Often in my reviews I like to cover a variety of aspects. How well done was the world-building? The plot? The characters? How was the pacing? The dialogue? Was it all believable? Thought-provoking? How did it handle issues of morality? In this review I want to simply discuss the one thing that makes this book work so very well for me: Queen Tayien, AKA Tali.
I am most pulled into books that have well written characters, and this book was a rare treat for me in that I was able to be so caught up in one character as I was with Tali. I also am most compelled as a reader when those characters must wrestle with difficult choices and the consequences of their actions. Check. I love to see flawed characters, and those whose path seems authentic and plausible. Absolutely. Every page of this book was dripping with the tension that Tali experienced, and it only deepened as her back-story is gradually revealed and as the plot unfolded.
I have seen a growing trend in fantasy books to paint female protagonists as very, very strong. (In general, I think it goes a little far at times, but overall I welcome the portrayal of a woman with strength to match any man.) When I heard “The Bitch Queen”, I was honestly expecting more of a badass, take no lip from anyone, impulsive, remorseless, and can hold her own in a cussing contest. That was not who I saw in these pages, realizing that the “bitch” descriptor comes more from the wolf symbol of her clan (and maybe foreshadowing of where she goes in later books?!?!). What I did see in Tali was actually more than I expected. She was fiercely loyal and devoted. She was consumed with what was right and best for all, not just for her own agenda.
Perhaps this book excels the most as Tali is brought lower and lower, squeezing out any of her former life of privilege as a member of the royal family. She is rejected by nearly everyone, including first the family of her husband, continuing on with the people whose land she now rules, and it spirals downward from there. Most people will never face anything remotely similar to her situation, and would give up much quicker. Tail is constantly on the brink of despair, on the edge of failure and surrender, only to find one morsel of courage or creativity to find a way out.
We also see Tali come to grips with the reality of, well … everything. She comes into the start of the story with some naiveté, and assumptions for what it means for her to be queen. She discovers that she is not as respected, not as beloved and not as powerful as she thought. She’s quickly given a rude awakening, and is stripped of virtually everything she knows and everything that matters to her. What this created is a story arc where the high are brought low. Instead of questions for how best to rule, she must rely on her wits to simply stay alive. Instead of being doted on for her every need, she must rely on herself, and evaluate if any of her “allies” can even be trusted.
Villoso perfectly balances the tension in this gripping story that is often brutal but hopeful. As Tali’s world deteriorates, the reader is concerned without tipping over to pity.
I eagerly look forward to the next book in the series. For now, I highly recommend this raw, highly emotional journey that is fresh and unparalleled. 4.4 out of 5 stars.
I was sent an advanced copy by the author and Orbit Books. I am extremely grateful, but my review was not biased by this generosity.
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