The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

Rating: 5 stars

Age Recommendation: 13+

Series: #2 in The Queen's Thief series

Related Review(s): The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

The Queen of Attolia was markedly different that the first book in The Queen's Thief series, The Thief, yet still had the same vibes. We get more points of view, including that of the Queen of Attolia herself. It took me a bit to accustom myself to Megan Whalen Turner's style of writing, which is rather unique when compared to fantasy of today. The points of view are fluid rather than divided by chapter. In one paragraph, we are hearing what is going on in the mind of our Thief, Eugenides. In the next paragraph, we may be glimpsing the thoughts of Attolia. This style of writing is not new; in fact, it's how I learned to write stories. It's simply not done as much today.

The Queen of Attolia is faster-paced than The Thief. There is more action, and court politics plays a larger role. But Eugenides is still Eugenides, which is a big relief. He is still a bit whiny, still a little petulant, but he now has more layers. He's been through sh**. He has trauma. He has real, tangible fears. And we also see him delve into even more complicated emotions, like love.

The Queen's Thief series is unique in that it starts as one thing and develops into something entirely different while maintaining the same level of charm and wit. This second book truly surprised me. I still absolutely love being in Eugenides's mind, even with it more fractured than before. My journey continues, and even though there are six books in this series, I already wish there were more.