Title: The Impostor Queen (The Impostor Queen #1)Author: Sarah Fine
Pub. Date: Jan. 5, 2016
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pages: 432
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic, Romance
Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Elli was only a child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic in service of her people. The only life Elli has known has been in the temple, surrounded by luxury, tutored by magic-wielding priests, preparing for the day when the queen perishes—and the ice and fire find a new home in Elli, who is prophesied to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.
But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.
Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between her love for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must choose the right side before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.
But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.
Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between her love for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must choose the right side before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.
Review:
Sarah Fine has created another fantastic novel that will grab you instantly and leave you in high anticipation of the next book in the series! I have loved every book Sarah Fine has written so far, and she still hasn't let me down. Her writing is magnificent, and she always amazes me with her creativeness. The world and magic she has crafted in this novel is certainly no exception, and I am extremely interested to see where she takes this series. I've seen that there is supposedly only one more book in this series, but I definitely wouldn't mind more as there is the potential for a lot of exploration with this world.
I can't even begin to express how intriguing the world-building is in this novel. I was blown away by its uniqueness and it is definitely unlike anything I have ever read. Honestly, this is the perfect example of how an author should do fantasy world-building. Nothing was confusing, and even though you don't know everything at the beginning of the novel, the reader is given bits throughout the story so that it's never overwhelming. Sarah Fine reveals just enough so that you aren't confused, but still leaves you with some questions unanswered to keep you invested in reading. The idea behind the Valtia and Saadela was incredibly different, and it truly drives the story along. This, along with the fire and ice magic, made this book stand out for me. I am very eager to learn more about these aspects of the world, and explore a bit more with this world.
The other aspect that drives this book are the constant secrets, betrayals, and twists that are introduced periodically throughout the story. Just when you think you have things figured out...BAM! There's a twist or an unraveling of secrets that totally changes the course of the book. This made the book even more exciting in my opinion.
Both the MC (Elli) and the the secondary characters are all amazingly developed, and you truly feel like you know every character by the end of the story. Sarah Fine has always written amazing characters, and she does it again with this novel. Elli was the perfect lead character as she has a fierce determination that is to be admired, and she has an endless love for those she cares about. Her heart is big, and her love knows no bounds. Elli will go to great lengths to ensure that she helps whenever and however possible. I will admit, at first, I wasn't too sure about her character. I didn't really know what to make of her, but she quickly grew on me during the book. Oskar (the love interest) was amazing on his own. He is very secretive and has his own struggles. I really enjoyed the scenes where he opened up to Elli, and the chemistry between them can't be denied.
The romance in this novel is perfect as well, as the love between Elli and Oskar builds slowly but burns brightly. Sarah Fine balanced the romance with the action and fantasy elements perfectly, and I can't wait to see where their relationship goes. I can already tell it'll be a bit of a rocky road, but they definitely belong together!
The one complaint I do have about this book (and this is the only complaint I have) is the pacing. There were times where the story was very slow and dragged. But then there would be plenty of scenes that made up for these times by being action packed and full of excitement. Regardless of these scenes though, the other elements of the story keep you interested during these slow times in the book.
Overall, I would highly recommend this novel for fans of Sarah Fine or if you're looking for a completely new and unique fantasy novel. Sarah Fine has written a dark, intriguing, and extremely enjoyable tale that will leave you longing for the next in the series. Even though there was no cliffhanger, I am super excited to check out the next book to see what will happen next for Elli, Oskar, and all the other characters in the novel!
I can't even begin to express how intriguing the world-building is in this novel. I was blown away by its uniqueness and it is definitely unlike anything I have ever read. Honestly, this is the perfect example of how an author should do fantasy world-building. Nothing was confusing, and even though you don't know everything at the beginning of the novel, the reader is given bits throughout the story so that it's never overwhelming. Sarah Fine reveals just enough so that you aren't confused, but still leaves you with some questions unanswered to keep you invested in reading. The idea behind the Valtia and Saadela was incredibly different, and it truly drives the story along. This, along with the fire and ice magic, made this book stand out for me. I am very eager to learn more about these aspects of the world, and explore a bit more with this world.
The other aspect that drives this book are the constant secrets, betrayals, and twists that are introduced periodically throughout the story. Just when you think you have things figured out...BAM! There's a twist or an unraveling of secrets that totally changes the course of the book. This made the book even more exciting in my opinion.
Both the MC (Elli) and the the secondary characters are all amazingly developed, and you truly feel like you know every character by the end of the story. Sarah Fine has always written amazing characters, and she does it again with this novel. Elli was the perfect lead character as she has a fierce determination that is to be admired, and she has an endless love for those she cares about. Her heart is big, and her love knows no bounds. Elli will go to great lengths to ensure that she helps whenever and however possible. I will admit, at first, I wasn't too sure about her character. I didn't really know what to make of her, but she quickly grew on me during the book. Oskar (the love interest) was amazing on his own. He is very secretive and has his own struggles. I really enjoyed the scenes where he opened up to Elli, and the chemistry between them can't be denied.
The romance in this novel is perfect as well, as the love between Elli and Oskar builds slowly but burns brightly. Sarah Fine balanced the romance with the action and fantasy elements perfectly, and I can't wait to see where their relationship goes. I can already tell it'll be a bit of a rocky road, but they definitely belong together!
The one complaint I do have about this book (and this is the only complaint I have) is the pacing. There were times where the story was very slow and dragged. But then there would be plenty of scenes that made up for these times by being action packed and full of excitement. Regardless of these scenes though, the other elements of the story keep you interested during these slow times in the book.
Overall, I would highly recommend this novel for fans of Sarah Fine or if you're looking for a completely new and unique fantasy novel. Sarah Fine has written a dark, intriguing, and extremely enjoyable tale that will leave you longing for the next in the series. Even though there was no cliffhanger, I am super excited to check out the next book to see what will happen next for Elli, Oskar, and all the other characters in the novel!
Happy reading :)
~Cassie
You know. I don't think I've read anything by this author yet. I've been wanting to get more into fantasy, and it sounds like it has the kind of romance I'm looking for. Win. I'm sold!
ReplyDeleteWoohoo! I really hope you like this book! I love this author, so if you like this novel, you will probably like her other books too :)
Delete~Cassie
Great review! I've seen this book around but I definitely want to read it now!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I hope you like it :)
Delete~Cassie
Great review! I've seen this book around but I definitely want to read it now!!
ReplyDelete