Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Vanished Queen by Lisbeth Campbell

1 review

bookmaddie's review against another edition

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

4.0

is it bad tht i wanted more romance ??? lmaaoo
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The Vanished Queen is a really fun fantasy read—it definitely helped get me out of my reading slump! The pacing was solid—a bit slow to get started, but it really ramped up around 30% in and I was hooked. While the story isn't super magical, there is a lovely sense of adventure. I also feel like I really need to learn my fantasy subgenres because I always expect some form of magic, which isn't always the case.

Anza was a fiery and clever main character. I enjoyed seeing her learn more about strategy and how to stage a revolution. I feel like sometimes in fantasy main characters are followed blindly. But here Anza was placed in a position where her opinion was valued, yet it was clear that she didn't always know best. It was refreshing. Of course, I was here for her romance with Esvar, and his growth as a character throughout the story. Their youth shines through and makes you really root for them.

Overally, this is a fun fantasy adventure! If anything, I wish the romance between
Anza and Esvar
was given a bit more depth. It kind of developed over a handful of conversations, where one of them really dominated the conversation. I wish they were able to talk or exchange letters maybe like one more time.. though I see how that would be quite hard, considering the circumstances. Anyways, if you're looking for a quick and fun fantasy from a new voice, here you are!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy.
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