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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I picked up this book a little while after it came out because it was hyped so much. I often make this mistake as I find when I buy books because of hype I usually don't like them. But the concept of this book seemed super intriguing to me, a murder mystery set in a fantasy world. One of my favorite things a book can do is take a well-worn trope and insert it into something new and original. This is one thing I thought this book did well. I was surprised to see a lot of reviews saying they thought the world, and the history of the world was underdeveloped while I thought the complete opposite. When reading fantasy, I sometimes have trouble following the world if it has a lot of moving parts and complicated rulers and history. But, I had no trouble following the history and current politics of this story. There were a couple of things in the "Queenly Law" that felt like were molded to fit the story as opposed to them being made because they made sense in the world, for example, the law that stated queens couldn't leave the palace to venture made to their quadrants didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.
This book did a lot of things and I think because of that I found that in some areas it was stretched too thin. It tried to incorporate fantasy, some dystopian elements, technology, a plethora of characters and perspectives, and romance. I thought that some things, such as the romance, could've been so much better had it been developed slightly more but it ended up feeling like it was random and just put it to draw in some romance readers.
One thing I thought this book did really well was that it created morally ambiguous characters. The main character, Keralie, is a criminal, she steals and takes advantage of people and the author never tries to cover it up, undermine it, or make her seem like the perfect character. I think this made this book more than just a plot-driven book, but created characters that made you think. I sometimes find that in books that have a lot of characters and not a lot of room to explore and explain those characters, they begin to blend together. In my opinion, that did not happen at all in this book. I found that each of the characters had a distinct voice and I could easily tell them apart. I also loved the queer representation in this book. I actually liked that it was so normalized in this society and that the author focused on it the same amount as any straight romance. I think that helped make it feel much how I think it should be in today's world, two people loving each other.
I haven't read a lot of mystery or thrillers at this point so I don't feel totally qualified to judge the ending. Personally, I didn't see it coming at all. I knew who would be behind it, but I don't think Scholte was trying to hide that. I think the readers were supposed to know who was behind it the whole time because the twist was not who was behind it but how that person carried it out. The twist at the end totally got me and I didn't see it coming at all.
Overall, this book was a really fun read. I wouldn't recommend it to someone looking for hardcore mystery/thriller or an intense in-depth fantasy. However, I think it did most of what it set out to do. Although it had somewhat of a slow build I think it was gripping as the story went on and had a lot of really interesting characters and unique elements. This book covers so many areas (although some may be underdeveloped) that I think it could satisfy a wide range of readers from different genres.
This book did a lot of things and I think because of that I found that in some areas it was stretched too thin. It tried to incorporate fantasy, some dystopian elements, technology, a plethora of characters and perspectives, and romance. I thought that some things, such as the romance, could've been so much better had it been developed slightly more but it ended up feeling like it was random and just put it to draw in some romance readers.
One thing I thought this book did really well was that it created morally ambiguous characters. The main character, Keralie, is a criminal, she steals and takes advantage of people and the author never tries to cover it up, undermine it, or make her seem like the perfect character. I think this made this book more than just a plot-driven book, but created characters that made you think. I sometimes find that in books that have a lot of characters and not a lot of room to explore and explain those characters, they begin to blend together. In my opinion, that did not happen at all in this book. I found that each of the characters had a distinct voice and I could easily tell them apart. I also loved the queer representation in this book. I actually liked that it was so normalized in this society and that the author focused on it the same amount as any straight romance. I think that helped make it feel much how I think it should be in today's world, two people loving each other.
I haven't read a lot of mystery or thrillers at this point so I don't feel totally qualified to judge the ending. Personally, I didn't see it coming at all. I knew who would be behind it, but I don't think Scholte was trying to hide that. I think the readers were supposed to know who was behind it the whole time because the twist was not who was behind it but how that person carried it out. The twist at the end totally got me and I didn't see it coming at all.
Overall, this book was a really fun read. I wouldn't recommend it to someone looking for hardcore mystery/thriller or an intense in-depth fantasy. However, I think it did most of what it set out to do. Although it had somewhat of a slow build I think it was gripping as the story went on and had a lot of really interesting characters and unique elements. This book covers so many areas (although some may be underdeveloped) that I think it could satisfy a wide range of readers from different genres.
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As the title suggests, the copy I received was a sneak peek of the book. This is not a review of Four Dead Queens. The book I received had a couple of chapters which were not enough for me to pass any judgement. However, my first impression of this book told me all I needed to know.
Four Dead Queens is a YA, Fantasy novel. The story takes place in Quadra which is divided into for quadrants. That is Eonia, Toria, Archia and Ludia. Each of these sectors is ruled by a queen hence the four queensđź‘‘ who incidentally end up very dead.
This copy came to an end just when all the fun was beginning, but I did get a general idea of what was to come. Danger, court politics, betrayal, more murder and quit a bit of romance. The thief in this case will become very special even though she is a nobody right now. Plus, I can bet the wannabe 'gang' leader will prove to be a nuisance.
I can't wait to hold this entire book in my hands.
Four Dead Queens is a YA, Fantasy novel. The story takes place in Quadra which is divided into for quadrants. That is Eonia, Toria, Archia and Ludia. Each of these sectors is ruled by a queen hence the four queensđź‘‘ who incidentally end up very dead.
This copy came to an end just when all the fun was beginning, but I did get a general idea of what was to come. Danger, court politics, betrayal, more murder and quit a bit of romance. The thief in this case will become very special even though she is a nobody right now. Plus, I can bet the wannabe 'gang' leader will prove to be a nuisance.
I can't wait to hold this entire book in my hands.
This book has it all!! Royalty, lies, forbidden love with splashes of fantasy and science fiction into the mix. But what I enjoyed most about the story was the incredible mystery of who was assassinating the queens and why. I definitely didn’t see the plot twist coming and was completely shocked. This book an incredible read.
adventurous
I thought the plot was original, the narrator acceptable and the romance unbearable.
adventurous
emotional
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
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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