Introduction:
Stealing a statue during the annual celebration of the god Karanis was a source of amusement for Balthazar and his family of thieves, or perhaps a way to seek retribution against the governor who killed his parents. Also, the substantial reward offered for the statue’s return is a tempting incentive, even though their employer has also enlisted the enigmatic Queen of Days as a last resort weapon.
Little does Balthazar know that this ceremony ain’t just some ho-hum tradition, it’s bona fide magic we’re talking about here! The kind that can open up a portal for the god himself! Except the idol that Karanis was supposed to take over is now smashed to pieces at the Queen of Days’ feet, and a big chunk of it is MIA.
Thoughts:
After reading the synopsis of The Queen of Days by Greta Kelly, I was eagerly looking forward to it because I love heist stories. However, I have to admit that this book didn’t quite meet my expectations in several ways. Although the author’s world-building was commendable, it was the only aspect that I found truly impressive. While the book had some unexpected turns, it failed to engage me at a deeper level, and the plot lacked substance. Overall, while I don’t believe that Greta Kelly is a bad writer, “The Queen of Days” left me wanting more.
To begin with, I must mention The Queen of Days’ incredible world building because the effort Greta has put into is admirable. The kingdom of Ashaar and the Nethersphere was described in great detail and I really did enjoy reading all about their customs, traditions and the legends about the gods/Ankaari. However, personally I never thought I’d say this about a book, there was nothing but world building for the most part and that is saying something being a huge fan of epic/high fantasy. While I enjoy extensive world building I need the story arc to have essence and depth to back it up. This is where The Queen of Days disappointed me.
The book started off great. I mean who doesn’t love a disgraced family that has fallen into hard times with a protagonist seeking revenge? However, for me, why Balthazar, our male protagonist, his twelve year old sister Mira, the bastard son of their father, Malakai (Kai), their cousin, Zeelaya (Zee) and her husband Edik became a gang of thieves was baffling. I mean, if your father, the mayor was accused of being corrupt and stripped of power (and murdered in this case) would anybody’s first thought be, yep let’s become a bunch of thieves and give them genuine grounds to prove their point? Additionally, I found it hard to understand why The Curator believed that this group was capable of assassinating a god, Karanis, as there was no evidence in the story to support their abilities in such a task. Likewise, there were several other aspects of the story that lacked credibility for me, but I won’t reveal them here to avoid spoiling the book for others.
At the beginning of the book, I found Tassiel to be a compelling character. Her initial portrayal as a morally ambiguous and unfeeling individual was captivating, but as the story progressed, she lost her edge and became uninteresting. Unfortunately, there was no substantial character development for Tassiel or any of the other characters in the book. Many of the characters seemed superfluous and their inclusion in the story did not serve any significant purpose. For instance, Zee and Edik’s roles were not well-defined and they didn’t add anything substantial to the plot. Kai, on the other hand, provided some comic relief through his witty remarks, and was the only character I found truly likable, even though his role was not pivotal to the story.
Another issue I had with the book was its short time span. The events of the story occurred over just two to three days, which made it difficult for the plot to develop and gain momentum. Additionally, I found the overall plot to be weak and lacking in depth.
In conclusion, The Queen of Days had great potential to become a great book which started out great but frizzled away as the story progressed.
My sincere thanks to Netgally and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me this advanced reader copy.
Rating:
The Book Cover
