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A review by angelreads2022
Queen of Fury by Natania Barron
4.0
First, thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review. This is my first ever ARC review and I am so happy to have this one be my very first!
This is a sequel, and I have not read the first book, though after this book I do really want to read it and have added it to my TBR! My review does have my thoughts as someone reading this knowing they have not read the first book. It is still a really good book and you could read it as if it was a standalone like I did. But you’ll probably want the first book after if not before reading this one!
Here are my thoughts before reading: The Queen of Fury by Natania Barron is the very first ARC copy I have ever done and The Queen of Fury is the first book I have ever read by Natania Barron. I was drawn to the cover and I accidentally missed that this was the second book in The Queens of Fate Series. That being said I was drawn to it being about the strong women in King Arthur.
Due to this book being a sequel, I did have a harder time diving into the book. (I am definitely going to get the first book, Queen of None.) But once I finally got through the initial chapters of orienting myself in the Arthurian world I did start to enjoy the story (around 20% through the story). That being said the plot was beautifully written and I could not put the book down after I got through the world-building.
Our MMC, Gawain, and FMC, Hwyfar were beautifully written with a lot of depth in their characters. Both characters had an interesting backstory with various threads connecting them (fated, if I dare say). And there was a theme of healing in the book, which I loved not only for Hwyfar’s home but also for Hwyfar and Gawain as they navigated through loss. Loss of family, loss of their positions and control. Barron does a really good job of going in depth of the emotional toll these two experience throughout their journey.
Hwyfar is a very interesting FMC character, she is the eldest daughter of the King of Avillion and was originally supposed to marry King Arthur, for some reason Arthur chose to marry Gweynevere, the younger sister who passed away. Arthur then married Hwyfar’s other sister Mawra. This affected Hwyfar in many ways, loss of magic, drinking and taking many lovers earning her a negative position in King Arthur’s court. Throughout the book, we also see her struggle with trusting others. When her father gets sick she returns to Avillion and eventually becomes the Queen Regent leading to us meeting the MMC.
Our MMC is Gawain, and my initial thoughts on him is that he seems very grumpy. He does not indulge King Arthur on the pursuit for Christianity nor does he want a wife. He also had a connection with Gweynevere. Arthur sends him to Avillion with Gawain’s brother and some other knights to help stop an invasion by Prince Ryence and the Ys. Side note: Gawain is very tall with knee problems as someone who is also very tall with knee problems, this is so relatable so Gawain became my favorite automatically!
The romance was just the right amount and it did have some spice but it was very tastefully written and did not distract from the main story. And the banter! Oh, I loved Hwyfar and her sass and wit! Gawain always knew how to respond to her too. These two kept laughing and I fell in love with each turning page. My favorite quote was, “I will not run, I will not falter.” It was used alot and it really summed up Gawain and Hwyfar’s relationship as they build up trust in each other and their love for each other.
I loved the magic aspect, though sometimes I felt lost on what was going on. There are three forms of magic and a graal mentioned. I did struggle with following the magic lore (granted this was probably explained in Queen of None). And some major conflicts were solved with this magic but I just felt lost when reading it. Despite this the plot was well written and I did not want to put the book down once Gawain and Hwyfar were on their journey in Avillion to parlay with Prince Ryence.
I don’t know a lot about the story of King Arthur aside from the movie and I read one of those classic books on him almost 15 years ago. My Arthurian knowledge was very limited but Natania Barron does a pretty good job explaining the different magical aspects and the politics. Speaking of King Arthur, he was a piece of work, I was not a fan of him and the author did a good job at making me despise King Arthur.
Overall I gave this book 4.25 stars (4 stars). The plot kept me on my toes and the last few chapters had me so worried for Hwyfar and Gawain. The twists and turns were so good! I will definitely be reading more of Natania Barron’s work in the future and Queen of None is in my cart! If you love a forbidden love, Arthurian lore, a powerful FMC, and a giant MMC this is the book for you!
This is a sequel, and I have not read the first book, though after this book I do really want to read it and have added it to my TBR! My review does have my thoughts as someone reading this knowing they have not read the first book. It is still a really good book and you could read it as if it was a standalone like I did. But you’ll probably want the first book after if not before reading this one!
Here are my thoughts before reading: The Queen of Fury by Natania Barron is the very first ARC copy I have ever done and The Queen of Fury is the first book I have ever read by Natania Barron. I was drawn to the cover and I accidentally missed that this was the second book in The Queens of Fate Series. That being said I was drawn to it being about the strong women in King Arthur.
Due to this book being a sequel, I did have a harder time diving into the book. (I am definitely going to get the first book, Queen of None.) But once I finally got through the initial chapters of orienting myself in the Arthurian world I did start to enjoy the story (around 20% through the story). That being said the plot was beautifully written and I could not put the book down after I got through the world-building.
Our MMC, Gawain, and FMC, Hwyfar were beautifully written with a lot of depth in their characters. Both characters had an interesting backstory with various threads connecting them (fated, if I dare say). And there was a theme of healing in the book, which I loved not only for Hwyfar’s home but also for Hwyfar and Gawain as they navigated through loss. Loss of family, loss of their positions and control. Barron does a really good job of going in depth of the emotional toll these two experience throughout their journey.
Hwyfar is a very interesting FMC character, she is the eldest daughter of the King of Avillion and was originally supposed to marry King Arthur, for some reason Arthur chose to marry Gweynevere, the younger sister who passed away. Arthur then married Hwyfar’s other sister Mawra. This affected Hwyfar in many ways, loss of magic, drinking and taking many lovers earning her a negative position in King Arthur’s court. Throughout the book, we also see her struggle with trusting others. When her father gets sick she returns to Avillion and eventually becomes the Queen Regent leading to us meeting the MMC.
Our MMC is Gawain, and my initial thoughts on him is that he seems very grumpy. He does not indulge King Arthur on the pursuit for Christianity nor does he want a wife. He also had a connection with Gweynevere. Arthur sends him to Avillion with Gawain’s brother and some other knights to help stop an invasion by Prince Ryence and the Ys. Side note: Gawain is very tall with knee problems as someone who is also very tall with knee problems, this is so relatable so Gawain became my favorite automatically!
The romance was just the right amount and it did have some spice but it was very tastefully written and did not distract from the main story. And the banter! Oh, I loved Hwyfar and her sass and wit! Gawain always knew how to respond to her too. These two kept laughing and I fell in love with each turning page. My favorite quote was, “I will not run, I will not falter.” It was used alot and it really summed up Gawain and Hwyfar’s relationship as they build up trust in each other and their love for each other.
I loved the magic aspect, though sometimes I felt lost on what was going on. There are three forms of magic and a graal mentioned. I did struggle with following the magic lore (granted this was probably explained in Queen of None). And some major conflicts were solved with this magic but I just felt lost when reading it. Despite this the plot was well written and I did not want to put the book down once Gawain and Hwyfar were on their journey in Avillion to parlay with Prince Ryence.
I don’t know a lot about the story of King Arthur aside from the movie and I read one of those classic books on him almost 15 years ago. My Arthurian knowledge was very limited but Natania Barron does a pretty good job explaining the different magical aspects and the politics. Speaking of King Arthur, he was a piece of work, I was not a fan of him and the author did a good job at making me despise King Arthur.
Overall I gave this book 4.25 stars (4 stars). The plot kept me on my toes and the last few chapters had me so worried for Hwyfar and Gawain. The twists and turns were so good! I will definitely be reading more of Natania Barron’s work in the future and Queen of None is in my cart! If you love a forbidden love, Arthurian lore, a powerful FMC, and a giant MMC this is the book for you!