Review: Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte

Four Dead Queens
by Astrid Scholte

February 26, 2019

432 pages

Goodreads     Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Keralie Corrington may seem harmless, but she's, in fact, one of Quadara's most skilled thieves and a liar. Varin, on the other hand, is an honest, upstanding citizen of Quadara's most enlightened region, Eonia. He runs afoul of Keralie when she steals a package from him, putting his life in danger. When Varin attempts to retrieve the package, he and Keralie both find themselves entangled in a conspiracy that leaves all four of Quadara's queens dead.

With no other choices and on the run from Keralie's former employer, the two decide to join forces, endeavoring to discover who has killed the queens and save their own lives in the process. When their reluctant partnership blooms into a tenuous romance, they must overcome their own dark secrets in hopes of a future together that seemed impossible just days before. But first they have to stay alive and untangle the secrets behind the nation's four dead queens.

An enthralling fast-paced murder mystery where competing agendas collide with deadly consequences, Four Dead Queens heralds the arrival of an exciting new YA talent.

Review

Four Dead Queens left me with mixed feelings. As much as I wanted it to, the story didn't grab me. But with certain parts of the story, I can see why the book carried lots of hype.

Though I couldn't help but feel a little disconnected with the jumping timelines, the interwoven chapters created a mysterious and suspenseful atmosphere. I was also intrigued by each nation's obvious difference. From the hard-working Archia to the technologically-advanced Eonia, all four nations were politically and visually well-developed.

When I first started reading Four Dead Queens I didn't feel any attachment to any of the queens. But thinking back I enjoyed learning about them individually- the differences in their personalities and ambitions really stood out. Marguerite, Corra, Iris and Stessa were all weighed down by secrets but they performed their queenly duties honourably. Each queen shone in her own way.

It pains me to say this since I love a good love story but in this case I could've done without the romance in Four Dead Queens. I liked both Keralie and Varin enough. They did what they had to in order to survive on their own. My problem lay with how the two went from complete strangers to life-changing lovers in a few short days. They just didn't feel very convincing for me.

I don't really know what to make of the ending of Four Dead Queens. On one hand I really liked the twist with the killer. The writing gave off the distinct vibe that the assassin was always near yet unreachable so the shock value was definitely there when his/her identity was revealed. On the other hand I felt like the resolution was too easy. The bad people were caught and the good ones rewarded.

Four Dead Queens is a rare fantasy standalone infused with sci-fi and dystopian elements. You won't find a satisfying romance in this book but you can expect a richly built world and interesting high tech features.

 

*I received an Advance Reading Copy of this book from the publisher and a copy from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way.