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aliceboule's review against another edition
3.0
That ending. Made me cry. Like a baby. Never have I read a more touching and depressing and maudlin farewell. I could not do it. I could not be Wynter. No. Twoud be too difficult.
I love Christopher: he is just too sly and dimpled and cute. His tragic past weans my heart slowly. Razi um. he annoyed me. His sudden mood changes appeared crudely put together- and i wished he would be less of dickhead.
Locarn was.. beautiful. I love how the father is present in this story, ie the parents are not killed off from the first page as in so many novels nowadays. I love how he is friends with Razi and Christopher and openly jokes about sex with his daughter. Best father evaaa
Wynter was a bit useless. She has no real skill but I think that is mostly because it was a court and therefore, she has not had time to grow them yet! (Looking forward to the sequel where she is alone and brave-hopefully)! Her singing was a nice touch, and i realllly hope that her love story with Christopher expands although I don't really see how considering they aren't together but still/..
The court intrigue in The Poison Throne was present if a bit shallow. When i think back on it, I don't really remember what the 400 pages or so were about.. Nothing really happens. But then again that's not really true.
Anyways. I enjoyed this book and am DEFINITELY going to read the next. right now actually.
I love Christopher: he is just too sly and dimpled and cute. His tragic past weans my heart slowly. Razi um. he annoyed me. His sudden mood changes appeared crudely put together- and i wished he would be less of dickhead.
Locarn was.. beautiful. I love how the father is present in this story, ie the parents are not killed off from the first page as in so many novels nowadays. I love how he is friends with Razi and Christopher and openly jokes about sex with his daughter. Best father evaaa
Wynter was a bit useless. She has no real skill but I think that is mostly because it was a court and therefore, she has not had time to grow them yet! (Looking forward to the sequel where she is alone and brave-hopefully)! Her singing was a nice touch, and i realllly hope that her love story with Christopher expands although I don't really see how considering they aren't together but still/..
The court intrigue in The Poison Throne was present if a bit shallow. When i think back on it, I don't really remember what the 400 pages or so were about.. Nothing really happens. But then again that's not really true.
Anyways. I enjoyed this book and am DEFINITELY going to read the next. right now actually.
sparksofember's review against another edition
3.0
The Poison Throne is the first in a trilogy about the medieval semi-political adventures of Wynter Moorehawke. The story begins with Wynter returning to her land after a 5 year absence, eager to see her princely childhood friends. Only, everything has radically changed. Alberon, the heir-apparent, has mysteriously disappeared. Once kindly King Jonathan appears to have gone insane, formally declaring Alberon dead & attempting to replace him with his resistant illegitimate son, Razi, despite the outcry of the entire kingdom. The talking cats, once somewhat revered, have been exterminated - ghosts are decreed to not exist, and death awaits anyone who attempts to converse with either. Wynter, together with Razi and Razi's new best friend, ladies man Christopher Garron, must get to the bottom of the mysteries surrounding the castle - where is Alberon and why has he disappeared? Why is King Jonathan going off the deep end? And what does the rumored "bloody chair" have to do with Wynter's ailing father & King Jonathan's past & present.
The mystery is what drives the story. Yes, the political intrigue is interesting - but it all starts to get very repetitive and drag about halfway through the book. The book ends with the trio separated, each having escaped the castle, and Wynter secretly off to find Alberon and hopefully discover the secret that is tearing the kingdom apart. Not a whole lot has actually happened - the story is only just beginning - there's been tons of activity but going almost nowhere (imo, much like Brisingr, the 3rd Inheritance novel by Christopher Paolini). The violence, though never too heavily blatant, is enough to give the entire book a very somber tinge. Nevertheless, I couldn't wait to read the rest of the series.
The mystery is what drives the story. Yes, the political intrigue is interesting - but it all starts to get very repetitive and drag about halfway through the book. The book ends with the trio separated, each having escaped the castle, and Wynter secretly off to find Alberon and hopefully discover the secret that is tearing the kingdom apart. Not a whole lot has actually happened - the story is only just beginning - there's been tons of activity but going almost nowhere (imo, much like Brisingr, the 3rd Inheritance novel by Christopher Paolini). The violence, though never too heavily blatant, is enough to give the entire book a very somber tinge. Nevertheless, I couldn't wait to read the rest of the series.
mellhay's review against another edition
5.0
Wynter, fifteen, and Lorcan, her father of age thirty-three but shaking like a man much older, have just returned from the five year station in the North helping King Jonathon with relations. Wynter is a female apprenticing her father and doing extremely well in a mans trade, carpentery. Once they are home and Wynter is wondering around, she learns things are rather stressed around the castle. Things are aloft here. There are creatures they are forbidden to talk to, the heir Alberon has left with no traces as to where he is, Razi the kings bastard-son and close friend to Wynter and Alberon has been named to take the beloved Alberon's place and the people are not happy. Then to add to the mix Wynter's father Lorcan is rather ill and is not to leave his bed to help, and is getting worse.
Thinking back to what caught my attention... There are the questions I had to the mysteries, and I am still thinking on. I am not sure what has truly happened to change things so much. Along with why beloved Heir, Prince Alberon, left as what seems unexpectedly and no sign of where he went. But it appears as something between him and his father King Jonathon to be the reason for his leaving, and an even bigger issue. 'The Bloody Machine.' I don't know what it is or what it does or why are they so worried about it. But along with the mysteries, I think the characters kept me coming back.
I love the character development and the relationships in this story. There are a few secondary creatures, which I did not expect to find, but loved them and found myself wanting to read more of them. I love all the characters; Wynter, Lorcan, Razi, Christopher, and all the secondary characters, and now I need to know what befalls them. I even get the feel the world we get to know is created from these characters. It seems the characters all know of different parts of the world being of different age ranges too, and as they tell of their experiences and knowledge you see the world through their eyes and what the world is that Celine has created. The situations the characters get into and out of, and the reactions they have to the different situations and each other when trying to protect each other maked me love them even more.
I am not sure who is up to what or why. Of course I have my suspecions and ideas but I'm not really sure. But I felt the people where doing what they perceived to be the right thing, wheither good or bad, for themself or the people.
I am looking forward to the future installments of this trilogy. I am curious where Wynter will lead to. With the choose of staying with her dieing father to the end, following her friend who may need help, or finding the peoples beloved heir to the throne.
Thinking back to what caught my attention... There are the questions I had to the mysteries, and I am still thinking on. I am not sure what has truly happened to change things so much. Along with why beloved Heir, Prince Alberon, left as what seems unexpectedly and no sign of where he went. But it appears as something between him and his father King Jonathon to be the reason for his leaving, and an even bigger issue. 'The Bloody Machine.' I don't know what it is or what it does or why are they so worried about it. But along with the mysteries, I think the characters kept me coming back.
I love the character development and the relationships in this story. There are a few secondary creatures, which I did not expect to find, but loved them and found myself wanting to read more of them. I love all the characters; Wynter, Lorcan, Razi, Christopher, and all the secondary characters, and now I need to know what befalls them. I even get the feel the world we get to know is created from these characters. It seems the characters all know of different parts of the world being of different age ranges too, and as they tell of their experiences and knowledge you see the world through their eyes and what the world is that Celine has created. The situations the characters get into and out of, and the reactions they have to the different situations and each other when trying to protect each other maked me love them even more.
I am not sure who is up to what or why. Of course I have my suspecions and ideas but I'm not really sure. But I felt the people where doing what they perceived to be the right thing, wheither good or bad, for themself or the people.
I am looking forward to the future installments of this trilogy. I am curious where Wynter will lead to. With the choose of staying with her dieing father to the end, following her friend who may need help, or finding the peoples beloved heir to the throne.
rollforlibrarian's review against another edition
3.0
I expected a lot from the recommendations I had been given. This is good, but many of the revelation timings felt overly to-schedule rather than a logical part of the flow of the story
jesslynh's review against another edition
4.0
Lovely book. It was so good that I wish I'd waited for the second one to come out before starting. My only and complaint--which seems to be a new trend--is that it seems like none of the new series books coming out can stand alone.
janina_reads's review against another edition
3.0
If it weren't for the drawn out ending, which took me almost a week to read, this would be a solid four star read. A character-driven fantasy, clearly part of a trilogy and not offering much conclusion in this first instalment, I very much enjoyed both the world and the characters. This book falls into the category of "more talk, less action", but until about 75 pages before the end, this didn't bother me at all. Very atmospheric, a wonderful father-daughter relationship that often brought me close to tears, loyality and friendship, a blossoming love ...
I really hope book two won't pick up where this has ended in terms of boredom factor, but will move with a bit of a quicker pace and offers explanations denied in The Poison Throne. Can't wait to see more of Wynter, Razi and Christopher (hopefully) and maybe even Alberon (very curious).
I really hope book two won't pick up where this has ended in terms of boredom factor, but will move with a bit of a quicker pace and offers explanations denied in The Poison Throne. Can't wait to see more of Wynter, Razi and Christopher (hopefully) and maybe even Alberon (very curious).
couscous's review against another edition
4.0
Wynter is a character who i easily liked. Her emotions are rightly suited to a situation and i enjoyed reading about her life. I did get irritated a bit when i thought there would be a bit of new information and it stopped short, but besides from that it was a good- but rather long read. Razi was a heart pulling character and I felt so sorry for him and all he had to endure, but i hope in the next books i get to see more of him.
snarkywench's review against another edition
4.0
The Poison Throne immediately took me back to those fond years when I discovered book detailing the adventures of a lady knight named Alanna. In no way does this mean that Kiernan has borrowed from Pierce, instead it’s about girls in fictional medieval settings trying to buck gender conformities. In the case of our heroine, Wynter, she has the support of her father and we meet her after her considerable carpentry training. Her father, Lorcan, was a master in engineering and design as well as a good friend to the king and as such has been entitled, Lord Proctor.
We join this family of two as they return to the castle after a three year sojourn north. Quickly they realise that all is not well with the kingdom, the cats have stopped talking, people are whisked away and tortured and the heir has been disinherited. The king’s bastard son, Rezi, is to be the new heir and he’s extremely reluctant as he’s loyal to his brother. If Rezi is reluctant then the kingdom is livid – they don’t want an Arab (via Rezi’s mother) as their future ruler. The king is a brute. The heir would rather be a doctor. Lorcan's dying. Wynter’s confused, upset and conflicted and there’s a new guy too – the slippery and charming Christopher.
Featuring some of the most beautiful cover art of the year, The Poison Throne, has a lot going for it. Rich writing, fully formed characters, political intrigue, secret passages, ghosts and horrific torture. Kiernan’s work is amazingly detailed and absorbing, a wonderful debut effort from this Irish author. She has effectively weaved a whole host of characters that aggressively pursue their own goals. The world building is also beautifully achieved with the societal structure, political agendas and even the layout of the castle vividly detailed.
There is a strong relationship depicted between Lorcan and his daughter, he is a widow who is inordinately proud and supportive of Wynter’s achievements. There love is the heart of this novel. Wynter’s relationship with Rezi is a little more complex, each regard the other as their sibling but the nature of that tie is continually altered throughout the novel. This is the one element that frustrated me, Rezi’s love for the family means he also needs to keep them at arm’s length. His constant to-ing and fro-ing between fierce care and removal was focused on a little too much, though I empathise with the character’s predicament. It’s through Rezi and his best friend, Christopher, that we get the lion’s share of action – sword play, fist fights and beatings. However, it’s with Christopher that the romantic interplay begins. Christopher is a man of mystery (complete with missing middle fingers) who also has a way with the ladies yet, Wynter and he manage to establish a sweet link that is based on what is not said between them.
The Poison Throne is a book full of possibilities. With such a strong start, it is exciting to anticipate the second title in this series. Questions are asked, characters are spread across the lands and the royal family is still an absolute mess. Celine Kiernan has debuted with a bang!!
We join this family of two as they return to the castle after a three year sojourn north. Quickly they realise that all is not well with the kingdom, the cats have stopped talking, people are whisked away and tortured and the heir has been disinherited. The king’s bastard son, Rezi, is to be the new heir and he’s extremely reluctant as he’s loyal to his brother. If Rezi is reluctant then the kingdom is livid – they don’t want an Arab (via Rezi’s mother) as their future ruler. The king is a brute. The heir would rather be a doctor. Lorcan's dying. Wynter’s confused, upset and conflicted and there’s a new guy too – the slippery and charming Christopher.
Featuring some of the most beautiful cover art of the year, The Poison Throne, has a lot going for it. Rich writing, fully formed characters, political intrigue, secret passages, ghosts and horrific torture. Kiernan’s work is amazingly detailed and absorbing, a wonderful debut effort from this Irish author. She has effectively weaved a whole host of characters that aggressively pursue their own goals. The world building is also beautifully achieved with the societal structure, political agendas and even the layout of the castle vividly detailed.
There is a strong relationship depicted between Lorcan and his daughter, he is a widow who is inordinately proud and supportive of Wynter’s achievements. There love is the heart of this novel. Wynter’s relationship with Rezi is a little more complex, each regard the other as their sibling but the nature of that tie is continually altered throughout the novel. This is the one element that frustrated me, Rezi’s love for the family means he also needs to keep them at arm’s length. His constant to-ing and fro-ing between fierce care and removal was focused on a little too much, though I empathise with the character’s predicament. It’s through Rezi and his best friend, Christopher, that we get the lion’s share of action – sword play, fist fights and beatings. However, it’s with Christopher that the romantic interplay begins. Christopher is a man of mystery (complete with missing middle fingers) who also has a way with the ladies yet, Wynter and he manage to establish a sweet link that is based on what is not said between them.
The Poison Throne is a book full of possibilities. With such a strong start, it is exciting to anticipate the second title in this series. Questions are asked, characters are spread across the lands and the royal family is still an absolute mess. Celine Kiernan has debuted with a bang!!