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A review by klreeher
The King of Faerie by A.J. Lancaster
I'm going to have to come back and leave a longer review later, but it's likely going to be in the context of the whole series, so here are my highlights:
- i can't figure out why i didn't finish reading this the first time
- i DEEPLY dig the resolution to the "are you still fae for living in the mortal world and loving a mortal" / constant theme of not denying your own self/being in these books.
- ADORE the way all the Fae are just like, yeah, the High King is currently the High King but in the past has been the High Queen, and likely will again, while all the mortals show willing but still trip over pronouns/etc.
- also ADORE the way all the Tempestren sibs show facets of their mother's power/problems. Ryn's issues with compulsing *herself* makes me wonder if that's going to be a problem for Rakken, too.
- I found the godparent bit with Lamorkin and Wyn *extremely* moving and was so so glad to see them again when Lamorkin was officiating the wedding.
- was Extremely Thrilled that while Marius was playing a larger role in this book, it felt very much part of the current story, not a preview of the next series, if that makes sense. I've read a lot of the family pattern romance novels -- you know, so and so the younger sister meets side character b in the first novel that's about her older sister, but you can Tell They Will Be The Next Book? this had some of that vibe but in a very satisfactory way instead of being a hijack of Hetta and Wyn's story.
imp and mardia were discussing the ways that making a world [more queer friendly can gut the drivers of a succession crisis](https://twitter.com/stopthatimp/status/1590440354024521728) and I think these books avoid that by remembering that a succession crisis is intimately related to the family as a political unit, and always being keenly aware of the political unit(s) within the Valstar and Tempestren families, and I love that about them.
- i can't figure out why i didn't finish reading this the first time
- i DEEPLY dig the resolution to the "are you still fae for living in the mortal world and loving a mortal" / constant theme of not denying your own self/being in these books.
- ADORE the way all the Fae are just like, yeah, the High King is currently the High King but in the past has been the High Queen, and likely will again, while all the mortals show willing but still trip over pronouns/etc.
- also ADORE the way all the Tempestren sibs show facets of their mother's power/problems. Ryn's issues with
- I found the godparent bit with Lamorkin and Wyn *extremely* moving and was so so glad to see them again when Lamorkin was officiating the wedding.
- was Extremely Thrilled that while Marius was playing a larger role in this book, it felt very much part of the current story, not a preview of the next series, if that makes sense. I've read a lot of the family pattern romance novels -- you know, so and so the younger sister meets side character b in the first novel that's about her older sister, but you can Tell They Will Be The Next Book? this had some of that vibe but in a very satisfactory way instead of being a hijack of Hetta and Wyn's story.
imp and mardia were discussing the ways that making a world [more queer friendly can gut the drivers of a succession crisis](https://twitter.com/stopthatimp/status/1590440354024521728) and I think these books avoid that by remembering that a succession crisis is intimately related to the family as a political unit, and always being keenly aware of the political unit(s) within the Valstar and Tempestren families, and I love that about them.