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A review by booksalacarte
The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
The Foxglove King- 3.75⭐️ 2🌶️
When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city.
When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city.
Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore’s job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore’s power is revealed, she’s taken by the Presque Mort, a group of warrior-monks sanctioned to use Mortem working for the Sainted King. Lore fully expects a pyre, but King August has a different plan. Entire villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. Lore can either use her magic to find out what’s happening and who in the King’s court is responsible, or die.
Lore is thrust into the Sainted King’s glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted. Guarded by Gabriel, a duke-turned-monk, and continually running up against Bastian, August’s ne’er-do-well heir, Lore tangles in politics, religion, and forbidden romance as she attempts to navigate a debauched and opulent society.
But the life she left behind in the catacombs is catching up with her. And even as Lore makes her way through the Sainted court above, they might be drawing closer than she thinks.
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✨My Opinion✨
Lore was a great main character. It was a refreshing change from the sacrificial skinny teenager hero that place this so nicely in New Adult Fantasy. That all the main characters are so deeply flawed was endearing.
The possible love triangle was fairly organic, with the hint of deja vu from all three of the main characters. It makes for a dynamic and ever changing trio, even if it’s more of a fated romance type of deal. You never know if they are running toward each other or away. I’m interested to see how things play out. As of right now, the chemistry leans very far toward forbidden romance and fierce friendship.
It was a little predictable, once the momentum started. I think it’s hard to keep things moving and unexpected when there is a prophecy involved. Especially when every other character is saying they are going to repeat a well known history. It makes it feel like you already know where the book is going. I’m interested and hopeful that surprising things are coming for book 2. (I think the inserts from their religious texts, while it explained more of the magic, spoiled a lot of the plot)
I loved the visualization of the magic. Hannah Whitten is so good at original magic systems and I’m loving her take on death/life magic! Considering it was only introduced in the second half of the book in bits and pieces, I’m very interested to see how the magic system fully plays out!
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Lore was a great main character. It was a refreshing change from the sacrificial skinny teenager hero that place this so nicely in New Adult Fantasy. That all the main characters are so deeply flawed was endearing.
The possible love triangle was fairly organic, with the hint of deja vu from all three of the main characters. It makes for a dynamic and ever changing trio, even if it’s more of a fated romance type of deal. You never know if they are running toward each other or away. I’m interested to see how things play out. As of right now, the chemistry leans very far toward forbidden romance and fierce friendship.
It was a little predictable, once the momentum started. I think it’s hard to keep things moving and unexpected when there is a prophecy involved. Especially when every other character is saying they are going to repeat a well known history. It makes it feel like you already know where the book is going. I’m interested and hopeful that surprising things are coming for book 2. (I think the inserts from their religious texts, while it explained more of the magic, spoiled a lot of the plot)
I loved the visualization of the magic. Hannah Whitten is so good at original magic systems and I’m loving her take on death/life magic! Considering it was only introduced in the second half of the book in bits and pieces, I’m very interested to see how the magic system fully plays out!
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Death, and Addiction