The Queen's Poisoner by Jeff Wheeler

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Clean

 
King Severn Argentine’s fearsome reputation precedes him: usurper of the throne, killer of rightful heirs, ruthless punisher of traitors. Attempting to depose him, the Duke of Kiskaddon gambles…and loses. Now the duke must atone by handing over his young son, Owen, as the king’s hostage. And should his loyalty falter again, the boy will pay with his life.

Seeking allies and eluding Severn’s spies, Owen learns to survive in the court of Kingfountain. But when new evidence of his father’s betrayal threatens to seal his fate, Owen must win the vengeful king’s favor by proving his worth—through extraordinary means. And only one person can aid his desperate cause: a mysterious woman, dwelling in secrecy, who truly wields power over life, death, and destiny.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The characters were endearing and the plot kept me reading. It was an easy, but fulfilling read. I enjoyed reading this from 8 year old Owen's point of view. That could have been an iffy thing, as it could have made the book feel too middle grade for me, but it worked here. I also liked that we got a different perspective of the king, other than he was bad for the sake of being bad. He ended up being a more complex character than I was expecting.

For a good portion of the book I was left wondering about the queen's poisoner. Who it would be, how they would play a part in the story? When I finally met her, I liked the way she was both, tied into things and introduced.

Overall I like this author's writing style, and I'm eager to find out what happens in the next book.