A review by overthinkereading
The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst

  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated

3.5

There was so much I liked about this book: the magical world of malevolent elemental spirits; the magical school; the matriarchal power structure. Even the plot was compelling and engaging. But, I still found myself not totally loving this one, and (as other reviewers have mentioned) I think it comes down to the character development. My personal preference is for rich characters *and* can't-put-it-down plotline, and The Queen of Blood just didn't quite get there on both fronts. I still plan to read the next in series (again, with the plot and a great cliffhanger!) and hope for a deeper dive into the characters with that one.
CW: violence, including magical combat; blood; death, including murder
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