The Beggar Queen

Westmark #3

by Lloyd Alexander

Mickle, once a common street urchin, now rules Westmark as the wise Queen Augusta. Yet the kingdom is strangely restless. Ghosts of the past lurk everywhere, whispering of future war. Justin and his revolutionaries denounce the monarchy--even the benevolent Mickle. Cabbarus, banished from Westmark, plots to seize the throne and install a Reign of Terror.

Theo, the famed Colonel Kestrel, remembers it all--the bloody battles, and the fight for his own soul. The past has retumed to haunt the present, and Theo, once again, must join in the struggle. Who will at last command the fate of Westmark?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Adventure, Childrens, Science Fiction Fantasy, Middle Grade

237 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 12, 1984

About the author

Lloyd Chudley Alexander was an influential American author of more than forty books, mostly fantasy novels for children and adolescents, as well as several adult books. His most famous contribution to the field of children's literature is the fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain. The concluding book of the series, The High King , was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1969. Alexander's other books have also won the National Book Award and the American Book Award. He was also one of the creators of Cricket Magazine.

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those damn books that when you finish it, you're back in your stinkin' life and now what is there to live for? It'd be even worse this time if I had re-read the first two before I read this third book in the trilogy, which I got at a used bookstore just now.

This is the darkest book in the series, but the warmest and best too, I think. Some authors can really do that, take a painful subject like brutal tyranny and bloody rebellion and tell a story about it that feels good. Alexander uses a light hand, wry humor, and a huge cast of characters who are obviously real people and don't tell me they aren't, because if they weren't he would not know them so well.

Well, okay, I don't believe in Las Bombas. But the rest of them.

Who is my favorite? --How do you pick a favorite? Theo? Too complex. Sparrow? Weasel? Ace of Hearts? Well, I do like him. No, Keller.

Don't ever think that things are okay when you're reading these books because there's never a point when it's safe to relax. Oh my god, these poor people haven't had a quiet moment in what, four, five years?

[Juho Pohjalainen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The war of Westmark shrinks itself to a far smaller city-sized scale, but that hardly makes it more manageable. It might even have made it worse. And Cabbarus is back, so that's just lovely.

At the same time, it scales the focus up from the single individual heroes and into the city as a whole, the collective, the People - which is just as well with how it all concludes and where everything ends up. You might even call the ending anticlimactic, but I think it only goes to show that these folks don't need heroes anymore: they can be heroes to themselves.

Overall the finale of the trilogy fails to quite reach the emotional heights of the previous book, but in fairness, it would have needed to go pretty damned high for that.

[Bernadette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final book in the Westmark Trilogy, The Beggar Queen had the duty of bringing everything together in a final conclusion. Having brought Theo, Mickle, Florian, Justin, and Connie, this far, through war and assassination plots, resolution needed to be had. And, despite my love for Lloyd Alexander and everything he has ever written, I have to admit that I believe that it failed to do that. I was shockingly disappointed with The Beggar Queen and I'm still in a bit of shock that it fell so flat. As always, it was amazingly written, and the story and characters were flawless; however, so much was left unanswered and open-ended that the reader cannot have the cathartic effect needed after a story like the Westmark Trilogy. Part of this review is going to be a rant about how things were left unanswered, so there will be spoilers.

The Beggar Queen continues the story of Theo and Mickle as they try to govern Westmark. Theo wants nothing more than to run away and get married to Mickle, and so begrudgingly and sadly goes about his work. Meanwhile, Connie's life is threatened by his traitorous uncle planning his assination and plotting with Cabbarus to start an insurrection in Westmark to get himself back in a position of power, leaving it up to Theo, Mickle, and Florian to try and start a revolution against Cabbarus. While Mickle tries to bring freedom to Westmark, Theo tries not to become Kestrel again, and Florian hides in Regia, recovering from a bullet wound.

Everything about The Beggar Queen was good up until the end. After Cabbarus is killed by Skeit, and Theo and Mickle escape, the revolution more or less comes to an end. Mickle declares her marriage to Theo at the same time that she announces her abdication, giving her people the opportunity to form their own republic and vote for their own rulers. From there, Florian tells her that she must go into exile, because she wouldn't be safe in Westmark. She and Theo agree and get on a ship and the story ends. While Mickle and Theo might finally be happy and they deserve to be, so much is not answered that needed to be. Throughout the story, Theo tells Mickle and Lloyd Alexander tells us that Theo struggles with this fear of being Kestrel and a fear of not being enough, especially for Justin. When Justin dies, Theo states that Justin dying still didn't free him from that fear of never feeling good enough. And with that, it is never mentioned again and Theo seems to be fine. For a character trait that played an enormous role throughout The KestreL and the whole story, it didn't feel right for it to not have any conclusion.

Next, Keller died in this book. I loved Keller; he was great. However, he was the caretaker of Sparrow and Weasel, who were endlessly devoted to him. After he dies, what becomes of them? Well, I wish I could tell you, but I don't know because that isn't said either. I can guess that they just live with Madame Bertha, but nothing is explicitly said. A few pages before the end of the book, they leave the scene and are never heard from again. Keller's death was a key point in the whole revolution, and Sparrow and Weasel's roles in the revolution became so important because of Keller, so to dismiss them entirely was just terrible. What happens to the water rats?! Lloyd Alexander, if you weren't dead, I'd be writing you so many angry letters.

Near the beginning of the book, Connie survives his uncle's assassination attempt and comes back angry. He tells his uncle he'll have him killed by firing squad, and his uncle humbly understands, treating his nephew as a king for the first time in his life. After that, Connie is never heard from again the entire book. Having been introduce in The Kestrel and being a character that could have had a lot of growth and been a real powerhouse king, he was kind of scrapped after like chapter 8. What became of him? Were Theo and Mickle going to Regia and he was going to give them a place? Who knows.

Mickle randomly in passing points out that Florian is actually of royal blood, but then that is just kind of a point to be made and then dismissed because it didn't really change anything. There's just so much at the end that is left unexplained that the book really just failed. Lloyd Alexander basically killed off all his characters, and might as well have killed off the ones that didn't literally die because I know as little about what happened to them afterwards as if he had. I loved this trilogy, but the ending just was so disappointing. I thought for sure the trilogy would get 5/5 stars the whole way through, but I'm sorry. I would put it lower than 4, but the writing style and the story and the characters are so solid, that 4 is only fair. 4/5.

[Zaara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a jolly enough 3 star palate cleanser series to gargle with between big books + everyone needs a bit of La Bombas in their life.

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usually I love Lloyd Alexander but this one was so boring. A chore to get through.

[Corinne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as strong as the first two in the series. A lot of borrowing from Les Mis, some new characters introduced only to be promptly killed, too many paragraph-long metaphors loosely related to anything (stop talking about Skeit's nose already), things dragging on then wrapping up absurdly quickly. The beginning of the book was promising, with the siege of the palace and the plot against Constantine's life, but quickly grew too convoluted. And what were we supposed to learn from Connie, anyway? Kill your uncle and you can stop sleeping in a little racecar bed? At least Mickle and Theo have some screen time together, and everything ends well, if predictably and with a bit too simplistic a resolution.

[Daniel Weir · Rating 4 out of 5]

What impressed me most about all three Westmark books was that there was no valorization of violence in them, although there is plenty of violence. Theo regrets his actions in a war which he believes is justified and hates what he has become. What could have been a conventional story of heroes and villains is something far better, without for one minute being anything less than a great story. Two of the chief villains in the story justify their actions by claiming that they were acting for the good of their countries and I think the author wanted us to believe that was what they believed. They were, of course, wrong, as were many others in human history who have wrapped their evil deeds in the flag.

[A.J. Vanderhorst · Rating 4 out of 5]

So sweeping and spare it sometimes read like cliff notes to a novel, I still enjoyed this. Alexander’s convincing characters and willingness to wrestle with big ideas are things I’ll always admire.

[Dalen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So although this series has some issues (stock characters, somewhat predictable plots), it manages to have enough charm to carry you past the flaws. Theo's character development from naive idealist to a scarred killer was compelling, and the underlying commitment between Theo and Mickle gave the story its heart.

[LobsterQuadrille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lloyd Alexander concludes the Westmark trilogy with this exciting and smartly written story. The Beggar Queen managed to hold my attention throughout with its engaging action and interesting characters. King Constantine in particular, despite not having many scenes here, has come into his own since his last appearance. The multiple subplots are handled very well, and, with the deaths of several characters and the looming threat of Cabbarus, the stakes are clearly higher. The ending was pretty satisfying, but I do really wish that the final victory over the invading army had actually been shown after the death of Cabbarus rather than just having it told secondhand by another character. That should have been a pretty important part of the action and well deserving of being actually shown to the reader.

I enjoyed the Westmark trilogy and have come to really like some of the characters in the process. While not flawless, it has been a series well worth my time.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Westmark had settled into an uneasy peace at the end of The Kestrel with the establishment of 3 consuls, the first step away from the traditional monarchy. Each of the three had their own supporters; now the factions are threatened by the return of the former chief minister, Cabbarus. Once again, Mickle, Theo, and their motley band of friends become fugitives and must find a way to thwart his “directorship” while seeking aid from the other two factions. Mickle is resourceful and courageous; Theo is too, but he appears as a much more well-rounded figure as he is much more conflicted about the role he must take in this revolution, and he is still shell-shocked from his involvement with the previous war. The most striking thing about this series, though, is Alexander’s reversal of the Cinderella-like ascent of Mickle to the throne: the happy ending isn’t in becoming royal, but in the understanding of government and the eventual establishment of a democracy.

[Ariadne Cares · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed this book. I LOVED the Chronicles of Prydain, so I've really enjoyed Alexander's writing in the past. (Although I think book 4 of that series, if I remember correctly, was really slow and didn't have much of a plot.) Beggar Queen felt strangely rushed, though. There were very few background details, or even details at all, to paint scenes vividly in the imagination.

I enjoyed the story, and it was fast-paced and had engaging characters, but it felt rather surface-level. The peril and conflicts were quite real, but the book was also quite short, so nothing bad or good lasted for very long. I definitely should have read the first two books first, and didn't know this was the third in a series when I picked it up. I'm sure there's more character development in earlier installments in the series.

What would Keats and Aristotle say? Hard to tell, without having read the entire trilogy.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A master writer, Alexander moves seamlessly between different characters' points of view in an arresting and accomplished way. His economy of style is unmatched in today's children's literature, and his willingness to write for children what he was mulling over in his own life is exemplary. In a world where some topics are all the rage, perhaps more authors would benefit from simply finding a way to present for children the deep societal questions that haunt every informed person.

What is the best way to provide for needy people? Is force justified? What is too far? When is force necessary? This trilogy should be assigned to all midgrade authors who seek a more refined writing method.

[Cidne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love-hate this book. I love that I get to read more about Westmark, but it's very grim. After reading The Kestrel, I learned that Alexander is capable of killing off any character. And I don't like letting go of good characters.

My major gripe though is the conclusion. I think Alexander wrapped up the story too quickly and rushed the ending. I was actually really disappointed in the last few chapters. I wanted more of a resolution and less of an "oh well, we did what we could...let's just live happily ever after anyway." Despite this, it was still a good page-turner and worth reading.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps one of the earliest very grim young adult novels with a revolution?

I remember when I was finishing up The Hunger Games, The Beggar Queen came to mind often. Except unlike Mockingjay, the Westmark books don't fall apart at the end. They are deeply unsatisfying - but it's for your own good.

[Rogue-van (the Bookman) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intrigue builds as an underground of peasants and revolutionaries works to defeat the invaders led by Cabbarus. As a military fiction fan, I consider this the best volume of the trilogy. Lloyd Alexander is one of the best at young adult action fiction.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this whole entire series and this was the perfect end to it

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is every bit as fantastic as I remember finding it when I was eleven, and although I generally want to marry all of Alexander's leading ladies, Mickle is probably the one I adore most.

And that's my last read of 2020, so it's time to assign my annual idiosyncratic awards to the books from my reading year.

Best Re-Encounter:
A re-read that I got much more out of the second time around
Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (plus The Thief, which is a whole new book to me now, and probably the rest of the series as I work my way through it again in 2021)
Honorable Mention: Westmark by Lloyd Alexander (and sequels The Kestrel and The Beggar Queen), as well the entirety of A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (2020 has been the year of re-reading)

Worst Re-Encounter:
A once-beloved book that wasn't quite as good as I remembered
The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope

It Isn't You, It's Me:
A book I didn't really enjoy or didn't quite "get," but I suspect I'm missing something
Under the Net by Iris Murdoch

From the Jaws of Defeat:
A book that almost bested me, but I made it through and it was worth it
Manservant and Maidservant by Ivy Compton-Burnett
Honorable Mention: The Group by Mary McCarthy

Exceeded Expectations:
A book that was even better than my high hopes
If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino and The Charioteer by Mary Renault
Honorable Mention: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Best Surprise:
A book for which I had low or no expectations that absolutely blew me away
How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C. Pam Zhang
Honorable Mention: The Professor's House by Willa Cather

Worst Surprise:
A book for which I had high expectations that was a big disappointment
The Two Faces of January by Patricia Highsmith (and that's your second year in a row taking this trophy, Pat - do we need to have a talk?)

Biggest Stinker:
A book that was all-around bleh
The City of Your Final Destination by Peter Cameron
(Dis)honorable Mention: The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

Best of SFF:
The sci-fi/fantasy highlight of the year
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine and Return of the Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

Loveliest Listening:
A book I'm particularly glad I experienced as an audiobook
Amberlough by Lara Elena Donnelly (and sequels Armistice and Amnesty) for absolutely fabulous narration and characterization by Mary Robinette Kowal
Honorable Mention: The Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner, mostly for Kushner's own fantastic reading in this "illuminated audiobook"

Guiltiest Pleasure:
A book that may not have enriched my intellect, but definitely made me smile
Slippery Creatures by K. J. Charles (and sequel The Sugared Game; I can hardly wait for the final installment this summer)
Honorable Mention: The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole

So Glad It Was Assigned:
A fantastic book I read for school that I would probably never have picked up on my own
Ways of Dying by Zakes Mda

Best Laugh:
A book that caused me public embarrassment
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
Honorable Mention: Reginald by Saki

Best Cry:
A book that caused me a different kind of public embarrassment
How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C. Pam Zhang
Honorable Mention: A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

Best New Author:
The best author I read for the first time in 2020
Mary Renault
Honorable Mentions: C Pam Zhang and Arkady Martine

Book of the Year:
Whether because it was the best reading experience, gave me the most to think about, or was the most productively frustrating, the book I'm most glad to have read in 2020
The Charioteer by Mary Renault

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm very on the fence about this one. On one hand, it's a quick read with a pretty satisfying ending, and the construction of the story is improved over the first book. On the other hand, while none of these books are exactly fun to read, I enjoyed this one the least.

Stuff I didn't like:
- The beginning is a bit of a drag. There's a lot of planning and negotiating, but nothing really happens. It picks up a bit when the directorate takes over, but then it goes back to planning and negotiating.
- The characters have always been somewhat one-dimensional, though that's intentional on the author's part. However, that one-dimensional-ness worked best in the second book. It doesn't work as well here, because in the parts of the book without action, there also isn't any character construction, which added to the dragging feeling.
- No closure on what happened to Torrens? They just sent him to Regia and said 'forget him' I guess.
- Also no closure on Connie, and I'm not sure what we're supposed to take away from his character, or why the bit about him having his uncle executed was in the book at all, since he never returned to the story. I suppose that was his closure? But it was very odd and feels unfinished since it's so close to the beginning of the book.
- I like Mickle for the most part (one of the few characters I genuinely DO like), but I would like her more if she had even one character flaw. I also sort of think she should've been the main character instead of Theo.
- The Ankaris, though they have very little description, are called 'ugly devils' with ugly ships who support the Bad Guy... and also happen to have a Sultan. Feels like a racial stereotype to me.

Stuff I'm undecided on:
- Theo. In the first book he was annoying, in the second he was disturbing in an intentional and understandable way, and in this one he's somewhere in the middle.
- I honestly still don't really like any of the characters, but as I said in the reviews for the other books, I think that's purposeful. I also think their flat characterization is intentional, because the story is meant to show the commonalities in all people. Theo in particular is meant to be a sort of everyman: anyone can be as idealistic, bloodthirsty, angry, confused, loyal and loving as him, and the circumstances he's in has a huge effect on his actions. I like the message here, but as a general rule I don't love flat characterization. It was a creative choice, and it serves the purpose of the story, so I won't criticize it as bad writing, but I also don't really like it.

Stuff I did like:
- It's a satisfying ending. Nothing really goes to plan, but the way things turn out is in keeping with the themes and message the story is trying to send. I LOVE that in the end the good guys aren't really the ones who save the day. It's just ordinary people.
- The same applies to Cabbarus's death. It isn't Theo or Mickle or even Florian or Justin who kills him. It's just his own ego and selfishness that gets him, really.
- I remembered very little of the plot from when I read this 17ish years ago, but the one moment that sticks out in my mind, and which I have thought about nearly everyday since I read it back then, is Cabbarus telling Mickle she's still the queen and her immediate response being 'oh good, then I command you to go to the devil.' Hell yeah queen go OFF. I've been trying to capture that same energy for 17 years.

Basically, the first book I would have given a 3.5 rating, but bumped it up because it's a formative influence. Book 2 I gave a 4 star because it is genuinely well-constructed and everything in it feels purposeful. This one I'd also give a 3.5, but I'm rounding down this time because I feel like I have more criticisms of it than the others.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book series from when I was in middle school, and I can officially say now that I've reread the whole series that still, even now, I would rank these books as some of my favorites of all time. I was enthralled the whole time I read them and got emotional as I approached the final lines because I knew it was ending. Some character endings I remembered, and others I didn't, meaning I got the full force of those emotions all over again (and Lloyd Alexander pulls a fake-out with one of the last ones that had me genuinely worried!). I cannot recommend these books highly enough.

That's really all I want to say in this review- uncharacteristically brief, for me- but I'll add a few things just in case you're reading this for useful information:

- I refer to this series often as "Les Miserables for middle grade," and nowhere is that more true than in this book. Be prepared to get songs from the musical stuck in your head as the narrative describes barricades going up.
- If you thought the second book hit the limit on character deaths you're willing to read about, maybe quit while you're ahead, because you're gonna part with more in this third installment. Your emotions may not recover.
- Middle grade in general doesn't get enough credit for the nuance its authors often manage to put into stories for younger readers, but this book/series in particular astounds me now that I'm an adult with the weight of its story and the complexity of its characters. You can see, for instance, why Theo adores Florian, but also why he resents and is frustrated by him at the same time for the situations Florian compels Theo into- the situations that compromise the morals Theo clung to so strongly in the first book, challenging them while not actually making him immoral. Alexander gives us very sparse interactions to establish these dynamics, but quantity is not more important than quality- every scene in these books matters, and you get every bit of the emotional resonance.
- These books are action-packed without necessarily feeling high-energy in a lot of ways. Some very tense moments are dealt with matter-of-factly; some more ordinary narrative explodes off the page with surprisingly beautiful prose. For some readers, that contrast may not be what they're looking for. But for those of us who love Lloyd Alexander's writing, it's what really makes the book jump off the page.

I hope you enjoy these books. I've been loving them for over 20 years, and it looks like my time of obsession with them is far from over!

[Bart Gilbertson · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this third, and final, book of the "Westmark Trilogy", the land of Westmark is once more thrown into war and civil unrest. Cabbarus, our villain from the first installment, has returned and seized control of the kingdom, setting up his own directorate. Theo, Mickle and their friends are forced into hiding as they conspire to regain the throne and, in effect, their way of life from Cabbarus's tyrannical rule once and for all. Along the way, lives are changed, some are lost - everyone is affected in one way or another. But, one thing is certain, freedom can come at a great cost, and not always with the results you are hoping for.

Of the three books in the series, I found this one to be the hardest to get through. We had just finished one war in "The Kestrel", only to be thrown right into another one in "The Beggar Queen". Although this third book wasn't a rehashing of the 2nd one, the overall mood and tone was the same. I was hoping for something different here, but didn't really get it. Even our story's villain, Cabbarus, remains in the background behind the scenes for most of it, and when he is finally given some "face" time, it is short and he meets with an unsatisfactory demise.

As was the case with all of the books in this particular series, it really lacked any heart or characters that I could relate to or genuinely care about. It had the feeling of an exercise of going through the motions. Whatever endearing qualities that Lloyd Alexander had in his previous series, "The Chronicles of Prydain", are lost here. This is a plot driven story, and though I would say I enjoyed reading the "Westmark Trilogy" as a whole, it doesn't rank very high on the re-readability scale.

I can see where this might be a sentimental favorite of someone who was able to experience this journey in their youth (as was the case for the first book, "Westmark", for me) - but, this entry receives 3 stars out of 5. The first book in this trilogy was my personal favorite one.

[Blakely · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ealing comedies do the French revolution. This ended up being by far my favorite book of the Westmark series, and possibly my favorite book by the author--though that's a difficult call. The series got a slow start with the first book, though I could see right away that the books were going to be about revolution; and though I enjoyed The Kestrel it felt very bogged down in action (something that occasionally happens in the Prydain books as well). But The Beggar Queen--which I had to find at a library--was fascinating. I loved seeing the resistance take shape; and of course the role in it for various likeable characters like Sparrow, Weasel, Keller, and the thieves and con men from the Shambles. The idea that a child could start a barricade that becomes a main line of defense against the oppressive forces is delightful.

Most of all, though, I liked that it made me think about some counterintuitive things. A theme in Alexander's books seems to be liars with a heart of gold, and we see that here with Las Bombas (and similarly sympathetic thieves in Mumchance and Ace of Hearts). You don't expect a con man to be a major sympathetic character, though he is. At at least two points Alexander observes how stories about various happenings spread and change--stories about Weasel's barricade that make it seem everywhere and stories about how Keller died that are far from the truth. He makes it sound like these stories actually have a role in provoking Marianstat to finally rise up against the directorate. And it made me wonder if Alexander is telling us--between the liars and thieves and the legends--that the truth matters less to him than justice. It made me wonder if misinformation, spread the old fashioned way, from the ground up rather than as top-down, purposeful propaganda, wandering the way stories do, might sometimes serve as role in solidifying ideas and feelings in the popular imagination. And maybe sometimes that might need to happen.

[Drew Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The battle between Westmark and Regia has come to an end but that doesn't mean all is well under the Beggar Queen's reign. There's dissension in her counsel and unrest stemming from a group of revolutionaries' distaste for a monarchy. Theo, Mickle, Justin and Florian are at odds, and when a shadowy figure from the kingdom's past arises from exile they know their war is anything but over.

Westmark has come to an end! It's interesting because these books are quite short but took me a while to read (my fault, not theirs). For their smallish number of pages there is a lot packed into this book and series -- war, inner personal turmoil, politics, relationship drama, it's all here, though some more than others. I actually was disappointed this third book passed by without much by way of actually developing the central romantic relationship (it does make Taran+Eilonwy look positively steamy), but that wasn't the purpose. I liked Theo, though he never quite reached Taran level, and the army of characters sometimes blurred together but always kept things interesting. These books are a pretty solid series but, and comparisons are unfair but kind of inevitable, newbies to Lloyd Alexander should start in Prydain.

[Evan Þ. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lloyd Alexander brings his series to a fun and powerful climax, tying off the character threads with more revolutionary drama - smaller scale, perhaps, than previously, but still containing everything needed to bring everyone's character arc to a culmination. The overall series arcs - of the nobility, of the romance, of the foreign enemy, of the tensions between Theo and the revolutionaries on multiple levels - are also closed artfully in a way that keeps everyone in character.

As in the previous books, this isn't a long book; Alexander wraps up here events that would've taken so many more modern authors at least twice as long. He shows us exactly what he needs to show, enough for us to know what's happening and feel how it impacts the plot and characters; and leaves the rest of the details to our imagination. I guess this's a variation of the same art I noticed in so many mid-century kids' books. I liked it as a kid, and didn't even notice how much was being left out; now, I do notice and marvel and like it still.

[Richie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loyd Alexander is one of my favorite authors, which is why I was so surprised by this series. The characters are all predictable and seem to follow the classic character types. Theo, the idealist that unwillingly becomes a bloody revolutionary haunted by the lives he's taken. Mickle, the beggar queen who forgot her royal heritage and then becomes a benevolent and abdicating and idealist queen. While enduring, and maybe even the archetype of these types of characters, Alexander spoke too much through them, especially in the second book.

Alexanders writing style is simple and easy to read, sometimes too much so.

The series, when read along with other books of revolution, begs the question: can a revolution be done well? What are affordable losses? What government is best for the people? In the West, it's undoubtedly a Republic. But in light or the stories of Westmark, Persepolis, A Tale of Two Cities, and even Plato's fall of the Republic, can a republic be mercifully established?

[Eric Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really preferred the Westmark series to Alexander's The Prydian Chronicles. I will say that Westmark trilogy is more adult than The Prydian Chronicles, and as I'm an adult, that may bias my opinion.

The series (ending with "The Beggar Queen") is fairly political and provides commentary on democracy, theocracy, and monarchies as various forms of leadership and government. There is death, violence, and blood making it definitely more adult than The Prydian Chronicles. Outside of its pro-democracy motives, the characters are developed well and very likable and easy to root for. The story is well done and is paced well. I found myself reading each in the series quickly finding each book hard to put down.

[Rick Stuckwisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strong finish to this excellent trilogy. Though it deals with some dark and difficult circumstances, I found this third book to include a bit more lighthearted humor than the previous two. I appreciated the conclusion, which was satisfying in all respects. This whole series is a real gem, and I regret that I did not discover it already years ago. Highly recommended. Something of an alternative-history historical fiction, set in an imaginary literary world but clearly inspired by the French and American Revolutions. The characters are complex and well developed, and the story is robust and engaging.

[Rebekah Holladay · Rating 2 out of 5]

The beginning was actually pretty interesting because there was a lot of action, but overall the characters just fell flat. It's hard to like the main character, Theo, because he abandons his principles constantly to impress other people. And honestly his girlfriend Mickle (queen of Westmark) really should have/realistically would have dumped him if not in the last book--for sure in this book because he was so foolish. Although the premise and story had a lot of potential to be interesting and meaningful everything that matters was overridden with a slew of side characters that distracted from any real feeling and should have been cut.

[Oana-Maria Uliu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having (somewhat) lived through a revolution, I will declare that I don't like revolutions, so I don't want to read about revolutions, in general. I like Les Miserables and An Ember in the Ashes because I can focus on other aspects of the stories, but in this case the story IS the revolution and I haven't enjoyed reading this book. Those who don't mind revolutions are free to have a blast with it, though.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theo, the ostensible main character, does not grow or learn and so it’s a bit annoying when he’s center stage. Probably explains why I didn’t live this series as much as the Taran books as a kid. But all of the other characters, and especially Mickle who should have been the main protagonist of the series, are great. Probably really a three star, but an extra star for being in my book collection for over 30 years.