Reviews

A Coalition of Lions by Elizabeth Wein

brandypainter's review

5.0

My review of the whole series can be found here.

luisasm's review

4.0

This books starts out daringly, killing almost every character from the last book. Fortunately, I had desperately wanted to learn more about Goewin from the last book, and now she gets her own, and she's fantastic. Strong willed and intelligent, but still vulnerable. I love female characters that are more than just a badass, or more than just a damsel in distress. Goewin never needs to be saved, but she still needs help. She takes the Aksum court by storm, stubbornly throwing herself into the politics of it all. There's a lot of plot in here, and somehow it all manages to fit together. Once again, Wein does a really good job making characters complicated. No one is just one tone, and it makes for a rich book.

menshevixen's review

5.0

Amazing and very unexpected.

evaseyler's review

3.0

I spent the first half of this adrift in a sea of NAMES and trying to ignore the NAMES in favour of story, but then things started to click. :-) Much enjoyed. Kind of love Priamos, and hated that he had to LEAVE GOEWIN at the end. Even if he does promise to return.

Also, Telemakos makes me grin like crazy. BABY LIONS. XD

/incoherent comments

ana3333's review

4.0

While the writing and storyline are as impeccable as ever, i dont enjoy this book as much as the winter prince. without the viewpoint of medraut, it loses the dark haunting beauty of the winter prince. and i was rather disappointed that agravain was killed, weird as it seems he was one of my favorite characters, i think i just loved the idea of a guy with long copper hair. An enjoyable read, but it doesnt stay in my mind, which is already crammed with books

lisalark's review

4.0

Well, Elizabeth Wein is a genius and everyone should read her. Wonderful second installment in the Lion Hunters Cycle.

She writes people who are real, lovable, fallible, ambitious. And she does her homework and research, too. I particularly love that she doesn't write like white Europe was the only thing going on at the time when honestly, it was pretty backward during the Dark Ages.

Anyway. Read Wein. Great for fans of Megan Whalen Turner desperately looking for something similar.

rebecca713's review

5.0

I think this would have been a 4 (it's pretty dense) except that it made me cry harder than any book ever has before. so there's that

jessalynn_librarian's review against another edition

4.0

Although the setting and some characters have changed since the first in the series - The Winter Prince - the tensions of that book definitely inform this one, and I would recommend reading them in order. It could stand alone but wouldn't feel as rich. We moved from chilly Arthurian Britain to ancient Ethiopia, and the focus shifted to Arthur's daughter finding her new place in the world. Like The Winter Prince, the feel of the relationships and political scheming reminds me of Megan Whalen Turner's books in the best way possible, and I gulped this one down. Strongly recommended to anyone from middle school to adulthood who enjoys non-fluffy historical fiction (with plenty of creative license), fascinating characters, and complex plots and motivations that might require a careful read. It's not necessarily a page turner (although I couldn't put it down) but it is a satisfying read.

katmarhan's review

3.0

7/10
Very different direction for an “Arthurian legend” story, taking place in Africa. An easy read, no complaints but not all that gripping or memorable. Good enough that I will continue the series.

annika2304's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0