The Queen of Attolia

I changed my mind. I'm glad I didn't read this series when I was a kid.

Because damn, this book is dark. It's messed up and twisted and incredibly depressing. Everything lovely and happy from the first book gets viciously beaten up and then dragged through the mud.

But when it comes out the other side, The Queen of Attolia is also a much more mature book. It takes the lightness of the first book and thinks long and hard about the consequences.

The Thief was a book for children. The Queen of Attolia is a book for the adults they grew into.

More palace intrigue in this sequel, which begins with the Thief of Eddis caught and maimed by the Queen of Attolia. He survives, but he’s traumatized, and Eddis, Attolia and Sounis descend into conflict, to the happiness of the Medes waiting to sweep in and take as much of all three countries as they can. Attolia, her position precarious with her barons restive and her Medean advisor taking ever greater liberties, becomes a fascinating character—to us and to the Thief she nearly destroyed. I quite enjoyed this volume and look forward to the next.

I forgot how utterly awesome this book was until I re-read it. Tightly plotted and suspensefully paced, it makes Newbery Honor book The Thief look like a mere prequel. As readers of the earlier book will know, Megan Whalen Turner is the master of the unreliable narrator. Never quite lying, but carefully laying out exactly what you need to know and no more. Several times in this book, you'll find yourself leafing back through earlier chapters in surprise, wondering how she tricked you, and realizing it was your own assumptions that were incorrect.

In Eugenides, Turner has created one of the most indelible characters I've ever come across. Her "historical fantasy" world evokes shades of ancient Greece and feels as authentic and accurate show more as if Eddis, Sounis and Attolia were just off the map. I can't wait for the fourth installment, A Conspiracy of Kings, coming in March. show less

A word to the wise: if you have not read this book, and especially if you have not read its predecessor, The Thief, stop right here. Do not read this review. Do not read any other reviews. Remove yourself from the computer, buy or check out the books if you do not already have them, and sit down to enjoy them with a hot cup of tea. Do not read the back cover or flaps (except for Turner's bio; I suppose that's allowed). One of the hallmarks of Mrs. Turner's craft is her ability to take a story and turn it completely on its head, thus playing with the reader's expectations and views of the characters. As a result, her books are easy to spoil, this one in particular.

Only a chapter into The Queen of Attolia, Gen—or, as we now know him, show more Eugenides—is again imprisoned. But he's in much greater trouble than he was before, for now he is in Attolia, in the clutches of the queen herself, and she is not known for her mercy. Using the old, forgotten Attolian punishment for thievery, she cuts off his right hand and then sends him back to Eddis, maimed and broken. As he is recovering, the conflict between the three countries of Attolia, Eddis, and Sounis reaches a boiling point, while the Medean Empire from across the sea looks to gain an entryway into this tumultuous land. With his good hand gone and a war that seems beyond his power underway, Eugenides no longer feels he can be of any use. Until, one day, the Queen of Eddis makes a request of him:

"Steal peace, Eugenides. Steal me some time."

How he accomplishes this I would not tell for the world.

It should be clear by now that The Queen of Attolia is a very different book from its predecessor, more mature, less humorous, and much darker. To some extent this is implicit in their titles, for Attolia is just as cold, distant, and false as Gen was warm, funny, and candid in the first book. Many readers have complained about the switch from first person to third person omniscient, but I feel it is in keeping with Turner's purpose. This book is all about masks. Though we as readers are allowed momentary glimpses into the characters' minds, for the most part we are asked to observe their actions and draw our own conclusions. There is a certain pain in being separated from Eugenides/Gen's consciousness, but this is a painful and difficult book, at least on the first read. The scene in which Gen's hand is cut off is incredibly gruesome and disturbing (but tasteful). Parents will note that younger readers who love The Thief may or may not be ready for the sequel.

The things that remain consistent between the books are Turner's fine writing, excellent characterizations, and tortuous twists and turns. The third person narrative, in addition to making the thematic point explored above, allows her to use more of her own voice, rather than her narrator's, and it is a lovely experience. Eugenides, while not inciting as much laughter as he did previously, is in full command of our sympathy, even when we feel alienated from him. Even Attolia is not the one-dimensional Medusa of the last book, though there is still plenty of the Gorgon about her; she has her own fears and problems. Turner's gradual unfolding of her character is fascinating. In this book, however, Eddis emerges as my favorite character. She is at turns practical and passionate, but always fiercely loyal to both her cousin and her country. A cast of colorful supporting characters only serves to add spice to the milieu; I particularly like Galen's defense of his calling when Gen asks to die.

As for the twist, some will find it wonderful and wildly romantic, whereas others may feel cheated. I do not particularly like it, but still recognize its brilliance. Let's just say it gives a whole new meaning to the concept of unconditional love. show less

I enjoyed this even more than my first time: knowing the revelations to come gave me opportunity to appreciate how neatly (and oftentimes invisibly) the author laid their foundations. Knowing the characters better I could also really savour the exchanges between them - frequently a few short sentences packing in volumes of meaning. That conciseness makes it possible for her to lay out the diplomatic history and strategems of an entire war involving ultimately four countries, while remaining tightly focused on Gen and Irene: you get the impression the author knows this world like the back of her hand and could spout a story about any given inhabitant or stone at the drop of a hat. Astounding intricate craft, I could re-read it again and show more again. show less

If you have read the first book in the series, “The Thief”, be warned that this sequel has a completely different mood and structure. The first book had a first person perspective, this one is a third person omniscient narrative. The first book had a medium pace, this one has a fast pace, some time skips and suffers from too much telling instead of showing at times. The first book was a fun quest story, this one is a political gloomy drama.

I tend to prefer first person narratives, a slower pace and I really like quest stories. Even so, I liked this book a bit more than the first one, but I have some complains.

I really wish the pacing was slower.Most of my issues with this book could have been solved that way. I wanted to know more show more about the politics and I wish the author had gone deeper into the characters’ thoughts and feelings. The plot moved so fast that it didn’t give me enough time to appreciate the character work and political intrigue to their full extent.

I still have questions about this world building and how these kingdoms work, but thankfully that is not something that has a lot of importance to me. What I really like is character work and this book had more characters that I found interesting, while in the first book I only cared for Gen. I really liked Attolia and Eddis is now my favourite in the series so far. That said, some of the characters still felt a bit flat and that can be because the story moved so fast that it didn’t focus enough on them to flesh them out.

There are some really good moments in this book and I like the darker atmosphere of this sequel. However, I don’t know how to feel about the reveal in the last two chapters. That is one of my least favourite things in fantasy and, even though it didn’t bother me in this book, I can’t help wondering how much it will impact the sequels.

I am still interested in continuing the series and I hope to keep enjoying it more with each book, but the tone shift and abrupt change in pace makes it look a bit of a mess. show less

The gloves are off with this one. The stakes are higher, the secret plots are more intricate. Our characters are driven to their limits, and faced with impossible choices.

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.