The Rose Throne

The Rose Throne #1

by Mette Ivie Harrison

Richly-imagined fantasy romance from the author of Princess and the Hound, a tale of two princesses--one with magic, one with none--who dare seek love in a world where real choice can never be theirs. For fans of Megan Whalen Turner, Catherine Fisher, and Cassandra Clare. 

Ailsbet loves nothing more than music; tall and red-haired, she's impatient with the artifice and ceremony of her father's court. Marissa adores the world of her island home and feels she has much to offer when she finally inherits the throne from her wise, good-tempered father. The trouble is that neither princess has the power--or the magic--to rule alone, and if the kingdoms can be united, which princess will end up ruling the joint land? For both, the only goal would seem to be a strategic marriage to a man who can bring his own brand of power to the throne. But will either girl be able to marry for love? And can either of these two princesses, rivals though they have never met, afford to let the other live?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Magic, Historical, Fiction, Historical Fiction

390 pages, Hardcover

First published May 14, 2013

About the author

My name is pronounced "Metty" like my mother's "Betty." It is Danish, and we were all named after ancestors. I guess by the time they got to number nine (out of eleven), it was getting tricky. So I got the funny Danish name no one knew how to prounounce. In Denmark, it should be "meta" like "metaphysical." It's from the Greek for "pearl." And no, it's not short for anything. Not even Mediterannean.

My first book, THE MONSTER IN ME was accepted for publication in 1999 and was published in 2002. My second book, MIRA, MIRROR was published in 2004. The latest book, THE PRINCESS AND THE HOUND , was published in 2007. A sequel, THE PRINCESS AND THE BEAR, came out in April of 2009.

I now live in Utah with my husband and 5 children, ages 5 to 14. I write during nap time, or at 4 in the morning, or while the broccoli for dinner is burning. Whenever I get a chance. I love to write the kind of books that I love to read. And I love to discover what is going to happen next, just like a reader would. I also do some racing in triathlon.

from http://www.metteivieharrison.com/myli...

Reviews

[Matilda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished: 2/18/13
Review to come.

Update:
GIVEAWAY: 2 ARC COPIES ON OUR BLOG (Link below)

Originally posted on our blog @ http://characterized.blogspot.com/201...

(Rating - 4 bordering on 3.5)

What I liked
Status. Power. Magic. Family. Insecurity. Deceit. Love. These 7 aspects proved amazing in developing the novel that was The Rose Throne. The Rose Throne was a paranormal romance that takes place, for the most part, in the kingdom of Rurik. In Rurik there are two forces that coexist, the neweyr, and the taweyr. Neweyr controls the earth, life, and nourishment of the land, while taweyer revolves around anger, death, and willpower. Women are supposed to wield neweyr and men - taweyr. However in Rurik, taweyr is favored above all, and is taxed so that King Haikor is able to remain the most powerful among all others. The Rose Throne is told from the alternating perspectives of two princesses - Ailsbet of Rurik and Marlissa or Issa of Weirland. When a centuries-old prophecy surfaces, both princesses will struggle to keep secrets hidden, love avoided, and their deepest desires contained.

What I loved? Hmm... Let's start with the loads of originality Ivie Harrison dumped into this book. Kudos! I mean; whenever I read a book with a princess it ends one of two ways, a marriage or some happily ever after where the prince and the princess ride into the sunset, kissing. This didn't apply to The Rose Throne, and frankly, I was happy about it. The plot twists were soo crazy! I wish I could further explain my thoughts, but I'm working on keeping this review spoiler-free. Which, as of now, is proving to be the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. All I will say is to: "Think of the most unexpected event that could possibly occur, then square it, multiply it by infinity and square it again. " That unpredictable. What else was there? Sorry, the correct question is "What wasn't there?" Insta-love! I just wanted to hug the book to my chest, and skip happily around my house. The princesses in the book, didn't meet a guy, glance at him, and fall in love. NO - not Ailsbet and Issa. The traditional way was used, you know, the whole getting to know each other, and oh, I don't know - HAVING AN ACTUAL CONVERSATION. The imagery, and enormous amount of detail put into the descriptions given by both princesses gave me an insight into Rurik and Weirland. From the green, lush landscapes right down to the ancient castle in Rurik. Before I forget, I should mention that The Rose Throne was overall, a fast-paced novel, that had suspense building up to the climax from the very first page!

What I didn't like
In all honesty - it's the blurb. The blurb does The Rose Throne a great injustice. Just reading the overview on the back cover/Goodreads gave me the slightest inclination to move on to some other book on my Suggested Books List. However, after reading The Rose Throne I knew it should be the exact opposite. I wasn't a fan of the relationship, if you can call it that, that developed between Ailsbet and Lord Umber. It felt so rushed and forced! Although I found myself liking their relationship at some points in the novel, it just felt parasitic. As if Lord Umber was getting more out of the relationship than Ailsbet was. Also, the love interests, as a whole, weren't really doing it for me. I would've much rather preferred both princesses single.

To read or not to read?
The Rose Throne is a paranormal romance that proved to be so much more than just that. From the unpredictable plot twists, to the stolen kisses, and straight down to the self-preserving deceit, The Rose Throne proved to be the ultimate read.

[Chantelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted here.

Mmmmmm, how to write a review for The Rose Throne... it was a bit of a 'nothing' book, in that it wasn't terrible, wasn't great, wasn't particularly affecting, just overall not very memorable, average at best.

The Rose Throne is a fantasy romance set on an island that has been both physically and magically divided into two; two lands with two kings, and two components of "weyr" where the boys grow into their "taweyr" and girls their "neweyr". Taweyr is a magic that gives high affinity for hunting and killing, and neweyr is a magic that gives high affinity for nature and birth. There are also "ekhono"s who are boys with inherit neweyr and girls who inherit taweyr, and who are considered dangerous oddities deserving of banishment or death. This is quite a fascinating plot in theory, however I felt that the novel lacked sufficient world building to truly allow the reader to immerse themselves in this new world. At many instances, I wanted Harrison to expand on the history of the islands, I felt as if descriptions were skimmed or neglected which made it hard to invest in characters whose fates relied heavily on the laws of this fantasy land. The world building is often the most exciting aspect of fantasy novels, and are obviously necessary since they're imaginary, and since I felt this was missing, it was a big factor into this book not being memorable for me.

The main characters are Princess Ailsbet and Princess Marissa, both from different islands and hence different kingdoms. Ailsbet is a headstrong, lover of music and Marissa is more docile, however both girls face being married off for purely political reasons. They're pitted as rivals, with the situation of each girl unintentionally posing a disadvantage to the other. Again, the idea is interesting, however I felt as if their characters weren't explored in as much depth as I'd have liked, making the characters seem quite one dimensional. On the plus side, the two princesses provided the main points of interest in this novel. It was refreshing how their personalities were contrasting and yet, the transitions of their POVs flowed really smoothly and complemented one other. The romantic interests of both girls heavily drove the storyline, such that I felt maybe contemporary romances would be a better avenue for Harrison rather than medieval romances.

The redeeming factor for me is the second half of the novel which picked up considerably. The pace quickened, the plot got a lot more interesting and exciting, and the characters started showing qualities that make them worth rooting for. If you read this book, please persist until the end because it does improve, in fact I really enjoyed the last quarter, and didn't expect the ending at all!

For more reviews, please visit my blog Looking for the Panacea.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kat's Review



I like the premise of this story: two princesses from different kingdoms feeling the weight of responsibility as their destinies get decided for them by their fathers. The idea that however little official power they are seen to have, their alliances could indeed become the catalyst for great change. Mix in a little bit of magic, and this series has a lot of potential.



I'm not sure that all that potential was met in the first book. I found the story to be a bit slow to get moving, and some of the character development either dragged or happened all at once. Once I understood the magic, some things became clearer, but at the beginning I felt lost. In short, women are carriers of one type of magic, and men of another. Some people display the opposite type, which is forbidden. It's believed that they can steal magic, and as a result are sentenced to death. The names and descriptions of the different types of magic aren't really explained at the beginning, so it took me a while to figure it all out, and I'm still not entirely certain that I'm explaining it in full.



What I liked: The court intrigue, the forbidden love that develops between two of the characters, the clandestine missions to bring those with the "wrong" type of magic to safety. I'm curious to see which princess will be the one to fulfill the prophecy, and whether the two will eventually work together, or if they will become enemies over time. There are many peripheral characters whom I could see playing bigger roles in future books, and it will be interesting to see where their stories take them.



What I found frustrating: I felt that the characters were never developed to their full potential. That's the danger sometimes of the first book in a series, when there's so much back story to get out there and then so much setting up for future books. In this case, I'm still not certain after reading the first book that I understand everything I should. I found myself confused at times, while at other times things moved slowly. With better pacing and some clarification on certain points, the book would have been a smoother read.



Rating: Worth A Look



This book, and this series, still has a lot of potential. I would like to see the two princesses fully come into their powers and begin shaping their own destinies. The setting is everything a fairy tale setting should be, with castles and moors and scheming characters at court, and the stage is set for action to come. Hopefully the next books in the series will deliver more action, more clarity, and stronger character development.



I was provided a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley & Edgmont in return for an honest review.

[Annabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****FINAL RATING: 4.90 STARS*****

CATCHALL
Honestly, I had no idea what to expect going into this book. I picked it up because the cover was pink and pretty and I'd been craving a fantasy. I barely even skimmed over the blurb. I was as surprised as anyone else when I ended up completely falling in love with it. It is legitimately one of the best fantasy books I've ever read, with easily one of my top five favorite romances. Set in a gorgeous and intriguing world full of people who'll stop at nothing to rise to the top, The Rose Throne absolutely blew me away. It was my first book by Mette, but I guarantee it will not be my last.

THE HEROINES
ISSA
Issa is easily my favorite of our two heroines. She's clever and yet not weak. She's ladylike, and a true princess, but at the same time her courage is strong without being obnoxious. She knows her place but she also isn't afraid to risk everything just to help someone else. Issa has spunk and bravery, and yet she isn't insipid and she doesn't make her decisions without thinking about them. She does what she believes is right but she isn't impulsive. I freely admit that I have a massive girl crush on her.
AILSBET
Honestly, while I adored Issa, I had mixed feelings about Ailsbet. It's much harder to get a read on her character, and it was really difficult to figure out her true personality. I don't think she's an awful person, but she's definitely selfish. I do think she sometimes tries to see what's better for other people but she has so much pride that she has a hard time seeing past it.

THE LOVE INTERESTS
KELLIN
I am actually head over heels for Kellin, so, you know. I completely, utterly adore him. He has that whole strong and silent things going on, but then going further he's actually really sweet even if he doesn't always show it. Oh, and don't let's forget passionate. And sexy. Really, really sexy. He has a righteous heart, but he's not an idiot and he doesn't do things without taking precautions. He rebels against the bad in his own way, and his loyalty runs deep.
UMBER
I don't even know why I'm mentioning Umber, since I never really liked him and he didn't feel that important to me. At first I thought he might be decent, and he really did treat Ailsbet well. But we never really get to see his true intentions clearly, so it's difficult to judge him.

THE PLOT
From page one, I was instantly drawn into the world of The Rose Throne. Prophecies are always exciting, and I loved the way this one played out. I was really invested in seeing where it would go and I literally could not put this book down. I began reading it on a whim, but it soon turned out that this book had me wrapped around its…pages.

I loved how everything fit together. Issa wants to please her father, so she goes along with the idea of a loveless marriage to a much younger prince. There, she meets Ailsbet, the princess who is hiding her owns secrets. I loved getting the POV of both girls. Each one is hiding something, so it was interesting to see their struggles alone and yes, together.

I really enjoyed the fantasy elements too. In this world, women have magic of life, or neweyr, while men have magic of battle and death, taweyr. Of course, sometimes there are people born with no magic or people born with the "wrong" magic, which is a really interesting side plot that helped me in falling for Kellin. But, I really like the way the magic was employed. It's not necessarily central, but it's definitely important.

My main complaint is that when I later went back and looked over the blurb it is kind of misleading. Not so misleading that it destroys the whole book, but there are some noticeable things that just didn't match up. Still, I didn't think it was a huge deal.

So, yeah, I loved this. I really, really loved it. It is easily one of my top favorites of all time and maybe the best book I've read this year or at least way, way up there. I enjoyed this book so much I just want to cuddle with it.

THE ROMANCE
Issa and Kellin are easily one of my top five favorite fictional couples ever, and that is a hard list to get on because it involves kicking someone off. But they did it. I absolutely, completely adore them together. They had chemistry from the very beginning, and for a while I worried it wouldn't go anywhere, especially as there were distractions. There's a sort of burning intensity between them that I love and though it isn't easy, love rarely is. I love the way they tease each other and yet take care of each other, and how they can't stay apart even when they try to.

THE WRITING
I adore the writing in this book. I am in love with it. Both girls have distinct, clear voices, and even though their thoughts aren't always completely clear, they're still understandable. The word choice is gorgeous and uncomplicated. I love the way things are explained without being pushy, and though I wish there had been more descriptor language it was still so, so wonderful. Everything really flows and connects.

THE ENDING
The ending has the hint of a resolution and what is going to happen next, but it still leaves room for more story to be told. There's definitely something of an HEA, though, at the same time, which I really liked and helped cement my deep love for this book. I'd love more, but the ending was still written in such a way that even if there isn't more, I can feel like the story came far enough along and was resolved satisfactorily.

WRAPUP
The Rose Throne is currently a standalone, but Mette has two ideas for sequels drafted, which I would be hugely open to. Normally I'd appreciate that it's a standalone but in this case I'm dying for more so desperately that I really hope there's more. The ending was awesome but I still want more. I loved every bit of this. It's a seriously beautiful book and maybe the best thing I've read this year. Would I recommend this book? Duh. If you're a fantasy lover like me, don't think twice. Even if you're normally not huge on fantasy, please consider this one. It is really on its own level of amazingness.

FINE.

Find more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!

[Miranda · Rating 1 out of 5]

See more of my reviews at On The Nightstand! I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

In a kingdom called Rurik lives the Princess Ailsbet, daughter of the cruel King Haikor. Haikor has decreed that taweyr, the magic of men, war and death, is more important than the magic of women, neweyr, which can grow plants and help livestock. Haikor keeps the taweyr strong in his kingdom while eliminating the neweyr, and his kingdom (and its inhabitants) are suffering for it.

Ailsbet is unweyr, so she’s left to focus on her one passion: music. However, when she finds out that she may not be unweyr at all and learns of a prophecy that could save both Rurik and the distant kingdom of Weirland, she has to choose between avoiding her father’s wrath and keeping to her own passions, or possibly saving both the kingdoms and the magic in the land.

Princess Marlissa (or Issa for short) lives in Weirland, and likewise has an interest in the prophecy. When the chance arrives for her to be able to make it come true, she decides with some reluctance to take it. Forced to live in a land with an overabundance of taweyr and little to no neweyr, which she has plenty of, Issa must learn to survive in the dangerous court of King Haikor while giving away no hint of her intention to bring both magics together again, as they once were.

When I saw The Rose Throne up on NetGalley, I jumped on the chance to read it. Despite the fact that Harrison’s last venture (Tris & Izzy) wasn’t up to par, I remember loving her Princess and the Hound series when I read it a few years ago. I hoped I’d love The Rose Throne the same way.

Alas, it was not meant to be.

Harrison introduces a lot of interesting conflict in the second chapter, but she never delivers on it. I get that the book is a fantasy romance novel with a much heavier emphasis on the romance. But honestly, if you don’t intend to follow up with the consequences of what the characters did, maybe you should take out those elements altogether. When I finished the book, I literally sat there for a moment, thinking “That was it? That was your ending?”*

Most of the interesting conflict and other elements are brushed over in favour of the romance. Sadly, that falls incredibly short as well. I did not care whether or not Issa and Kellin got together, or the drama surrounding how they could never be together. I was more interested in both girls finding some way to fulfill the prophecy, except that they never do. They take the prophecy at face value and don’t stop to consider that maybe there’s another way to read it. Therefore, most of the novel is just them standing around trying to avoid Haikor’s cruelty and survive in his court. That kind of tension can only carry a novel so far.

There’s also a huge problem I’ve begun noticing in Harrison’s writing. She writes in a very detached, passive voice. There’s little to no internalization or introspection of events where the girls are concerned. A character close to Ailsbet dies, and she literally has one short paragraph dedicated to Ailsbet’s reaction to her death before Ailsbet goes off thinking about politics in the next paragraph. This character’s death is barely brought up again, and we don’t see Ailsbet’s emotions to it again either. Even if Ailsbet and this particular character weren’t overly close, I still think there should have been more of a reaction past a small cry.

Therefore, I had trouble connecting to any of the characters or caring about their problems. If they apparently don’t care enough, why should I?

Truthfully, I only kept reading to see how the prophecy would come into play and how Issa and Ailsbet would set things to right again. Sadly, that never happened, because it was apparently more important that we focus on Issa’s angst over never being with Kellin and the romance than attempting to save an entire kingdom. I’m not against flawed characters or even selfish characters, but Ailsbet and Issa never progress past what they are in the beginning. They stay stagnant and selfish, and it was bitterly disappointing to see them make the choices they do in the end.

Overall, I wish I could have loved The Rose Throne. It had the bare bones of everything I love in a story, but the narrative choices that were made, the writing style and the characters kept me from liking it. I still have hope Harrison can recreate the magic that I saw in the Princess and the Hound series, but I’ll be more hesitant to try her works in the future.

(MAJOR SPOILERS FOR ENDING UNDER CUT!!)In the ending, Issa brings some neweyr back to Rurik and then immediately leaves for Weirland again, after promising Kellin they’d be together one day. Ailsbet likewise leaves for another kingdom. Haikor still lives and both girls legitimately do not care that he will continue to make Rurik suffer after they’re gone, or that they’ve left the throne without an heir, or that Edik, Ailsbet’s thirteen year old brother, was killed by Haikor for standing up for his sister.

But hey, who cares about a dead thirteen year old boy or a possible civil war when Issa has the possibility of getting together with Kellin one day, eh? Or that Ailsbet can focus solely on her music instead of taking up responsibility and doing something to save her kingdom? Clearly that’s not important at all.

[Kirsty (Amethyst Bookwyrm) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This and my other reviews can be found at http://amethystbookwyrm.blogspot.co.uk/

Thanks to Netgalley and Egmont USA for giving me this book to review.

Ailsbet has always been ignored by the court and her father the King, as she has no magic, and who’s only loves music and she wishes it is more appreciated in Rurik, which favours the aggressive magic Taweyr. However when she discovers that she has a dangerous secret, Ailsbet has to use all the skills she has learn at her father’s court to keep it hidden and her alive. In Weirland, princess Issa is happy with her responsibility looking after the Neweyr in her land; however when Lord Kellin offers the hand of the prince of Rurik as an alliance between the two islands. With a prophecy about a child of the two countries reuniting the islands are either of the princesses’ part of the prophecy and are they able to marry for love.

The Rose Throne is an OK YA fantasy book which I just could not get into and enjoy. Part of the problem is that the magic system of Taweyr and Neweyr is not really explained very well.

Even though both Issa and Ailsbet are described as being very different, I always had to check whose point of view it was at the beginning of the chapter, otherwise I could not tell each of their chapters apart. All of the characters, even the main ones, I could just not connect too and I did not care about what happened to them even when some of them died.

I am not planning on reading the rest of the series as I just do not care about what happens next. I would only recommend The Rose Throne to people who have liked other books by this author.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Also seen here on my blog, PaperFantasies

Mette Ivie Harrison is a less-known author. I get pangs of guilt tearing into indie books, so I’m going to try to soften my ranting here, but make no mistake; I would not recommend this book.

I get what Harrison was going for here. Romance in a Victorian-esque setting, with gender-specific magic involved. Issa and Ailsbet are both princesses, both honor-bound to marry not for love, but for political advantage. The world of Rurik and Weirland is largely influenced by its magic; the masculine tewyr and the feminine neweyr. I won’t really get into the specifics of the magic system because it’s all very dull stuff, but basically in Rurik, it’s punishable by death for a man to have newery or for a woman to have teweyr.

So, yeah, what this novel aims for is a story of forbidden love and forbidden magic, set in a fantastical setting, with one Big Bad Evil King villain. But what it aims for and what it delivers are two very different things.

The Rose Throne is…boring. There, I said it. Even before the really annoying aspects come into play, the emotionless prose makes for a very dull read. I have no idea who any of the characters are on a deep level, just shallow things that anyone with a pen can write about. But the most annoying thing about this book is King Haikor of Rurik. This villain has been given no depth, no dimension. He is just a plot device bad guy, insulting half of his kingdom and poisoning the other half. To say it’s excessive would be an understatement.

The romance is…not good. The lack of feeling in the writing style makes it impossible to care about, and there was little to no build-up before the two characters were “in love”. Kellin, the main romantic interest, is King Haikor’s polar opposite, overdone in his righteousness and willingness to sacrifice – though not quite¬ as plot-device –y as the king.

The writing was decent, I’ll give it that. Grammatically correct, good sentence structure, no run-on sentences or painfully overused words. But the same can be said about Webster’s dictionary, and I’m pretty sure you’d find more enjoyment in those pages than in the pages of The Rose Throne.

I feel like the potential for a very good book was there, but The Rose Throne didn’t deliver on any of it. If I didn’t have an OCD need to finish books, I doubt I’d have made it past page 50. I kept hoping it would get better, but alas, it didn’t.

[Sebrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I walked into this story very excited. I really didn't have much of a clue what the story was going to be about other than 2 princesses vying for power. But I love a princess story and I loved the beautiful cover. It reminded me of something fit for a Jane Austen book.
From the first chapter I found myself hooked by Ms. Harrison's writing. She has a way with crafting a story that kept me reading page after page. The pacing was perfect and the story offered the perfect element of mystery with regards to the ending.
But it is that final outcome that made this book lose points in my opinion. Throughout the story I kept having a sinking feeling there wasn't a happy ending store. And if we know anything by now, it's that I like me a happy ending. At about 85% of the way through, I knew this was going to be the case. And then I started anticipating a Shakespeare-esc tragedy. Now without giving too much away, this book doesn't end with a full blown tragedy. But it just ends. There is no resolution for any of the characters except for maybe one and in the least satisfying way at that.
After finishing it, I found out that it is the first book in a sequel so I guess that's how it gets away with such a hollow ending. But I am so sick and tired of that cop-out. Whatever happened to books that could stand alone. This one left me with nothing more than an unfulfilled feeling of dis-settlement.
I guess my real problem with it was the outcomes for the characters I was most attached to. My favorite character was Ailsbet, but she ended up with the weakest ending and not much promise of further development in future books. I mean I can think of where they could go with her but I have a feeling the author will fixate on Kellin and Issa in the next book. And this makes me so sad because I feel like Ailsbet never got to taste the slightest bit of happiness in this book like the others. And that's a true tragedy in and of itself, especially when she's the one pictured on the cover.
I don't regret reading The Rose Throne and I will probably end up reading any sequels. I just wish I didn't have to wait for sequels to feel some resolution.

I received a free review copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley but the opinions expressed here are my own.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, this book bothered me on several levels and I just couldn't finish it.

- Petty, but it matters: the grammatical and typographical errors. Ailsbet says that her dress "compliments" her red hair, and there are some punctuation problems. Whoever edited this book did not do a very good job.

- The taweyr/neweyr magic was never explained very well. Characters would "reach for their taweyr/neweyr" or steal another character's taweyr/neweyr, but it was never really explained how one did this. Why does the ocean grab and pull at the taweyr/neweyr? There were interesting concepts, but Harrison never explained them, which made it hard for me to buy into the book's mythology.

- There were a fair amount of gender issues in the taweyr/neweyr mythology, as well. Of course women possess neweyr, which is all about growth and new life... and of course men possess taweyr, which is about aggression and war. It's cliche and pretty sexist. At one point, Marlissa thinks to herself about Ailsbet that "she could well believe that a woman like this could be unweyr [possessing neither taweyr or neweyr], for there was nothing feminine or kind or inviting about her." Wow.

- Wait, what? Marlissa is in love with Duke Kellin? Huh? Where was this shown? About halfway through the book, she's desperately in love with him out of nowhere.

- There was too much dialogue, breaking the "show, don't tell" rule. I don't like books with too much dialogue; I think that it makes a book difficult to follow and slow-moving.

While this book wasn't offensive like many of the books that I've rated one star, I can't even say that it was okay, which is what two Goodreads stars indicates.

[♥ Unaeve ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story how two princesses from rival kingdoms,came together to be friends. We will learn all about the kingdoms,the politic,the magic,the romance... through Ailsbet and Marissa's story.

There are two kinds of magic Taweyr and Newyer.
The two kingdoms favor each a different kind.In Rurik it is Taweyr and in Weirland it is Newyer.
Taweyr is the more aggressive magic ,the offensive.
Newyer is the magic of new life creation.

Ailsbet is the only character not feeling flat and plastic.All the others are not well enough developed .
The magic system is different and thus fresh and interesting but the whole story felt more like a medieval court intrigue romance then a fantasy novel.There was not enough magic for my taste.
But,it was a good story and the writing is ok. I must say yes, I saw many flaws in this book. Nonetheless, I did enjoy it and i am planing to read the sequel.

ARC received via Netgally

The same review is posted on my blog Una dressed in Books

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this tale about two princesses and their magic. It was a unique world. Harrison does not info dump, but gradually provides the backbone for the world she is building. Each girl is distinct and has their own personality. I look forward to reading book two!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story almost has the feel of alternate history, only...it isn't. There are a lot of similarities here to the idea of Henry the VIII and his daughter, Elizabeth. Ailsbet is red-haired, her father was a charmer in his youth but a dangerous, paranoid, man as he ages, with his girth ever growing. The king gets rid of a wife who doesn't please him, and Ailsbet must tread carefully, committing her heart to no man. And of course, there's the title, The Rose Throne...

I actually sort of liked Ailsbet because she wasn't the typical heroine, and both she and her brother had a lot of growth throughout the novel. The princess I had more of a problem with was Marissa. I understood she was from a poorer, lesser kingdom, but I had serious problems with the way she just accepted the insults Kellin hurled at her. And her father, the king, let Kellin! And in the midst of her statements of , "oh yes you're right, I'm so sorry," and "I'm so naive and terrible," they're suddenly saying they shouldn't be in love. I felt like I missed the chapter where they actually fell in love and started appreciating each other. I get the idea of a love-hate relationship, and I even like them when they're done right, but this almost just felt like an abusive relationship.

I also liked the world set up, with the gender-specific magic, though I didn't entirely understand why only the islands seemed to have magic. I was also very curious about Ailsbet's flute-playing as I felt there was more to that than was explored--it would be great to see a book go further into this and all the magic.

In fact, another book is pretty much necessary at this point. After seeing so much growth with Ailsbet, I really hope to see it with Issa as well, and not just in the love area. And maybe the author will draw out the developments a little more in the next novel--this one was good, but at times, it felt like the author just wanted to rush through certain areas and get to "the good parts."

This digital copy of The Rose Throne was given to me by NetGalley & Egmont USA in exchange for an honest review.

[Riley Dawson Hushak · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a lot of feelings about this book. I read the summary when I got it (from netgalley...thanks!) and I was SO excited because I thought it was gonna be all Gail Carson Levine and wonderful and okay. But then I started reading, and I was in some ways disappointed and in some ways pleased.

I liked the magical system in this book. It reminds me a little of what we have in Wheel of Time, where magic is determined by gender but only because of the actions of one man, and everyone else is now dealing with the ramifications of it. However, I didn't like that the weyrs were never really explained enough for me. It bothered me that I couldn't really figure out where the magic came from or how they used it or how Haikor could take it from people. Confusing.

My confusion continued through most of the book. I didn't think the love story between Issa and Kellin was believable. I didn't like Ailsbet's character because she was supposed to be this cold lady with a secret sensitivity but she just felt muddled to me, especially in her reactions to other people. I didn't like that the poisoner was going around poisoning everyone--it fit with his character but was too cheap of a ploy, and I didn't like that all of these deaths were treated so callously and had few ramifications (some of them were some pretty big players here!!!).

What I did like was the storyline, I thought it was very interesting and I wanted more of it, but the details got in the way and bothered me. Also, I didn't like how it ended--I wanted our major characters to find a way to cooperate with each other more and I just didn't think I got the resolution I wanted. Maybe this is more like 2.5 stars for me.

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was such an awful experience. Made worse by the hope that it might get better or redeem itself by the end, and instead I wasted 3 weeks of my life on the thing. Ug. I'm so glad to have read other reviews that expressed my exact sentiments.

There was a lot of promise to the story, setting, world. But the book didn't live up to any of them. I acknowledge that I had an ARC (a book I chose solely for its cover...), so that would account for the fact that I came across mistakes on almost every page. Being an editor, I can turn off my switch for a few mistakes, but that many just turn on a blaring horn. It was a nightmare. Ignoring all the grammar, spelling, and formatting mistakes, it was still hard to look over the lack of continuity, the deus ex machina, the jerky flow, the lack of POVs in the different POVs, the dragged on parts of the story, and the attempt to make this a romance when it a most unbelievable, unnatural romance element was being crammed down my throat.

I don't think it would have been so annoying or frustrating if there hadn't been so much promise to this book, or I hadn't heard so much praise for the author. I really want to blame it on the ARC, but no ARC should come out that "unfinished" and I'm not going to take the time to compare to the regular publication.

The book has honestly given me such a distaste in reading that I've decided to go re-read a favorite instead.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Egmont USA and Netgalley.)
Ailsbet is a princess. Her father is the king of Rurik, and her mother the queen, and she also has a younger brother called Edik.

Marlissa is also a princess, in the neighbouring kingdom of Weirland. Her mother died when she was younger, so she has been taking over the responsibilities of the queen for several years.

Both girls live in a world where there is magic. The magic typically comes in two forms - neweyr which is about life and growth and typically goes to females, and taweyr which is about war and death, and typically goes to males. Those who have no magic are called unweyr, and those who have the wrong magic (ie: a female who has taweyr) are called Ekhono.

In Rurik, the Ekhono are killed, or if they can escape, they leave the kingdom. King Haikor of Rurik also dislikes neweyr, and has banned its use in his palace. He only appreciates taweyr, and takes taxes of taweyr from all the males in the kingdom.

Ailsbet is unweyr (has no magic), and Marlissa has neweyr (as expected of a woman).

King Haikor of Rurik has long had his sights set on taking over Weirland, and sensing an opportunity, sends one of his men to Weirland to request the betrothal of Princess Marlissa to his 13-year-old son Edik once he comes of age. The King of Weirland accepts, and Marlissa journeys to Rurik for the betrothal.

Things are not as they seem in Rurik though. The queen is poisoned, Marlissa is reprimanded for using her neweyr in the palace, and Ailsbet discovers that she does have magic after all, just the wrong kind. If the king finds out he will kill her so she must keep it a secret.
What will become of the two kingdoms? Is there any truth in the old prophecy about a child who has both neweyr and taweyr? Will King Haikor gain control of both kingdoms with the marriage of his son Edik to Princess Marlissa? And what will become of Princess Ailsbet if her secret is revealed?


This was an interesting fantasy tale of princesses and magic, and the secret politics going on in two nearby kingdoms.

I was a little unsure of this book in the beginning I have to say. The explanations of the different kinds of magic, what they could do, who was supposed to have them etc. was non-existent, making this story very confusing at the start. I was also a little confused when only a few pages into the book, we are told this about Princess Ailsbet – “she woke early the next morning, relieved to find herself in her own undergarments”. What?! Who else’s underwear would she be wearing? Not sure if this is a mistake and will be removed from the final edit, or whether I have missed something, but this was a little strange!

Anyway, this book picked up somewhere around the half-way point, when I had finally managed to work out what the hell was going on, what all the different terms meant, and what it was that the princesses were striving for.

Both of the princesses were fairly strong-willed which only got them in trouble. They both had ideas of what they wanted, and what was important, but being princesses, and female, they were rarely allowed to act on these ideas, especially as King Haikor would just as soon decapitate someone as listen to an opposing view point.

I did enjoy this book, and I did learn to appreciate the fantasy world that they girls lived in, although most of this story was concerned with politics. I did find it interesting to try and work out how the girls would solve their problems, and how things would work out in the end, although ultimately it seemed that the girls had very little sway at all.
I did enjoy this more than most fantasy books, probably just ‘cause I liked the story about the princesses, but the world and the magic were very poorly introduced to the reader, and the princesses lack of control over their own lives and destinies was frustrating. The romance element was pretty non-existent, unless you see romance in arranged marriages where the male is only 13-years-old.
Overall; I did enjoy this book, but I would say that it is more about the princesses lives and the politics of the kingdoms than the fantasy element or the romance.
7 out of 10.

[V.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary:

The Rose throne is a tale told from the perspectives of two Princesses from rival kingdoms. Princess Ailsbet of Rurik hates the artificial ceremony of her fathers court. She would rather surround herself with music. Her kingdom is ruled by death, destruction and the iron will of her father. Born without magic and destined to marry only for her fathers political gain, she trusts no one but herself. She also holds a deep secret that could destroy her and those around her.

Princess Marissa of Weirland, lives in a world where women are respected and magic is cultivated and grown. However, her world quickly changes when the possibility of fulfilling a prophecy to reunite the two kingdoms is at hand. A marriage is planned and all hopes rest on a better future for both kingdoms. As both their worlds collide will each Princess survive to see their Kingdoms finally united and the prophecy fulfilled?

What I liked:

Once again Mette Ivie Harrison has created a unique yet somewhat familiar world of magic, intrigue and romance. Before I read the book I read that the story was greatly influences by her love of the Tudor/Elizabethan world. There are many elements of that found in this book. A King so desperate for power that he would kill everyone around him to get it. A Princess who must commit to no one and trust only herself. A rivalry between kingdoms where only one outcome and only one ruler can survive. Yet, while it retains those similarities the story still stands on its own in a unique universe close to ours. This was perhaps my favorite part of the book. The world was well built and believable and revealed piece by piece throughout the story. I did wonder about why only two kingdoms in this realm seemed to have magic while the others did not. I hope that this is explored in further books.

I also enjoyed the characters and getting to see both perspectives. Each girl had different voice that really brought the whole story to life. It took a bit for me to like Ailsbet and to empathize with her. Especially when she was with Lord Umber. However, she quickly became my favorite despite her flaws. Princess Marissa was a great compliment to her dour counterpart with her hopeful and innocent nature. The rest of the characters filled out the book nicely.

What I didn't like:

The beginning of the book was a bit slow and it took me a while to understand the differences with the two types of magic. It was a bit confusing since there were so many elements to each magic. I also wish there had been more of an explanation to the origin of it all. Once I got most of it down the story made more sense. Harrison likes to reveal things piece by piece and I tend to be an impatient reader! However, this made me slow down so I could savor the details! Once the plot was laid out the story really came together with enough twists and turns to keep you going. There are a few things that I felt were glossed over, like Ailsbets love of music and why only two islands had magic. I also wanted a map of the world! It was hard to picture where everything was in relation to the other kingdoms.

SPOILER!!!!!

The only thing that did not ring true for me was the romance between Princess Marissa and Lord Kellin. I agree with a few other reviewers that have said it seemed to come out of left field. I had a feeling that is where their relationship was heading but it was very fast and I kept thinking "did I miss a chapter". It just doesn't ring true for me yet. We will see how it develops in the next book.

Final thoughts and recommendations:

I really enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. It is by far my favorite by this author. I liked the similarities with the Tudor/Elizabethan eras and I think that young fans of that world will like this book. I would recommend this story to teen and adult readers looking for a book that is not all about romance and a perfect happy ending. Those that enjoy the history of Queen Elizabeth I, would very much enjoy this world and the political twists and turns. I hope that there are more books and cannot imagine it ending here. I look forward to visiting this world again soon!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This galley copy is courtesy of EgmontUSA via Netgalley

The Rose Throne is a story of two princesses from divided kingdoms. Ailsbet is from Rurik, a land where the taweyr, the male-oriented magic that controls power and physical strength, reigns supreme. Marlissa, on the other hand, is from Weirland and the neweyr, the nurturing and life-affirming magic associated with females, is welcome and continues to thrive. A prophecy that centers on the reunification of the two kingdoms drives the actions of the princesses, even as they struggle to balance the politics of the court with their own personal happiness, which often do not align.

There are two things I didn’t quite like:

1. It is part of a series. Now, I do not object to series, but I went into this with the mindset that it’s a stand alone novel, so as I read, I was expecting it to be wrapped up and got annoyed when new elements were introduced late into the story. I had theories as to how the prophecy would play out and I was disappointed to discover that I wouldn’t have the answers I sought just yet. I believe The Rose Throne did not need to be stretched out into a trilogy or however many books it will take to tell the story of Marlissa and Ailsbet.

2. To go along with the above thought, the book ends abruptly and it feels like the author or the editor or the publishing company--someone--thought that would be okay since the story will pick up in subsequent books. That very well may be, but again, it left me disappointed and worse, dissatisfied with the awkward truncation of the novel.

Other than those minor quibbles, I pretty much loved this book. I think Ailsbet and Marlissa are good, strong, and smart characters; they are not helpless females in a world dominated by men, which is truly admirable and particularly refreshing in the world of young adult novels where supposedly headstrong females are all talk and no action. Even better, they don't turn into whimpering lovesick fools when they are in the presence of men they have romantic feelings for. I appreciated the differences in the two protagonists: one is a reluctant princess and the other embraces the role; one is from a humble kingdom while the other is accustomed to wealth; one is more feminine and graceful, perfect for life in the spotlight of the court, and the other is tall and intimidating, a constant object of whispered ridicule and judgment from the other ladies. While they are opposites on the surface, it’s easy to see that they are of the same mind--they only want what is best for the kingdom. Understandably, they don’t trust each other right away and their alliance is an uneasy yet necessary one.

Additionally, I liked the magic system described in this story (magic plays a very important part in the girls’ personalities and how the kingdoms of Rurk and Weirland are shaped) and the fact that there is actual politics involved that complicate Marlissa’s and Ailsbet’s respective situations. The romance, thankfully, is believable and not the focus; even though each princess longs to be loved, they’re not looking to be swept off their feet.

Though I’m less than thrilled that the story didn’t conclude in one book, I’m eager to discover what happens next. How will the prophecy be interpreted? What’s in store for the princesses? Who else will play a part in the girls’ lives, now that their circumstances have drastically changed? Will Ailsbet and Issa give the collective men the finger and against all odds, rule the kingdom together (which is the scenario I want)? I hope I won’t wait too long for the answers.

[Jillian (Peapod Historical Bookery) · Rating 2 out of 5]

{ I received this as an ebook ARC from NetGalley. Review originally posted on my blog, PidginPea's Book Nook. }


I was honestly expecting a lot from that synopsis, so perhaps I set my sights too high, but The Rose Throne did not deliver for me. That synopsis sounds like the story will be full of struggle, desperation, and passion, but I didn't feel any of that as I read. The characters never really seem to struggle so much as just go with the flow, the romance is bland and forced, and even the fact that the kingdoms are in jeopardy and the girls are supposed to be rivals is brushed over and muted.

There are some good things going on in The Rose Throne. The idea of two kinds of magic being thrust out of balance was interesting; the idea that one could have the wrong kind of magic and be seen as a dangerous abomination was great. I would have loved for these aspects to be handled with a bit more... I don't know... dedication? I was really into this aspect of the story and just wanted more from it. Perhaps more explanation of the magic system in general (which I think I'm still a bit confused about) or a deeper exploration of the consequences of a character being revealed as having no magic or the wrong kind of magic.

The romance was just blah. It was as if Harrison knew she needed romance in the story to incorporate the "marrying for love" theme mentioned in the synopsis, but she didn't really want to focus on it, so she just thrust a few characters together and wrote the obligatory "falling in love" scenes and moved on. I never felt the romance between any of the characters that were set up together.

The writing style also was a bit off for my tastes. The dialogue was awkward at times, and the narration often left me wanting more. Perhaps Harrison was trying to channel Tudor England which this world (or at least some of the characters) seems to be based on by writing in the style she did, but I just found some of the phrases and comparisons to be very odd. For example:

The words tasted like large, whole eggs in her mouth. She was afraid of cracking them and spilling the yolk down the sides of her face.

I also found it hard to get into the characters' heads, because there were not enough details for me to work with. And that is really frustrating for me, because I liked to get invested in characters and their thoughts and motives, and I like to feel something when they encounter difficulties. In The Rose Throne, I had a hard time caring about the characters because their situations tended to just get glossed over. I was really thrown off when a character died, and there was little reaction from Ailsbet before moving on to her next thought.

The end, unfortunately was also quite unsatisfying. Essentially, Ailsbet and Issa just run away from their problems. The kingdoms they had been so invested in for most of the book apparently were not that important to them. I realize this is the start of a series and perhaps the final actions of the characters will be better explained in the next book, but honestly, I don't think I'll be continuing the series. I'm sorry to say The Rose Throne left me rather indifferent to what will happen to this world and the characters in it.

[Cee · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not so often that the ending of a book has annoyed me this much. Usually if I don't like a book, but don't hate it enough to make me want to put it down instantly, I'll continue till the end. The ending is most often the best part of the book, and it will give satisfaction once it's all over. Nothing like that for The Rose Throne. That's seriously one of the most unsatisfactory endings I have ever seen.

Ailsbeth and Marissa are both princesses, but their worlds couldn't be different. Each belonging to one country, both countries separated by the sea and only connected by one bridge. Ailsbeth lives in a dangerous court with an insane king leading it, and she's born with the wrong kind of magic, the male kind. Marissa has a loving father and her country is peaceful, but since her mother passed away she has responsibilities fit for a queen. Their lives are bound together by a prophecy - one day their lands will be one.

I don't know what this book was going for. Bitter-sweet romance? Political intruige? Fantasy dystopian? I see traces of all of these, but none of them is completely fleshed out. The characters, the events... All of them are told in the same lack-lustre manner that kept me from connecting with any of them.

The world Ms Harrison creates is interesting, but lacks depth. I suspect she's holding out on details so she can throw them at us in later instalments of the series, but for me this doesn't work. There is a serious lack of explanations going on. From the start of the story you are thrown into a world with weyr, unweyrs, taweyr, neweyr and Weirwood. I don't know about you, but from this I kind of pictured weyr to be a kind of tree. It took me quite a while to figure out that weyr is a kind of magic, because nowhere it is explained. Taweyr is the male, destruction kind of magic, and neweyr is the nature-y female kind of magic. Well colour me surprised, the females have nursing magic and males war magic? Baw-ring. There is also a third kind, ekhono who have the wrong kind of magic.

Throughout the book almost all the characters talk about is the fate of the kingdoms, of what will happen and how everyone is in danger. Well, at the end of the book NOTHING is different than there is at the start. Why would you make us worry so much about something you aren't even going to use? The characters are inconsistent and confused, one moment they are childish or selfish, the other moment they go on and on about their duty towards their country, sometimes even in the same paragraph.

I think The Rose Throne is going for a kind of gruesome princess-story, because there are dozens of executions and poisonings. Almost every few chapters someone's dying, and she even kills off some main characters effortlessly. I get that you don't want your story to be like a fairy-tale, but this went a bit out of bounds. You can't make us feel for a character, than kill him off towards the end without any drama surrounding it. There is no emotional shock, only a confused "...huh?". It might work for GRR Martin, but I don't think it worked in The Rose Throne.

This is not a book I will remember fondly, not an author I'll read again. I only recommend The Rose Throne if you have the rest of the series nearby, because on its own it's not a satisfying read.

[Lark of The Bookwyrm's Hoard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.

I really wanted to like The Rose Throne. I enjoyed Harrison’s The Princess and the Hound, which I found refreshingly original. But The Rose Throne disappointed me from the first page. While Harrison’s ideas are good, her somewhat lackluster execution made much of the book a chore to slog through, particularly during the first third to half. There is too much telling, as opposed to showing, which sometimes renders the prose rather flat. I also did not care for the ending, which manages to be both abrupt and anticlimactic. (And unless there is a sequel planned, the ending also leaves too much up in the air.)

My other frustration was with Harrison’s magic system. It was interesting, yes, but also annoyingly sexist. Essentially, there are two types of magic, one inborn in women and the other in men. (Once in a while, someone gets the “wrong” kind, which doesn’t go over well in society.) Women’s magic, neweyr, is nurturing; it has to do with growing things. (OK, I can swallow that; it’s a bit stereotyped, but it’s not unreasonable.) Men’s magic, taweyr, is, as far as I can tell, purely destructive; it’s as if testosterone rage were turned into a magical force. I can’t think of a single example where taweyr is used constructively. And that really bothers me. For one thing, it says some very disturbing things about the author’s view of men and their power. For another, it’s unbalanced. In most books, magic is like any other powerful force: like fire or water, it can be wielded for good or ill. Individuals usually have some choice in how they use their power, or else in what kind of power they use. But in this book, men (and a few women) have no choice. Their magic is essentially destructive; they can only use it and try not to be used by it.

Harrison has created an interesting world, and the court intrigue and political and social she depicts are bleak but believable. She tells the story in third person limited from the point of view of two princesses, one from each country, each wielding a different magic. (By the way, ignore the publisher’s blurb. It is wrong on several counts, including the implication that the princesses might to kill each other.) I found both princesses compelling, but felt that Ailsbet acted inconsistently at times, while Harrison failed to sell me on Issa’s sudden love for a male character. He was intriguing but somewhat inscrutable; even at the end of the book, I wasn’t sure if I entirely trusted him, or whether he had personal motivations other than the ones he frequently expressed.

If the prose were more alive, and the magic system less sexist – or conversely, if Harrison had really explored how society would be affected by such a system, in addition to focusing on one man's abuse of power – I would have enjoyed the book more. As I said, there were some good and thought-provoking ideas in there. But I’m still not sure I would forgive her the very unsatisfying ending.

FCC disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Liviania · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE ROSE THRONE is the tale of two princesses. Ailsbet is trapped by her position. She cannot inherit the throne, due to her lack of magic and gender, but she must do her duty for her country although she would rather be a musician. Marissa loves her magic and her country, but she must leave to marry Ailsbet's younger brother, in a court more vicious than she's prepared for.

I've heard several books referred to as the YA version of GAME OF THRONES, but rarely have found the comparison apt. I haven't heard that description applied to THE ROSE THRONE, but it's the comparison I'd make. Both are highly political with lots of intrigue, full of characters with fatal flaws, concerned with what makes a good ruler, contrasting good and bad families, and have women carving out spaces for themselves in misogynistic societies. THE ROSE THRONE is similar, but it's still a juicy, compelling fantasy read.

I loved Ailsbet. She's not very social, because of the way her father has raised her and her troubles with magic. But she wants to connect. When she fell in love, I felt for her even though the guy she fell in love with was clearly a jerk who was bad for her. I found Marissa somewhat less compelling, partially because her forbidden love storyline was more conventional. But I still found her parts of the novel interesting and liked the contrast between the two heroines. They're very strong in different ways, but they share a desire to keep their people and countries safe.

The weakest part of the story was the ending. It felt like the set-up to a sequel, but I haven't heard anything about THE ROSE THRONE having a sequel. (I would definitely read one, however.) There is a complete plot, or I would be very unhappy, but the ending happens rather quickly compared to the rest of the novel. And there are such large repercussions to what happens that it would be sad to never get a sequel.

I absolutely loved THE ROSE THRONE. It hits so many of my favorite fantasy tropes, all wrapped up in great writing and an intriguing setting. I haven't read any of Mette Ivie Harrison's backlist, but you can be assured I'm looking into picking up her other books based on the strength of THE ROSE THRONE.

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of what I've wanted to say, has already been said in the other reviews - yay? mine can be more succinct now.

An earlier reviewer blamed the blurb on the back cover/inside jacket: I agree whole-heartedly! That prophecy was the core of the plot, the bait that hooked potential readers into not putting the book back on the shelf.

What an utter disappointment. Beautiful potential, unfulfilled. There are so many elements in this story that titillate and excite and are teased wonderfully - I wonder what this book's editor made of it. How much less developed were the characters and plots originally? I don't understand the pacing... in some areas it is incredibly dull; in others, moving at an unnerving speed - I literally had to check a few times to make sure I hadn't accidentally skipped a chapter or two.

And just... WHAT was that ending?! there *was* no conclusion; even a bad one - just a certain amount of confusion. Farrrr too many ends left loose. I understand that sequels are planned; even so, the ending felt very abrupt.

I know it doesn't happen, but I wish Harrison would re-write this story. With more well fleshed-out characters... don't be shy of making them more dimensional! of writing a longer novel. There were so many aspects of the story that aren't common in sci-fi/fantasy fiction, at least not all together in the same novel. I was excited about the combination. It was like being promised a wonderful adventure/vacation to a fantastic dream location, seeing the full-colour glossy brochure, even meeting a few of the characters - but being robbed of actually having the trip. :( Aren't prophecies supposed to come true, by the way (even if reality twists it a little)? The bait was a total fraud. That bites. :(

My favourite part of the story: Ailsbet using her gift in a positive way, with her flute - it struck a true note with me. I'm hoping the sequel (which I'm pretty sure I'll rush to read, in the hopes that this time the promise will be kept!) will explore this aspect of her gift in a lot of detail - and that she'll have enormous control over wielding it. I also wish she'd had more of a role in destroying her father/helping Marissa, but alas. I didn't write the story.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 19%

For some rea­son, I got my authors mixed up when I requested this on Net­Gal­ley. I vaguely thought this was a new novel by Eva Ibbot­son. After think­ing Ms Ibbotson’s writ­ing wasn’t any­where near as inter­est­ing as I remem­bered, I realised my mistake.

It turns out The Rose Throne is by the same author of Tris and Izzie, a book I thought was pretty poor and said so two years ago. Had I known, I wouldn’t have requested this one for review, but I did, so I felt obliged to give it a go. How­ever nowa­days I’m much less inclined to con­tinue read­ing a book I’m not inter­ested in and at 19% I’m mov­ing on from this one.

I don’t think it’s really fair to give a full review of The Rose Throne hav­ing read so lit­tle, but I will say that I do think this is a bet­ter book than Tris and Izzie. The two main char­ac­ters are bland, and don’t seem to really react to any­thing, but on the up side, they don’t inspire feel­ings of com­plete dis­gust in the short time I spent with them.

That being said, I don’t see any signs of this being a great book either. The writ­ing is just too emo­tion­less for me, some­thing I recall both­er­ing me in Ms Harrison’s pre­vi­ous work. Unfor­tu­nately, it’s a bit like read­ing one long monot­one. There appears to be two types of magic taweyr and neweyr, in Harrison’s world. The author kind of dumps the reader in the mid­dle of all this with­out cohe­sively explain­ing it, but from what I can gather, neweyr is a female power, con­nected to new life, growth and nur­tur­ing, while taweyr, the magic of death and war, is a male power. The exis­tence of taweyr in a woman, or neweyr in a man is deemed unnat­ural and those with the wrong weyr are despised, hunted down and killed. Not being at all con­fi­dent this author could explore this uncom­fort­ably sex­ist mag­i­cal sys­tem in a sat­is­fac­tory way and being com­pletely bored by the prose, I swiftly decided The Rose Throne, sadly, wasn’t for me.

As with Tris and Izzie, I really do love the cover though.

Many thanks to Egmont USA and Net­Gal­ley for mak­ing this ebook available.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harrison draws inspiration from the Tudors, it seems specifically Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, and I enjoyed seeing the similarities and the differences. This is really the story of two princesses, very different from each other, but both smart, good people. There's a power-mad, ruthless king and neither Ailsbet (his daughter) nor Marissa (the daughter of a rival king) are safe from his scheming. I found both princesses very believable and likable in their own ways, and I wanted so much for them to talk to each other and confide in each other in order to have an ally at court, but it's also very understandable and believable that they didn't.

The bit of romance in the story felt undeveloped and rushed, but fortunately that's a very small part of the story, so I didn't feel it detracted too much. Or rather, there's a "romance" that is nicely developed. The two characters interact and get to know each other. We get to see the girl is starting to like, possibly have feelings for the guy. But it turns out to not be a romance because the guy is insincere. The actual real romance, the girl starts out actually hating the guy. They interact a tiny bit, but as far as we the reader know, she still doesn't like him even if she is starting to see he's not bad/evil, and then suddenly she loves him and he loves her. We get to see her opinion of him change, but that's not the same thing as her *feelings* for him changing. Like I said though, it's a small part of the story, and although I might have wished for more development of that romance, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book as it is. Basically I wish as much time was spent seeing interactions and feelings between the guy and girl develop for the actual romance as there was for the red herring romance.

I really hope there's a sequel for this coming out, because I really enjoyed it, and I want more Ailsbet and Marissa!

I would recommend this to YA fans of Sherwood Smith and Robin McKinley.

Note: I read this as an advance eARC from Netgalley

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Rose Throne by Mette Ivie Harrison is the tale told from the alternating perspectives of two princesses who must find their way in the dangerous maze of royal politics, magic and love. In this fantasy world there are two forms of magic, taweyr, involving anger, power and strength of will, possessed by the men, and neweyr, the power of the earth and life, possessed by women. Ailsbet, is a tall, intelligent and imposing princess from Rurik with a fondness for music and little else in her power hungry kingdom where she does not fit in. She is also hiding a dangerous secret about her powers. Marlissa is from the kingdom of Weirland, adores her kingdom with its great beauty, and is looking forward to one day ruling as a fair and just Queen.

When both princesses are expected to bend to arranged political marriages, they are forced into worlds far uglier than either knew existed, quickly having to decide between personal honor and their duty as a pawn in the games of power. Can they fulfill their deepest desires? Can they find true love? What of the ancient prophecy? Can they both survive?

The Rose Throne is fast-paced and richly detailed, painting the stark differences between the two kingdoms in concise detail. The characters were heroic, brave and willing to give and risk all. From page one, the suspense and plot twists kept building to a rousing crescendo that left me wanting to read more about these brave young women! A wonderful coming of age read!

This ARC edition was provided by NetGalley and Egmont USA in exchange for my honest review. Publication Date: May 14, 2013

[Kiirsi Hellewell · Rating 2 out of 5]

So...the whole way through this book, I was pretty confused. I wondered when the story would actually START, and why any of the characters did what they did (which wasn't much...there was a fair amount of talking but the things they said didn't make a whole lot of sense). I never felt like I saw inside their heads, to their inner motivations and feelings.

The main "love interest" guy pretty much only seemed to insult both girls in question whenever he was around them, so I could not at all figure out why either of them liked/loved him. And it was suddenly BAM! We're in love! What?? That came out of nowhere.

I think the idea of male and female magic is an intriguing concept, but I feel like it was never explained really. There were only a few instances where somebody actually used one and we got to see what it was like, and yet it was supposed to be the cause of everything. I just couldn't buy into it.

Finally, about ten pages or so before the end, something started happening. And then...it just ended! Will there be a sequel? Who knows. Nothing was settled, nothing much happened (except lots of people dying at the hands of the evil king, and everyone standing around doing nothing while the evil king did whatever he wanted). I guess the reason this feels so weird/unsettled is that at the end of the book, every (still living) character is exactly the same as they were at the book's starting. I can't think of any living character who had any growth, change, or progression. And what about the all-important prophecy?

[Emily Crowell · Rating 2 out of 5]

interesting storyline, but very poorly written. Instead of letting the reader figure out how the character was feeling, or building up to a revelation, Ms. Harrison just told us. For example, very predictably, Lissa falls in love with a certain character, the author just springs it on us that of course she loves him, and he automatically knew immedietly. There was absolutly no hint that that was coming, or why! He had been a jerk to her the entire book up to that point!
Another issue with 'The Rose Throne' was all the unlilkable characters. Though I did like Lissa, I thought Ailsbet was just... bleh. I didn't like reading about her because her personality was so unlilkable. And all the men were so sexist! I COULDN'T STAND IT! Every time the men talked about women's inferiority I wanted to punch them in the throat.
Finally, though this book had the potential to be great- it had a very unique storyline and was somewhat unpredictable, it fell vastly short. I probibly won't read the next, just because te author's writing style was so juvinile, and I could never connect with the characters.

[Ascolta]

I pursued this book in hopes that it would do something that ... it just was never going to do. I want this to be a parable about essentialism & gender - a cautionary tale. I feared that it is not a cautionary tale, but rather a doubling-down on gender essentialism. The fantastical element is an compelling one: that a magical life-force called weyr, which used to infuse the inhabitants of the land - by was cleaved in a fit of pique to neweyr (connection and life) and taweyr (rage and death) which tend to be held by women and men respectively. The truly interesting aspect of this is that a key female character is revealed to be ekhono, that is one who holds weyr from the opposite gender. This seems a kind of metaphor for trans people, and certainly in Rurik it is punishable by death—as it is frequently in contemporary society (in practice if not exactly by policy)...

On the one hand, The Rose Throne (aka The Princess of Rurik) does call into some question gendered essentialism, but in a way that itself feels fairly regressive. Like its from the 90s. The message Ailsbet (loosely based on Elizabeth, get it?) longs for is 'a man who would love a woman for her taweyr strength, not despite it' — super 90s right? Tomboy longs for guy who will love her, even if she has short hair? So even though this romance came out in 2013, it was pleading for a 90s ethos of gender relations. Moreover, the taweyr the Ailsbet calls on (presumably a stand-in for testosterone?) ultimately leads to arguably the biggest folly of the story, b/c she is unable to control it... and for her the only answer is to leave Rurik altogether, allowing the sea to 'take' that force from her . Maybe doubling down on regressive gender stereotypes is not surprising given the author's Mormon-influenced experience of gender?

Assorted thoughts from mid-points: at its strongest, this is a story about political intrigue and survival; through much of novel, the 'heroism' resides in small acts rather than sorcery and sword-craft. It is about living under a tyrant. A strange choice to make the ocean a nefarious force—suggesting in some ways perhaps that the 'weyred' are prisoners on the island nations rather than the gifted ones. The loose setting of this story on the Tudors is curious... does it add anything to the story?

One of the interesting things about historical re-telling (or indeed any history at all - as though there is a core difference between 'history' and 'historical retelling' in reality) is what it tells us about today. What does Harrison's recasting of Elizabeth and Mary in these terms tell us about her interests and aims? What does our reception of her story tell us about ourselves? A number of reviewers expressed frustration with certain elements that were more true to the 16th century (when the real Elizabeth and Mary lived), for example the idea that romantic love would never drive a marriage between upper-class families. Thus Ailsbet's fervent hope that she not detest her betrothed and her contentment with finding a kind of peace with Lord Umber's wit struck me as one of the more compelling elements of The Rose Throne.

The Rose Throne is not rife with tantalizing prose infused with insight or wisdom, but there are a few passages that excite further thought:

She was uncomfortable with his compliments, though they seemed sincere enough. It sometimes felt as if he must be speaking to someone else who looked like her, but was not her.

~

It will be difficult for you there. I understand that. You will have to learn to understand what is meant, and not what is said. Nothing is on the surface in Rurik. You will have to read faces and gestures and think ahead to survive. You will have to twist yourself into a new shape, one you have never conceived of before.

~

Perhaps her father was not so different from King Haikor, after all, thought Issa. It was not a pleasant thought, and she felt ill at ease the rest of the tournament.

~

Issa looked around at everything that was familiar to her here. When she was in Rurik, she would miss this simplicity. She would have to give up her simple gowns and her braided hair and her privacy. There would be servants everywhere and always the need for show. Yet she would never be at ease there, never sure of her place, even as queen.

~

You mean the prophecy? I've always thought that meant the end of the world.

~

The whole kingdom had become suspicious, grasping, and terrified since her father had taken the throne.

~

Are you giving me advice about my music? asked Ailsbet, smiling. I don't write music with words. It is — cheap.

~

"I am afraid of Princess Marlissa," he said simply.
Ailsbet was astonished at this. "What is there to fear in her? She never has a harsh word to say, and she treats you with perfect respect."
"That is what I fear. She makes no mistakes, and I make so many. I know she must think badly of me, yet she never says a word. how can I believe anything she says? She will marry me, and then she will hate me, and all the while she will be smiling." This was far more rational and endearing than anything Ailsbet had heard Edik say in weeks.

~

Even stones were not fully dead.

~

As unweyr, Ailsbet had thought she would feel noting in the presence of the ocean. Instead it called to her and made promises of what it could give her if only she was wiling to give up her home, her place, her very name.

So ultimately what started as a potentially interesting rumination on gender and queerness, morphed into a sub-par romance — one where the key protagonist literally falls in love with a guy who NEGS her upon first meeting. [EYEROLL] The instalove element is then mirrored on his side. The key characters ultimately make excessively poor decisions, one after the next, which drives the climax of the story. Presumably one might expect teenagers to make excessively poor decisions; its a central teen characteristic... but as I've lamented before, watching people with undeveloped brains bumble from one misstep to the next hardly makes for a compelling narrative. And that is certainly what happened over the last quarter of the book.

[Cass]

I can't help it. Princesses, magic, rivalry and struggle for power... And yes, the cover.

[Misty · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75ish

There's an interesting thing that happens with me and Mette Ivie Harrison's writing, in that I tend to have one big problem with something (often something hard to pin down or explain), and I find myself dwelling on it, even when I like the book/story/character/ideas or whatever else I may really like. I talked about this before in The Princess and the Hound, but essentially, I fall into her writing really easily and find it readable (I think some may find it slow, but to be honest, I like that unhurried quality to it), and I always find myself appreciating her worlds and remembering them and her characters for longer than I generally do with books. I liked The Princess and the Hound, though I think perhaps less in hindsight, when my overwhelming impression seemed to focus on the things I wanted more from; but I liked The Rose Throne even more, which makes me curious how I'll feel about it down the line. I find Harrison's world and concepts really intriguing, and her two princesses, Issa and Ailsbet, believably distinct. They played well off of each other, and the changing POVs in the narration actually benefited the story, whereas I normally find things like this risky, gimmicky and sadly flow-breaking. I'm glad to say this was not the case for The Rose Throne. I also had very concrete images of the characters and various settings, but without ever feeling like I'd just had to wade through a ton of detailed world-building and info-dumping, and that makes me very happy as a reader. It makes it all seem a little more natural and effortless.

But that doesn't change the fact that there's always that one thing in her stories that causes a disconnect for me, and that I can't help but dwell on. And I think, with The Rose Throne, I've figured out what it is: there is a bit of a passiveness in Harrison's writing when it comes to the characters and with the way the story is structured.  For example, there is a part where one princess slaps another, and you'd expect that to be a very tense, exciting moment. But the tension was dramatically lessened by the way in which the scene is written. It's not "I raised my hand and slapped her," which is active and felt more powerfully by the reader; instead, it's written as

 "Issa raised a hand, and the sound of the slap rang in the room like music." 

Pretty, yes, but it's one step disconnected from Issa's action: it's not "Issa slapped Ailsbet, and the sound rang in the room like music," which still captures the feeling of violence and beauty, mingled. Instead, Issa raises her hand, a slap is heard, and the reader connects the two - but Issa is removed from the power of immediate action. I know this may sound silly to some people, but subconsciously, things like this do make a difference in the way a reader reacts to a story. I think this is the "elusive something" that I couldn't put my finger on in my review of The Princess and the Hound, when I said that bones of the story were there, but it was missing something in the connective tissue.

The other part of the disconnect is that sometimes the reactions - or at least, the transitions into them - don't seem natural. They tend to either seem really understated and passive, or they blaze up to extremes, seemingly out of nowhere. In the case of The Rose Throne, I would say this is meant to mimic the two different magics, the neweyr and taweyr, but the same was true of The Princess and the Hound, so it seems to be more of a stylistic thing. And even if it was intentional, that doesn't necessarily make it the best choice... There's just not always a consistent, recognizable flow to characters and their actions, and though it's not necessarily something that's readily noticeable, it does cause a bit of a disconnect between the reader and the story. This means that I didn't always believe the characters' romances, emotions, and motivations, or their sudden insights - if they can figure each other out at a glance, why can't everyone else around them see through them and their schemes? But either I eventually got used to it and went with it, or things went on long enough in this vein to make it seem more natural, because by the end of the book, I didn't have as much of an issue with this. I think it goes back to the suddenness of their emotions and reactions - Issa and Kellin, seemingly in love upon first contentious encounter, Ailsbet's waffling on using her magic and ruling, or abandoning everything and everyone in pursuit of music, etc

Now, here I find myself, once again, giving this weird, overly-analytical review of Harrison's style, and I'm afraid that it ends up coming off that I didn't like the book. Fact is, I did. I found it intriguing and memorable, and in some of the ways I reacted to it, it sort of reminded me of Chalice by Robin McKinley (which itself was a bit of a problem book for me, but again, one I think highly of... It's all very confusing.); I even see why Harrison made the stylistic choices she made, and how they do make sense, in a way. And I find myself both liking it and puzzled by my not liking of it.  And so, I think the reason I dwell on these things the way I do is because I see potential for a book I could really love, and I see real skill in the storytelling that is being held back by this thing, whatever it may be, and I just want to fix it.

So what I'm saying is, I doubt most of you will focus on these aspects of Harrison's storytelling, which means you probably won't take issue the way I have, and will be able to enjoy it unfettered. It think it is definitely worth the read for its complexities and the way that Harrison explores characters and themes. And if you do read it, I'd love to discuss it with you!

[Side note: I just saw the comparison to Cassandra Clare in the synopsis, and I just want to say: I think they're way off on that, AND I'd choose Mette over Cassie any day.]