The Queen’s Poisoner book review

The Queen's Poisoner by Jeff Wheeler
Series: Kingfountain #1
Published by 47North on April 1, 2016
Pages: 336
Goodreads

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 read The Queen’s Poisoner whilst on holiday in Disney and it managed to keep my attention all the way through, something I was surprised with especially as there was so many other distractions. This was definitely a book I wasn’t sure about going into but it definitely took me completely by surprise. The world of The Queen’s Poisoner is rich and diverse and the characters were well written and I actually enjoyed learning about each one of them. I thought that the way the story worked out and wound its way through each of the events was extremely well done and I really enjoyed the concept. I mean I jumped almost straight into the second one in the series, so it must have done something right I suppose.

I think the characters are a big reason why I really loved The Queen’s Poisoner. I don’t think there was one character that I didn’t feel connected to or one where I thought that it was a little lacklustre. It was something I have never really experienced when it comes to reading, there always seems to be one character that doesn’t sit right with me or that I just didn’t enjoy reading about their lives. This was definitely not the case with The Queen’s Poisoner, I loved Owen and Evie’s friendship and the different quirks they both shared and had. I just think the development was well thought out and was a realistic point of view to take. I even loved Severn as a character, I thought that he made an interesting “bad guy” and I liked the interactions that were based on that.

I think the best bit of The Queen’s Poisoner apart from the fantastic characters would have to be the politics and magic system. I loved learning about the kingdom and the Fountain-blessed. It was really enjoyable and one of the best I had read. I felt like this book really set up the world fantastically well, we learn a lot about the people and what they believe in. It was a great book that had a lot to do with loyalties and different houses but because everyone was so well developed I knew exactly who was who and what their part is within the story. It was really a great read. I was very pleased with it all!

Is it completely cheesy to say that there wasn’t any worst bits about this book? Okay well maybe the one bit that I would have liked more information about the religion system and why it’s so important, but I can deal with that.

Is it really any surprise if I say YES, I would recommend The Queen’s Poisoner! It was a great read and I have jumped straight into the sequel so I’m definitely enjoying them. I would definitely recommend this book if you’re into political kingdoms.

Have you read the Kingfountain series? Does it get better? Let me know in the comments!