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. ( )

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? ( )

Absolutely loving this series. Moves a bit slow, but is always engaging and clever. Wish I could write like this! ( )

2599

Awesome, enthralling... Can't wait to read the rest. ( )