Queen of the Conquered (Islands of Blood and Storm Book 1)
Amongst Helle Islands’ nobles, the king will soon announce a successor. One ruler stands out from the rest, a dark-skinned islander named Sigourney. She is the lone survivor of her family’s massacre. The white colonist perpetrators stand around her, and she plans vengeance. In this Caribbean-inspired land of magic, Sigourney has a powerful kraft, the ability to enter people’s minds. But as nobles begin to die mysteriously, Sigourney finds herself a pawn in a deadly game that her own magic is powerless against. Can she discover the murderer and seize the crown for her people before it’s too late?
Because the book is rooted in a fantasy-gained power struggle on another world, I’m unable to authentically comment on historical content. Character wise, Sigourney is full of hatred for everyone, especially herself. Her situation is complex, but her emotions are not. While deeply felt, without a counterpoint emotion, the narrative came across rather one note. Sigourney has no joy, no safe haven, to balance her visceral loathing. Additionally, every single character is markedly prejudiced, including Sigourney, and almost everyone is cruel. Sigourney’s power is mostly used as a plot device to reveal backstory and motivation. She didn’t utilize her powers consistently or to avoid danger, only when it suited the plot.
The plot moves slowly with Sigourney spending copious time sitting around and thinking. This lends to a repetitious narrative as past events are oft revisited without new insights revealed. There are no breadcrumbs for readers to follow, making the mystery a series of disconcerting events without tantalizing connections. I liked the end twist, but not how it was revealed. While lacking in emotional variety and an active narrator, the slow corruption of Sigourney’s soul with each gain of power is something readers will find intriguing.
