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A review by lyakimov
The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima
4.0
4.5 stars.
This series really got its groove in this book!! It was so much more expansive than the first, and so many things were happening.
I love how the stories of Han and Raisa play out separately and then the strands converge a bit at the end, but then separate again (this happened in book 1 too, but this book had a little more excitement because there's more lore to the world and more conflicts). I absolutely LOVE the story structure; it really makes for an extremely fun book and also shows two completely different realities from two people who both grew up in the same place and how different life is based on class divides. The themes are presenting themselves and I love it!
Another reason I liked Han and Raisa being separate for most of the book was the character development. Both of them had the ability to grow as people, develop their goals, find their own way, and THEN start to introduce romance much later in the book. Thank you for the character development, and allowing them to choose their own paths regardless of romance, Cinda Williams Chima!! I do like the romance, but Raisa being to the point where she loves Han is unbelievable to me. I think it's definitely plausible for them to LIKE one another, but I don't think they've known each other long enough and spent enough time together to be in love.
The friendship between Han and Dancer was one of my favorite things. I have no words for how much I absolutely LOVE their dynamic. This has got to be one of the best friendship dynamics in a YA book I have ever read. They tell each other most everything, they don't get angry at each other for stupid stuff, and they ALWAYS have each other's back, no matter what. My heart warmed every single time they defended each other from the other students. I also loved their banter, their joking. Then, when Cat is added into the mix, that's a golden trio. Their group dynamic is just incredible, and funny as hell too. I really liked the introduction of Cat into the main cast of characters, and think she grew significantly throughout this book.
This series has an incredible plot structure. I was constantly kicking my feet and giggling about the directions that the plot went, and how more and more kept getting thrown at us so the book feels fast-paced, but at the same time allows all the threads of plot to feel manageable for the reader to not be confused. Oden's Ford provides an amazing setting for so many shenanigans to happen and for all the cast to constantly be circling each other and add tension to every sub-plot. I also love how the humor keeps everything light-hearted, even when so many dark things were happening.
One thing I was not expecting was for nearly 40% of the book to be solely about TRAVELING to Oden's Ford. The end of book 1 showed us that the whole cast of characters was going to go there, and I thought it was just going to be a couple chapters of traveling, but my gosh. These poor kids!! Raisa was mostly fine because she had Amon and a bunch of guards, but Han, Dancer, and Cat were STRUGGLING. They were fighting for their LIVES out on the roads, getting kidnapped and threatened and nearly killed a bunch of times. I think that kidnapping and imprisonment is build-up for the next book, especially since the kidnappers reappear at the end of the book, but targeting Raisa and the Bayars instead. I love how all the threads are converging and developing; it is masterfully done, truly.
I think this series is a perfect example (so far) of a well-developed, well-written, expansive high fantasy world. I'm very excited to read the next book and see where it takes the story and the characters!
This series really got its groove in this book!! It was so much more expansive than the first, and so many things were happening.
I love how the stories of Han and Raisa play out separately and then the strands converge a bit at the end, but then separate again (this happened in book 1 too, but this book had a little more excitement because there's more lore to the world and more conflicts). I absolutely LOVE the story structure; it really makes for an extremely fun book and also shows two completely different realities from two people who both grew up in the same place and how different life is based on class divides. The themes are presenting themselves and I love it!
Another reason I liked Han and Raisa being separate for most of the book was the character development. Both of them had the ability to grow as people, develop their goals, find their own way, and THEN start to introduce romance much later in the book. Thank you for the character development, and allowing them to choose their own paths regardless of romance, Cinda Williams Chima!! I do like the romance, but Raisa being to the point where she loves Han is unbelievable to me. I think it's definitely plausible for them to LIKE one another, but I don't think they've known each other long enough and spent enough time together to be in love.
The friendship between Han and Dancer was one of my favorite things. I have no words for how much I absolutely LOVE their dynamic. This has got to be one of the best friendship dynamics in a YA book I have ever read. They tell each other most everything, they don't get angry at each other for stupid stuff, and they ALWAYS have each other's back, no matter what. My heart warmed every single time they defended each other from the other students. I also loved their banter, their joking. Then, when Cat is added into the mix, that's a golden trio. Their group dynamic is just incredible, and funny as hell too. I really liked the introduction of Cat into the main cast of characters, and think she grew significantly throughout this book.
This series has an incredible plot structure. I was constantly kicking my feet and giggling about the directions that the plot went, and how more and more kept getting thrown at us so the book feels fast-paced, but at the same time allows all the threads of plot to feel manageable for the reader to not be confused. Oden's Ford provides an amazing setting for so many shenanigans to happen and for all the cast to constantly be circling each other and add tension to every sub-plot. I also love how the humor keeps everything light-hearted, even when so many dark things were happening.
One thing I was not expecting was for nearly 40% of the book to be solely about TRAVELING to Oden's Ford. The end of book 1 showed us that the whole cast of characters was going to go there, and I thought it was just going to be a couple chapters of traveling, but my gosh. These poor kids!! Raisa was mostly fine because she had Amon and a bunch of guards, but Han, Dancer, and Cat were STRUGGLING. They were fighting for their LIVES out on the roads, getting kidnapped and threatened and nearly killed a bunch of times. I think that kidnapping and imprisonment is build-up for the next book, especially since the kidnappers reappear at the end of the book, but targeting Raisa and the Bayars instead. I love how all the threads are converging and developing; it is masterfully done, truly.
I think this series is a perfect example (so far) of a well-developed, well-written, expansive high fantasy world. I'm very excited to read the next book and see where it takes the story and the characters!