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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
Clean YAL with a little bit of romance. This story felt long but was written in an interesting retesting way with multiple parts.
I liked this one. It wasn't without flaws - the timeline between the reality and the memories didn't seem to sync correctly. What seemed to take many days in memories happened much more quickly in reality. Also, while I liked the characters none of them were completely developed. You got to know them and they definitely grew with the story but they still seemed a little dimensionally challenged. Maybe that is because I have gotten used to stories that span several books whereas in a single book the author is limited.
At any rate, it was a good read and I enjoyed it.
At any rate, it was a good read and I enjoyed it.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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
Four Dead Queens was the deadly way to feed my cravings for a fantasy book. It pretty much reminds me of Divergent with its factions only it’s in this fantasy world governed by four queens. It was info-dumpy considering it was high fantasy and a standalone, but the world-building, the politics and laws, the character and industry traits, folktales, and customs still took me by surprise and amazed just how the author had the book well-thought of. Although it was quite lengthy halfway, took a detour here and there, the very essence of this book — the thrill and intrigue — didn’t vanish within me and continued going through and did not regretted it.
Both of the protagonists’ Keralie and Verin’s relationship was a bit out of chemistry, but that didn’t take away how much I was taken aback with Keralie’s gritty and cunning spirit and character development throughout the story. So much for archaic lies and secrets, the queens also had distinct personalities and values that shaped them as they were as queens and got to see their backgrounds within each chapter with the multiple POVs this book has to offer. As for the twist? More than I could ask for.
Ending my thoughts with a line that truly stirred me and will perhaps instill for a long while:
Edit: Lowering my rating to 3 stars because 4’s too generous
Both of the protagonists’ Keralie and Verin’s relationship was a bit out of chemistry, but that didn’t take away how much I was taken aback with Keralie’s gritty and cunning spirit and character development throughout the story. So much for archaic lies and secrets, the queens also had distinct personalities and values that shaped them as they were as queens and got to see their backgrounds within each chapter with the multiple POVs this book has to offer. As for the twist? More than I could ask for.
Ending my thoughts with a line that truly stirred me and will perhaps instill for a long while:
“Loving someone means risking your heart being broken but those moments you are together triumph over any hardship”
Edit: Lowering my rating to 3 stars because 4’s too generous
adventurous
mysterious
medium-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:
No
What can I say, this was a pretty neat little murder mystery.
There's action from the start, and there's plenty of twists to keep you on your toes. This story has layers. And just when you think you know what's going on, another one is peeled back and everything changes. Because of that, it's nearly impossible to guess who the villain is until about 75% of the way through the book.
The mystery was good, but I feel like the revelation happened much to abruptly, and without much finesse. We encounter a new character that at once changes the game, but also makes it pretty obvious who the baddies are and what's going on. There's no chance left for wondering when things are pretty blatantly spelled out for us. For a YA book, perhaps this wasn't a bad thing--I don't think I'd have minded if I hadn't read so many adult thrillers in the past.
But that's not to say that things were cut and dry from there on out. The twists continue right up until the very end of the book. Even after the reader knows what's going on and who the culprits are, there's still more to be revealed to put the whole puzzle together. I can admire Scholte for her craftsmanship in that regard.
The characters are also pretty good. Keralie is definitely an antiheroine. Her morals are gray at best, she does commit crimes (and is happy about doing so for some of them), but ultimately proves herself to be a good person with her heart in the right place. She's clever and resourceful and sometimes hilariously sassy, buuuuut I have to admit I didn't much care for her in the beginning of the book--the way she acts sort of rubbed me the wrong way. Literally, our first impression of her involves her knocking a cane out of an old man's hand so she can commit robbery. It's not clever, and it comes off more mean than sly.
Her relationship with Varin, the movement from Enemies to friends to...maybe more? was interesting, but ultimately I don't think I really cared or bought their feelings for each other in the end. Friends yes, more than friends? Ehh. I don't think this book needed the romantic subplot.
The relationships between the queens (and their advisors) was also really nice to see. Though I can't help but be a bit miffed that we find out 2 of the queens are lovers, only AFTER one of them is dead. It might have been nice to see the two have their romance ON PAGE. Alas.
For a stand-alone, the world building was pretty well-done, I think. Though some of the naming was hilariously on the nose. A kingdom with 4 sectors called QUADara? Really?
The ending is wrapped up tidily. Perhaps tooooo tidily for me. It's your typical everybody lives happily ever after (except the bad guys, who get life in prison) sort of ending. Very YA. I'd have liked to see a little of the messy morally gray stuff carry on through the finale, but whatever. I can't say I'm left disappointed because everything gets hammered out in the end.
All in all, this was a pretty nice little read. If you're in to murder mysteries and fantasy, maybe this one will tweak your gourd. Just remember it's YA, and it reads like it.
3.5 stars
There's action from the start, and there's plenty of twists to keep you on your toes. This story has layers. And just when you think you know what's going on, another one is peeled back and everything changes. Because of that, it's nearly impossible to guess who the villain is until about 75% of the way through the book.
The mystery was good, but I feel like the revelation happened much to abruptly, and without much finesse. We encounter a new character that at once changes the game, but also makes it pretty obvious who the baddies are and what's going on. There's no chance left for wondering when things are pretty blatantly spelled out for us. For a YA book, perhaps this wasn't a bad thing--I don't think I'd have minded if I hadn't read so many adult thrillers in the past.
But that's not to say that things were cut and dry from there on out. The twists continue right up until the very end of the book. Even after the reader knows what's going on and who the culprits are, there's still more to be revealed to put the whole puzzle together. I can admire Scholte for her craftsmanship in that regard.
The characters are also pretty good. Keralie is definitely an antiheroine. Her morals are gray at best, she does commit crimes (and is happy about doing so for some of them), but ultimately proves herself to be a good person with her heart in the right place. She's clever and resourceful and sometimes hilariously sassy, buuuuut I have to admit I didn't much care for her in the beginning of the book--the way she acts sort of rubbed me the wrong way. Literally, our first impression of her involves her knocking a cane out of an old man's hand so she can commit robbery. It's not clever, and it comes off more mean than sly.
Her relationship with Varin, the movement from Enemies to friends to...maybe more? was interesting, but ultimately I don't think I really cared or bought their feelings for each other in the end. Friends yes, more than friends? Ehh. I don't think this book needed the romantic subplot.
The relationships between the queens (and their advisors) was also really nice to see. Though I can't help but be a bit miffed that we find out 2 of the queens are lovers, only AFTER one of them is dead. It might have been nice to see the two have their romance ON PAGE. Alas.
For a stand-alone, the world building was pretty well-done, I think. Though some of the naming was hilariously on the nose. A kingdom with 4 sectors called QUADara? Really?
The ending is wrapped up tidily. Perhaps tooooo tidily for me. It's your typical everybody lives happily ever after (except the bad guys, who get life in prison) sort of ending. Very YA. I'd have liked to see a little of the messy morally gray stuff carry on through the finale, but whatever. I can't say I'm left disappointed because everything gets hammered out in the end.
All in all, this was a pretty nice little read. If you're in to murder mysteries and fantasy, maybe this one will tweak your gourd. Just remember it's YA, and it reads like it.
3.5 stars
2.5 to 3 stars. Great concept, some issues with the execution though. Aspects reminded me of The Hunger Games, Divergent and Six of Crows all thrown in together. I'll look for her next book, this is after all the author's first novel.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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:
Complicated
These multiple queen books are starting to run together. I honestly thought this was part of the Three Dark Crowns world.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No