Review: The Queen's Rise (Omnibus)

Author: Bethany Atazadeh

Genre: Fantasy, YA

Rating: 5 / 5

Features:

• Villain origin story 

• Non-human main character with shifter abilities 

• YA fairytale retellings

• Court intrigue, deception, and the exploration of the nature of evil

Summary

For most Jinni, the awakening of their Gifts is something to celebrate. But for Jezebel, blessed with the ability to shape-shift, it is a nightmare. Fearing that they cannot control an ability like hers, those that won’t seek to control her will seek to destroy her. Jezebel’s only option is to keep her true abilities a secret. But when she is inevitably discovered by someone she thought was a friend, she is thrown into a world where trust is a fantasy and freedom can only be one through deceit.

Thoughts

I love a good villain origin story and The Queen's Rise is that and more! It is important to note that this is a YA trilogy and it definitely reads like one. However, it isn’t afraid to go to some dark places and create a main character that is truly morally gray by the conclusion. Each book in this trilogy is a loose retelling of a fairytale in a way that is similar to The Lunar Chronicles but with a much different world and feel. Jezebel’s evolution from scared teenager hiding from the world to a woman trying to control her own destiny is both heartbreaking and satisfying. Despite some of her questionable choices, Jezebel is a character you still find yourself rooting for. 

Jezebel is a villain character from “The Stolen Kingdom” series which takes place long after the events of this trilogy. The first book in this trilogy does a wonderful job re-establishing the world for new readers, so I never felt like I was missing something important having not read the previous series. That being said, returning readers will already know how this story ends and I really appreciate that this series doesn’t really try to change or excuse it. Though she shifts freely from ‘hero’ to ‘villain’ in her own story, the series as a whole is more about understanding than it is about redemption. If you are a believer in the saying “villains are made”, then this is the perfect series for you. It’s even better now that you can read it straight through!

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Special thanks to NetGalley and Grace House Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!