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Loading... The Queen of Attolia (2000)by Megan Whalen Turner
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I loved the first Eugenides book. This was a lot less fun and way harder to follow. I think that choosing to tell the story in the third-person instead of from Eugenides' POV was a mistake. Sure, it allowed the reader to follow the Queen of Attolia, but it just took so much away from the writing style, which went from humorous and engaging in Book 1 to pretty dry and complicated in Book 2. There are some interesting surprises thrown in, but they didn't make up for the overwhelming gloominess of the book. I found it in the children's section of my local library, but I think it probably belongs in the teen section, or maybe even the adult section. So, as a big fan of The Thief, I was disappointed by Queen of Attolia. But, if you think you'd like to read about the battle strategies of four fictitious warring kingdoms, this is the book for you. One last complaint: Turner overdid it with the confusing mishmash of real and fake mythology in this book. The Helen of Troy story stays the same, some of the island names are taken from Shakespeare, and there is a story that is kind of like the Persephone/Demeter story, only different. I mean, talk about crazy confusing to a kid who is maybe actually learning about this kind of stuff. Why couldn't she have just made it all up?
Fantasy succeeds to the extent that it creates a deep, totalizing world, one that invites us to suspend disbelief. For the most part, Megan Whalen Turner succeeds in ''The Queen of Attolia,'' the sequel to her Newbery Honor book, ''The Thief.'' ... ''The Queen of Attolia'' is a book to turn children into readers -- bound, one hopes, for richer fare.
Forsaken by the gods and left to his own devices, Eugenides, Royal Thief of Eddis, summons all his wit and wiles in an attempt to conquer the rival Queen of Attolia. No library descriptions found.
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.54Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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It's amazing watching them thread through the disasters, sweating hard grasping at small victories or even just a defeat that won't completely undo them. It's satisfying watching them hold everything together with twine and a prayer. And whenever they manage to turn the tide and plant their feet on solid ground, I want to stand up and cheer. ( )