easily in favor of the vivid setting and atmosphere. And how about that palpable tension between our leads? Wow, did I find it thrilling! Again, Chima ends on a cliffhanger, leaving me very eager for the next book to be published.
This will sound cliche: I couldn't help but think that The Exiled Queen bears some superficial resemblances to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in the way that the plot moves and the characters align themselves. However, the overall plot of the series is so different from HP that this is can be overlooked easily in favor of the vivid setting and atmosphere. And how about that palpable tension between our leads? Wow, did I find it thrilling! Again, Chima ends on a cliffhanger, leaving me very eager for the next book to be published.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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:
No
I loved this one! The world came alive in this book, through culture and politics. I enjoyed the first book, but this one was far and away more captivating.
I want like ten times more romance but I love every character in their own way. Bad guys sometimes more than the good ones. Han can be my king any time though.
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
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 stars!
“You need the strength to do what's right, even when what you want most in the world is the wrong thing.”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
+ Amon Byrne
+ Micah is very intriguing and multi-faceted to me still idc
+ Raisa ana’ Marianna
+ the bond
- Han’s romance is so bland to me, I have at least 4 options I’d be more interested in (:
“You need the strength to do what's right, even when what you want most in the world is the wrong thing.”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
+ Amon Byrne
+ Micah is very intriguing and multi-faceted to me still idc
+ Raisa ana’ Marianna
+ the bond
- Han’s romance is so bland to me, I have at least 4 options I’d be more interested in (:
This would be a very upsetting book if (a) Raisa didn’t escape, (b) Han didn’t plan to take the road which leads directly to Raisa and (c) I didn’t like the synopsis of The Gray Wolf Throne so much.
The first chapter was the best recap ever because my memory has failed me yet again. As much as I hate Gillen and wish him to be gutted, I liked reading from his perspective. I kinda remembered what went down with TDK, which was good because I was reading chapter 1 too slow for my liking.
The next couple of chapters flew by because I had one goal in mind: to get to the reunion of Han and Raisa before sleeping. And...with that (stupid)mindset, I almost finished the book. Yay me. Not because they reunited near the end but because it was so good. I was intrigued by everything — mainly everything that’s happening in the Mystwerk House.
I’m not a big fan of Raisa here, to be completely honest. I hate how she claimed to be pining for Amon but also acted totally in love with Han a minute later.
“Whatever you do, don’t fall in love with him.”
Raisa nodded, knowing it was already too late.
Me iz confused.
I still ship her with Han so bad though. So. So. Bad. You don’t know how many times I wished for them to hook up whenever they meet. The wait nearly killed me. It was worth it though.
“I live in the present,” Han said, “because the future is always chancy. When it comes to being with you, I’m willing to take the risk. Are you?”
Hanson Allister — what a great name for someone so dumb at times. I’m so glad luck’s on his side because he did a lot of stupid things in this book. Goading Fiona at the west gate? Accepting drinks from a stranger? Picking a fight at Micah not even hours before getting to Oden? Trusting Crow? The list goes on. I was getting tired of it but it’s part of his charm I think.
Han is still my favorite character in this series though, despite his recklessness and arrogance.
“Grief was like that. It gradually faded into a dull ache, until some simple sight or sound or scent hit him like a hammer blow.”
I loathe the Bayars.
I hate how I didn’t feel Dancer’s presence here.
I hate how every character seems to be in love with the main characs. My eyes nearly stuck at the back of my head from rolling them too much.
Amon reminded me so much of Chaol. It was driving me nuts. I want to ship him and Raisa but I had a feeling it’s doomed from the start since TDK that’s why I refuse to ship them no matter what. I’d be mad to ship them, they’re a ticking time bomb of heartbreak.
“But it’s not enough to know right from wrong. You need the strength to do what’s right, even when what you want most in the world is the wrong thing.”
Still refusing.
Anyway, how could you be so naive to think that you’re in love with someone but be giddy at the thought of another person’s touch and still remember how that person touched you when he took you hostage before? Yes, I’m looking at you, Raisa.
This book has drained me as if I’ve been at Aediion for a week. That’s the truth.
My head is aching so bad right now for lack of sleep. I’ve been reading nonstop for at least 8 hours, took a quick doze and picked up the book again to finish the last hundred pages. It was exhausting and I. Loved. Every. Minute. Of. It.
I can’t sleep without knowing how it would end.
Afterward, I reached for the third book immediately because I can’t live for the next 12 hours without reading the synopsis of TGWT.
Book, what have you done to me?
I’m scared to pick up TGWT even though the synopsis satisfied me. I don’t know why. I think I need assurance.
I need to know whether Han and Raisa will get married (aaaaaaaaaaaaa they betta) and rule Seven Realms together.
But at the same time I’m terrified to find out they don’t and I end up ditching the series. This only proved that I only live for my ship. Ughhhhhhhh I hate myself.
I’m still on the fence if I’m going to pick up TGWT right away. Welp, wish me luck and read this series at your own risk. It’s really, really, really great but it also has the potential to drive you crazy.
The first chapter was the best recap ever because my memory has failed me yet again. As much as I hate Gillen and wish him to be gutted, I liked reading from his perspective. I kinda remembered what went down with TDK, which was good because I was reading chapter 1 too slow for my liking.
The next couple of chapters flew by because I had one goal in mind: to get to the reunion of Han and Raisa before sleeping. And...with that (stupid)mindset, I almost finished the book. Yay me. Not because they reunited near the end but because it was so good. I was intrigued by everything — mainly everything that’s happening in the Mystwerk House.
I’m not a big fan of Raisa here, to be completely honest. I hate how she claimed to be pining for Amon but also acted totally in love with Han a minute later.
“Whatever you do, don’t fall in love with him.”
Raisa nodded, knowing it was already too late.
Me iz confused.
I still ship her with Han so bad though. So. So. Bad. You don’t know how many times I wished for them to hook up whenever they meet. The wait nearly killed me. It was worth it though.
“I live in the present,” Han said, “because the future is always chancy. When it comes to being with you, I’m willing to take the risk. Are you?”
Hanson Allister — what a great name for someone so dumb at times. I’m so glad luck’s on his side because he did a lot of stupid things in this book. Goading Fiona at the west gate? Accepting drinks from a stranger? Picking a fight at Micah not even hours before getting to Oden? Trusting Crow? The list goes on. I was getting tired of it but it’s part of his charm I think.
Han is still my favorite character in this series though, despite his recklessness and arrogance.
“Grief was like that. It gradually faded into a dull ache, until some simple sight or sound or scent hit him like a hammer blow.”
I loathe the Bayars.
I hate how I didn’t feel Dancer’s presence here.
I hate how every character seems to be in love with the main characs. My eyes nearly stuck at the back of my head from rolling them too much.
Amon reminded me so much of Chaol. It was driving me nuts. I want to ship him and Raisa but I had a feeling it’s doomed from the start since TDK that’s why I refuse to ship them no matter what. I’d be mad to ship them, they’re a ticking time bomb of heartbreak.
“But it’s not enough to know right from wrong. You need the strength to do what’s right, even when what you want most in the world is the wrong thing.”
Still refusing.
Anyway, how could you be so naive to think that you’re in love with someone but be giddy at the thought of another person’s touch and still remember how that person touched you when he took you hostage before? Yes, I’m looking at you, Raisa.
This book has drained me as if I’ve been at Aediion for a week. That’s the truth.
My head is aching so bad right now for lack of sleep. I’ve been reading nonstop for at least 8 hours, took a quick doze and picked up the book again to finish the last hundred pages. It was exhausting and I. Loved. Every. Minute. Of. It.
I can’t sleep without knowing how it would end.
Afterward, I reached for the third book immediately because I can’t live for the next 12 hours without reading the synopsis of TGWT.
Book, what have you done to me?
I’m scared to pick up TGWT even though the synopsis satisfied me. I don’t know why. I think I need assurance.
I need to know whether Han and Raisa will get married (aaaaaaaaaaaaa they betta) and rule Seven Realms together.
But at the same time I’m terrified to find out they don’t and I end up ditching the series. This only proved that I only live for my ship. Ughhhhhhhh I hate myself.
I’m still on the fence if I’m going to pick up TGWT right away. Welp, wish me luck and read this series at your own risk. It’s really, really, really great but it also has the potential to drive you crazy.
where do i even start with this one … the new setting does WONDERS for these characters, and the expansion of Han’s motivations and fears in this one is amazing. he becomes so much more nuanced as he tries and tries to change, trying to adjust to the new life he’s been given (well, FORCED is more the word). he’s on multiple conflicting payrolls, constantly moving three or four steps ahead of everyone else. there is something so satisfying about his triumphs in this book: micah bayar gets cowed into submission multiple times, han meets raisa again (fucking finally.. but more on that later), and he’s finally being seen as a real and potential threat to his enemies.
i have to talk about how god damn annoying the travel is. WOW does it take them forever to get places in this world. it makes it more realistic, and that’s one thing about these books that is so so impressive: chima has PATIENCE. she sets up her events and plot points with the ultimate finesse, truly building suspense and anticipation for CHAPTERS. it’s actually annoying sometimes how she doesn’t give you what you want: she makes you wait for it, which is all the more satisfying. good things and bad things, i suppose.
i absolutely hate the bayar twins in this one. they’re perhaps a little lopsided as characters, because they’re stuck up and nasty and i’ve never once felt a good feeling about either of them. fiona digging han is also super weird.
amon’s plot line makes sense and is acceptable, if a little boring. he’s the ever honorable sidekick, refusing to give in to raisa even when he wants to most.
raisa comes SO far in this one. seeing her fight tooth and nail to reject her privilege and experience the realities of the world is extremely satisfying. and all the more satisfying is her reunion with han, my favorite man in the seven realms. they foil each other so well, it genuinely feels like fate - and not to mention it feels like a crossover episode.
as a second novel in the series, this performs beautifully. it asks you all the right questions: who knows what? who the fuck is crow? what is raisa going to do next? i really wish we had gotten a scene at the cadet’s ball, not even going to lie to you, but the college-town experience of this book makes a big world feel smaller and more accessible. no longer are the countries we’ve heard of distant and i’ll-defined - in this book, they come center stage in all their flaws and failures. politics becomes so much more important to us, and in turn Han, as he works to find what it is he really wants.
yes this is a romance. yes, that’s 60% of why i love it. but better than any romance plot is the driving forces of love, destiny, belonging, strength, and going after what you want. i love how much these books care about the downtrodden. yeeeees there are stereotypes but they’re stereotypes that are constantly flipped on their heads and challenged. god its a good read. it was in 2011 and it still is today.
i have to talk about how god damn annoying the travel is. WOW does it take them forever to get places in this world. it makes it more realistic, and that’s one thing about these books that is so so impressive: chima has PATIENCE. she sets up her events and plot points with the ultimate finesse, truly building suspense and anticipation for CHAPTERS. it’s actually annoying sometimes how she doesn’t give you what you want: she makes you wait for it, which is all the more satisfying. good things and bad things, i suppose.
i absolutely hate the bayar twins in this one. they’re perhaps a little lopsided as characters, because they’re stuck up and nasty and i’ve never once felt a good feeling about either of them. fiona digging han is also super weird.
amon’s plot line makes sense and is acceptable, if a little boring. he’s the ever honorable sidekick, refusing to give in to raisa even when he wants to most.
raisa comes SO far in this one. seeing her fight tooth and nail to reject her privilege and experience the realities of the world is extremely satisfying. and all the more satisfying is her reunion with han, my favorite man in the seven realms. they foil each other so well, it genuinely feels like fate - and not to mention it feels like a crossover episode.
as a second novel in the series, this performs beautifully. it asks you all the right questions: who knows what? who the fuck is crow? what is raisa going to do next? i really wish we had gotten a scene at the cadet’s ball, not even going to lie to you, but the college-town experience of this book makes a big world feel smaller and more accessible. no longer are the countries we’ve heard of distant and i’ll-defined - in this book, they come center stage in all their flaws and failures. politics becomes so much more important to us, and in turn Han, as he works to find what it is he really wants.
yes this is a romance. yes, that’s 60% of why i love it. but better than any romance plot is the driving forces of love, destiny, belonging, strength, and going after what you want. i love how much these books care about the downtrodden. yeeeees there are stereotypes but they’re stereotypes that are constantly flipped on their heads and challenged. god its a good read. it was in 2011 and it still is today.