A review by haley49
The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I really wanted to love this book more than I did. The premise was great and the mystery was amazing. 

However, having a book advertised as the black queen and having her be murdered and then centering her self-centered white counterpart was a disservice. If it was marketed as a girl coming to terms with her internalized racism while attempting to find out who really killed her rival for queen would have been much more honest and engaging. Instead there is a focus on a rushed redemption arc for our main character with a side plot of the victim’s painful backstory. In the end I understand and like our fmc but I feel so bad for the victim and her story gets used a bit for another’s character development. 
On the other hand, Duchess’s character was really interesting. I just wish we saw a bit more of her. It was advertised as her book!
Expand filter menu Content Warnings