Hi. I loved this. Thank you Aquillia. That’s my review.
Ugh, so many more words needed.
Also, I know I ask for the next book in the title of this review, but I support writers writing on their own schedule.
I started listening to the audiobook, narrated by Moira Quirk, after reading Aquillia’s review. When I got to somewhere near the end, I realized that I did not want this book to end and I did not see any information about a release date for book 2. I stopped listening, because I couldn’t bear for it to end. On Sunday I finally gave in and finished the last 2 1/2 hours. And now I’ve restarted it.
The downside of delaying the end of this book, is that I only have a vague memory of some parts of the book.
Lysande’s journey of grief for Seralin, her mentor, and reckoning with Seralin, the queen, was so good. Lysande owes her position to Seralin. The queen heard about her brilliance and pulled her out of the orphanage and took an interest in her training. Lysande has been one of the queens closest confidants and advisors and is with her when she dies – poisoned. After the queen’s death – Lysand is named the Councillor tasked with the duty to pick the next ruler. She tasks herself with discovering who assassinated Queen Seralin so that she doesn’t award the crown to the assassin.
EJ Beaton luxuriates in the grey areas. She builds a wonderfully complex world with complex characters and unfolds it slowly through Lysande’s eyes. Lysande has her own complexities (see Aquillia’s review). She starts to see the late queen’s policies through her own eyes, and starts to have ideas about how the nation ought to be run. She comes recognize Seralin’s weaknesses and blind spots, but maintains her love for the person, if not the queen.
One reason I am so looking forward to the second book is seeing how Lysande inhabits true power. Throughout The Councillor, her power is largely borrowed from Seralin. Will she truly come into her own? Will she use her power wisely or poorly? Will the silver bloods, Eliria’s elite and ruling caste, allow her to hold power.
Luca Fontain remains a compelling mystery.
It has been a long time since I’ve been this excited about the sequel to a non-romance book.
If you do go the audiobook route, Moira Quirk is always an excellent narrator.