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A review by ambi_dexter_writes
Shadow Queen by Deborah Kalin
3.0
It was,,, ok.
The book started pretty meh, felt like a formulaic fantasy novel set in a mediaeval world with magic and politics. Wasn't that great of a hook, but a few chapters in and you realise that oh this was a deliberate writing style since our main character and narrator
The book picks up it's pace and I quite liked her struggling through the middle section.
Ok but then the ending was a bit disappointing. It felt very haphazard and forced for her to end up the way she did. It was like the ending had already been set and we needed to see her there before the page limit was reached. Also, she can suddenly shake the earth? That make's no sense- how does one as unexperienced and physically weak as she is suddenly achieve all of that?
Do I want to read the sequel? Kind of, since the story has already gotten to this point. If they all die, they all die. I'm actually ok with that kind of ending, because protagonist was framed to be this realistically helpless. But will I enjoy it 100%? Probably not.
The book started pretty meh, felt like a formulaic fantasy novel set in a mediaeval world with magic and politics. Wasn't that great of a hook, but a few chapters in and you realise that oh this was a deliberate writing style since our main character and narrator
Spoiler
is as dumb (ignorant?) and unobservant as her grandma makes her out to be. There really is a good reason why she hasn't taken the throne yet.The book picks up it's pace and I quite liked her struggling through the middle section.
Spoiler
She really is trying, and it really feel like her struggles are realistic given that she's only 17. There's also the soft magic system introduced, where even Matilde doesn't know how her powers work.Ok but then the ending was a bit disappointing. It felt very haphazard and forced for her to end up the way she did. It was like the ending had already been set and we needed to see her there before the page limit was reached. Also, she can suddenly shake the earth? That make's no sense- how does one as unexperienced and physically weak as she is suddenly achieve all of that?
Do I want to read the sequel? Kind of, since the story has already gotten to this point. If they all die, they all die. I'm actually ok with that kind of ending, because protagonist was framed to be this realistically helpless. But will I enjoy it 100%? Probably not.