Rating:
Main Points:
- Never a dull moment, every page is filled with action
- Beautifully developed characters and world building
- Seamless switches between character point of views
Favorite Quotes:
- “A warrior doesn’t focus on the odds stacked against her. She focuses on her heart, on her will to face the evil in her world and defeat it, and then she finds a way to do it.” – p. 155
- “Lorelai was a threat who held her power in restraint because she was just. She was Kind. She was committed to doing the right thing, even when it cost her.” – p. 175
Review:
The Shadow Queen is the story of a girl, Lorelai, who is fighting to take back her throne from her evil step-mother. If the plots sounds familiar it should, it’s a re-telling of Snow White and the Huntsman with a few new twists. Lorelai has teamed up with her brother Leo and guard Gabriel and are working towards their plan that will stop the corruption the Queen is causing to the land and people of Ravenspire. But the self-less action of Lorelai introduces a new player into the game, Kol the king of Eldr. Kol is seeking the Queen but to plead for help for his country, which is in its own danger. Kol and Lorelai part ways early on but their journey is continually intertwined throughout the book.
I really enjoyed this re-telling of Snow White and the Huntsman. It was a creative re-telling that I absolutely loved! The story began as a bed-time story complete with the opening line of once upon a time. I enjoyed the quick summary of the background that led to the start of Lorelai’s fight against the Queen. It was a great way to summarize instead of trying to fill in the gaps later in the story that would have detoured from Lorelai’s current journey. And what a journey it was! This book was page after page of non-stop action. There was not a dull moment to be found and I thoroughly enjoyed that the author kept the action coming; it made it near impossible to put it down! The magic that was used throughout the book was beautifully done. I loved the way throughout the book Lorelai came to understand her magic more and more. The way spells worked and the different incantations used was a new twist on a subject matter that has been used time and time again.
I loved that the author used multiple points of view in the book. If you don’t already know I absolutely love multiple POVs. I believe they really help to define each character and to be able to know what their motives are and what thoughts are going through each character’s mind. It really helps me connect to a character more and draws me into the story-line. For example, having Irina’s POV really helped me to see where her motives were coming from, they made me sympathize with her and feel that her actions were almost justified; key word ALMOST justified. I felt the multiple POVs also helped developed each character a little more. I was drawn to almost all the characters in their own way but I was especially drawn to Lorelai. Her need to fight for what she believes in and to put others before herself is a quality that I strongly associate with. Plus the banter between Leo and Lorelai made me laugh out loud more times that I am willing to admit. The characters were so well developed I felt as though I was part of the group with Lorelai, Leo and Gabriel on their missions. Then there was Kol, who’s POV helped us better understanding what he was struggling through and to see how honorable of a King he truly was to put his people before himself. And finally Trugg and Jyn whom we didn’t get to know very well but still played a vital role in the story. While there were multiple characters and POV’s, the author did a great job of interconnecting each character and story-line to make it read seamlessly.
The world building in the Shadow Queen was well done but did leave some room for improvement. I felt like I could see the Ravenspire countryside in my imagination from the horrible deterioration of the land to the people in desperate need of a savior. But I wish we could have learned of some of the other areas that were mentioned. While we only spent a brief time in Eldr, I felt as though it was not as well defined as Ravenspire. And yes it was not where the main story line was taken place but it would have been nice to have a little more description of Kol’s home.
My favorite part of the Shadow Queen was the overall theme of love. And not just the love shared between two people but that love can overcome all obstacles. This book wasn’t just focused on a love story between two people but the love for others, love for the greater good and love for your home.
I cannot recommend this book enough especially for the YA lovers who enjoy a good fairy tale retelling with magic, dragons and a strong female protagonist. While the story starts out with once upon a time, you’ll have to read the book for yourself to see if there is a happily ever after.
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