This young adult fantasy was originally published as two books,
Crown Duel and Court Duel
THE BLURB:
Young Countess Meliara swears to her dying father that she and her brother will defend their people from the growing greed of the king. That promise leads them into a war for which they are ill-prepared, which threatens the very people they are trying to protect. But war is simple compared to what follows, in peacetime. Meliara is summoned to live at the royal palace, where friends and enemies look alike, and intrigue fills the dance halls and the drawing rooms. If she is to survive, Meliara must learn a whole new way of fighting-with wits and words and secret alliances.
In war, at least, she knew in whom she could trust. Now she can trust no one.
MY THOUGHTS:
This is a young adult fantasy about a rebellion against a corrupt king, and then the aftermath including the fashioning of a new and better court. There's some magic here, but it's more of a given in the background of the world Smith has created, and not a focal point of the story. A bit of romance as well.
Overall I didn't think this book was anything great, but it was entertaining enough to keep me interested through to the end. Then again, I may have been somewhat more taken with it if I had been in the targeted young adult range when I read it.
What I did like: the parts with Meliara on the run in the first book were exciting. In the second book, building the world of the Court of Athanarel and all of the court intrigue was super fun.
The ending was actually kind of anticlimactic for me. I mean, the final hurrah seemed to get wrapped up really quick and easy.
As for the romance, I would have liked to have seen the two interact AFTER the big revelation. Everything building up to it was nice though.
MY RATING:
3 booksies!
Author website: http://www.sherwoodsmith.net/
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