Series: Iskari #2
Release Date: 25th September 2018
Publisher: Gollancz
Pages: 400
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Synopsis
Once there were two sisters born with a bond so strong that it forged them together forever. When they were angry, mirrors shattered, and when they were happy, flowers bloomed. It was a magic they cherished—until the day a terrible accident took Essie’s life and trapped her soul in this world.
Dax—the heir to Firgaard’s throne—was responsible for the accident. Roa swore to hate him forever. But eight years later he returned, begging for her help. He was determined to dethrone his cruel father, under whose oppressive reign Roa’s people had suffered. Roa made him a deal: she’d give him the army he needed if he made her queen.
Together with Dax and his sister, Asha, Roa and her people waged war and deposed a tyrant. But now Asha is on the run, hiding from the price on her head. And Roa is an outlander queen, far from home and married to her enemy. Worst of all: Dax’s promises go unfulfilled. Roa’s people continue to suffer.
Then a chance to right every wrong arises—an opportunity for Roa to rid herself of this enemy king and rescue her beloved sister. During the Reliquishing, when the spirits of the dead are said to return, Roa can reclaim her sister for good.
All she has to do is kill the king.
Review
I was so excited for the release of The Caged Queen. I absolutely adored the world Ciccarelli created in The Last Namsara and this second instalment definitely didn’t disappoint.
Fast paced and action packed, The Caged Queen follows a different point of view character this time around. We also get to stay characters from the previous instalment and it was great to revisit the characters I’ve grown attached to. They are well developed and it’s great to see them grow and develop as the story continues on. One of the things I love about this story is that the characters are scheming, looking to take power or advance their cause. It makes for a really interesting set of dynamics and something that Ciccarelli does incredibly well. It was also great to get more history about Roa and the other characters from the series.
The Caged Queen has plenty of political intrigue and mixing this with the history and backstory for the world and the character makes for a really engrossing tapestry. The Last Namsara was more action based, with dragons and fighting whilst this instalment was much more politics focused, bringing in the trials and schemes of court life. I really love the author’s writing style and think that this is a really fantastic new fantasy series. Ciccarelli has done a magnificent job with this second instalment and I’m so excited to see how the story is going to continue in The Sky Weaver.
The story follows a family who live in an everlasting winter. The scene is set beautifully and the icy landscape is lushly described in the book. I could almost feel the icy winds and see the frozen forest that Mila and her family live. The story definitely felt reminiscent of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and if anything that made me love this book even more.
Middle grade normally isn’t the kind of book that I read but this sounded like such a fascinating read that I couldn’t resist. After racing through it in a single sitting I am now desperate for more of Cassidy and her best friend Jacob.
Through the woods features five different stories told in graphic novel form. The art is haunting and beautiful. The stories are told in a fairy tale style, but with a much darker and chilling twist. I really liked this section:
As with the previous book the story is told in alternating chapters from Hoshiko and Ben. I really loved this narration style as you get to see how they both react to certain situations and what is happening to them when they aren’t together. Both characters are really fascinating – they come from completely different worlds but they’re both strong and determined to fight for justice.
The Bibliophile Chronicles 