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The Women's War #2
Queen of the Unwanted
In the riveting sequel to the feminist fantasy epic The Women's War, the ability to do magic has given women control over their own bodies. But as the patriarchy starts to fall, they must now learn to rule as women, not men.
Alys may be the acknowledged queen of Women’s Well—the fledgling colony where women hold equal status with men—but she cares little for politics in the wake of an appalling personal tragedy. It is grief that drives her now. But the world continues to turn.
In a distant realm unused to female rulers, Ellin struggles to maintain control. Meanwhile, the king of the island nation of Khalpar recruits an abbess who he thinks holds the key to reversing the spell that Alys’s mother gave her life to create. And back in Women’s Well, Alys’s own half brother is determined to bring her to heel. Unless these women can come together and embrace the true nature of female power, everything they have struggled to achieve may be at risk.
Alys may be the acknowledged queen of Women’s Well—the fledgling colony where women hold equal status with men—but she cares little for politics in the wake of an appalling personal tragedy. It is grief that drives her now. But the world continues to turn.
In a distant realm unused to female rulers, Ellin struggles to maintain control. Meanwhile, the king of the island nation of Khalpar recruits an abbess who he thinks holds the key to reversing the spell that Alys’s mother gave her life to create. And back in Women’s Well, Alys’s own half brother is determined to bring her to heel. Unless these women can come together and embrace the true nature of female power, everything they have struggled to achieve may be at risk.
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First published May 12, 2020
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About the author
Jenna Glass
9 books164 followersJenna Glass wrote her first book—an “autobiography”—when she was in the fifth grade. She began writing in earnest while in college and proceeded to collect a dizzying array of rejections for her first seventeen novels. Nevertheless, she persisted, and her eighteenth novel became her first commercial sale. Within a few years, Glass became a full-time writer and has never looked back. She has published more than twenty novels under various names. The Women’s War marks her first foray into epic fantasy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
May 16, 2020
......sigh
I actually think this book was better than the first book in many ways, but it also made the first book's flaws even more strikingly obvious. Every single person in this book is heterosexual. Every single person is cisgender. The only fat person is disgustingly evil, and is shamed almost as much for being fat as for being evil. There are still no confirmed characters of color, but the extremely pale characters are sort of discriminated against? I don't think this book is trying to pull a reverse-racism plot but it's... getting awkwardly close to doing that.
There was one single attempt at intersectional feminism in the form of a blind character who does not wish for or take a magical cure. It surprised me that Jenna Glass resisted the temptation to do what every single fantasy book seems to need to do to disabled characters, but so far she has resisted it. Good for her in that one specific area, and in no other area.
I don't know what else to say about the complete lack of diversity in this book. It's just appalling. How can you set out to write a feminist fantasy series in 2020 without ever remembering or considering or hinting at the fact that being marginalized in ways besides being cis female affects your experience and needs and activism? Does Jenna Glass know that gay people exist? This is an honest question that I am concerned about.
Every way in which this book did political intrigue and plot twists well are overshadowed by how painfully underdeveloped the world is. It lacks even the most basic nod to the idea that cis, straight, white women are not the only women, much less that more marginalized women have even harder circumstances.
"Give us all the unwanted women!" Queen of the Unwanted cries. "We value them!"
"Including trans women and gay women and fat women and women of color?" the reader inquires.
"Who?" Queen of the Unwanted asks.
Edit: review changed to one star. Sometimes the way people react to criticism of a book reveals a lot about the kind of worldview that book encourages. The more people force me to think about this book, the more flaws I see.
I actually think this book was better than the first book in many ways, but it also made the first book's flaws even more strikingly obvious. Every single person in this book is heterosexual. Every single person is cisgender. The only fat person is disgustingly evil, and is shamed almost as much for being fat as for being evil. There are still no confirmed characters of color, but the extremely pale characters are sort of discriminated against? I don't think this book is trying to pull a reverse-racism plot but it's... getting awkwardly close to doing that.
There was one single attempt at intersectional feminism in the form of a blind character who does not wish for or take a magical cure. It surprised me that Jenna Glass resisted the temptation to do what every single fantasy book seems to need to do to disabled characters, but so far she has resisted it. Good for her in that one specific area, and in no other area.
I don't know what else to say about the complete lack of diversity in this book. It's just appalling. How can you set out to write a feminist fantasy series in 2020 without ever remembering or considering or hinting at the fact that being marginalized in ways besides being cis female affects your experience and needs and activism? Does Jenna Glass know that gay people exist? This is an honest question that I am concerned about.
Every way in which this book did political intrigue and plot twists well are overshadowed by how painfully underdeveloped the world is. It lacks even the most basic nod to the idea that cis, straight, white women are not the only women, much less that more marginalized women have even harder circumstances.
"Give us all the unwanted women!" Queen of the Unwanted cries. "We value them!"
"Including trans women and gay women and fat women and women of color?" the reader inquires.
"Who?" Queen of the Unwanted asks.
Edit: review changed to one star. Sometimes the way people react to criticism of a book reveals a lot about the kind of worldview that book encourages. The more people force me to think about this book, the more flaws I see.
February 25, 2022
Queen of the Unwanted is the second installment of The Women's War series. Just like the first book, I'm completely invested in this world and the characters within it. If I'm still being honest here, I'm really mad and disappointed in myself for waiting so long to jump into it. Now, I'm super excited to jump into the next book to see how it all ends.
Even though the pace was a bit slower than the first book, a lot actually happens. I liked getting to meet all the new people but following the ones from before was more special. Just because they were going through so much that I would have been disappointed if we didn't see them in this one. In a way, each character is definitely tested throughout this and it's always interesting to see the women adapting and growing from it all.
With so much bravery and strength, one can only imagine what will happen in the next book. Especially when we get more twists, turns, and secrets revealed. So, in other words, I'm very excited to jump into the third book. Hoping that everything turns out for the better for some people, but I have a feeling not everything will be peaceful either.
Even though the pace was a bit slower than the first book, a lot actually happens. I liked getting to meet all the new people but following the ones from before was more special. Just because they were going through so much that I would have been disappointed if we didn't see them in this one. In a way, each character is definitely tested throughout this and it's always interesting to see the women adapting and growing from it all.
With so much bravery and strength, one can only imagine what will happen in the next book. Especially when we get more twists, turns, and secrets revealed. So, in other words, I'm very excited to jump into the third book. Hoping that everything turns out for the better for some people, but I have a feeling not everything will be peaceful either.
October 23, 2021
The Queen of the Unwanted was a good book. Jenna Glass is an amazing writer and has made such a complex and beautifully written world. There is just something that keeps me from absolutely loving it. Sometimes its the names. Sometimes its the pace. It was slow in some parts, but that's not to say I feel like the slow parts aren't necessary. If anything, it's taught me a lot about how "slower" moments really help in manufacturing a world and the people within it. Sometimes, though, it feels like Glass skips over moments of action and plucks us right in the aftermath. I want the juice! I want the shock! But that comes down to my preferences. It's not poorly written by any means. Sometimes it also feels like tensions between characters is resolved almost TOO well, but on the other hand it's also nice because you don't want two characters your fond of to be fighting, LOL. But that can also make for a boring tone.
The characters are brilliantly written and Glass captures human emotion like a psychologist. There is a large ensemble of characters but never once did I have trouble remembering which character I was following. NOT ONCE did I have to backtrack to remember which POV I was reading.
I often have a hard time with the middle book in trilogies, but this book does not fail to match pace with the first book. While it was slow, I wasn't completely bored out of mind or thinking "wow, none of this is necessary". The book actually moves the plot forward rather than leaving me with the feeling that I'm (and therefore the characters) are in the exact same spot we were in when the first book ended.
In conclusion, while this book, or the trilogy in general, doesn't have me OBSESSED it does have my interest and I am anxious to find out what happens next. I have a sinking feeling that all this slow building tension is about to explode in the third and final book of the trilogy, but we shall see.
The characters are brilliantly written and Glass captures human emotion like a psychologist. There is a large ensemble of characters but never once did I have trouble remembering which character I was following. NOT ONCE did I have to backtrack to remember which POV I was reading.
I often have a hard time with the middle book in trilogies, but this book does not fail to match pace with the first book. While it was slow, I wasn't completely bored out of mind or thinking "wow, none of this is necessary". The book actually moves the plot forward rather than leaving me with the feeling that I'm (and therefore the characters) are in the exact same spot we were in when the first book ended.
In conclusion, while this book, or the trilogy in general, doesn't have me OBSESSED it does have my interest and I am anxious to find out what happens next. I have a sinking feeling that all this slow building tension is about to explode in the third and final book of the trilogy, but we shall see.
June 22, 2020
well...the day has finally come...where I support a mid-series cover change.
~~~~Actual Review~~~~
oh my goodness this world is a mess. It makes me feel better about living in a time and continent where Americans just...decide a pandemic is over cause they don't wanna do that anymore and...we have murder hornets.
This is a super political maneuvering heavy book so if you're not a fan of that...I just don't think this series is really for you. It continues to tackle a lot of stuff that revolves around societal rules of the sexes and genders and that ICONIC toxic masculinity. I would like more. Thank ya!
~~~~Actual Review~~~~
oh my goodness this world is a mess. It makes me feel better about living in a time and continent where Americans just...decide a pandemic is over cause they don't wanna do that anymore and...we have murder hornets.
This is a super political maneuvering heavy book so if you're not a fan of that...I just don't think this series is really for you. It continues to tackle a lot of stuff that revolves around societal rules of the sexes and genders and that ICONIC toxic masculinity. I would like more. Thank ya!
May 21, 2020
3.5 stars
You can read all of my reviews at https://www.NerdGirlLovesBooks.com
This is the second book in a fantasy series about how three different women - one a queen, one the crown princess of a new principality, and one the Abbess of an abbey - try to lead their people, and help women take back power over their bodies and their lives that had previously been denied by the men that ruled over them.
In this book, Queen Ellin becomes more adept at ruling her kingdom, but still makes mistakes and often must rely on guidance from one member of her Council and Zarsha, the man who wants to marry her. She is barely hanging on to her crown, isn't sure who she can trust, and faces one adversity after another. Alys is also facing challenges in getting recognized by other kingdoms, as well as setting up trade agreements necessary for the survival of her young principality. Every day that Women's Well is not recognized brings it closer to invasion and possible annihilation. She must make hard decisions for the better of her new kingdom that take a personal toll on her already fragile psyche.
To add another level of conflict, the fervent king of the island nation of Khalpar orders his abbess to find a way to reverse the spell (women refer to it as a "blessing", men call it a "curse") that changed the world. The abbess agrees to do it, but has ulterior motives for doing so.
Once again, this long book (592 pages) could do with some serious editing. Like the first one, 200-250 pages of this book could be cut without losing any of the story. Also like the first book, the story unfolds slowly. It focuses on the female rulers' struggles to lead their people and avoid wars. The main characters are developed further, although they don't make nearly as much progress as you would expect in a 592 page book. Ellin struggles with self-doubt, and Alys wallows in pain and misery, for much of the book. At a certain point something needs to give, but nothing changes much. This gets tedious to read.
Overall, this is a good second book in the series and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You can read all of my reviews at https://www.NerdGirlLovesBooks.com
This is the second book in a fantasy series about how three different women - one a queen, one the crown princess of a new principality, and one the Abbess of an abbey - try to lead their people, and help women take back power over their bodies and their lives that had previously been denied by the men that ruled over them.
In this book, Queen Ellin becomes more adept at ruling her kingdom, but still makes mistakes and often must rely on guidance from one member of her Council and Zarsha, the man who wants to marry her. She is barely hanging on to her crown, isn't sure who she can trust, and faces one adversity after another. Alys is also facing challenges in getting recognized by other kingdoms, as well as setting up trade agreements necessary for the survival of her young principality. Every day that Women's Well is not recognized brings it closer to invasion and possible annihilation. She must make hard decisions for the better of her new kingdom that take a personal toll on her already fragile psyche.
To add another level of conflict, the fervent king of the island nation of Khalpar orders his abbess to find a way to reverse the spell (women refer to it as a "blessing", men call it a "curse") that changed the world. The abbess agrees to do it, but has ulterior motives for doing so.
Once again, this long book (592 pages) could do with some serious editing. Like the first one, 200-250 pages of this book could be cut without losing any of the story. Also like the first book, the story unfolds slowly. It focuses on the female rulers' struggles to lead their people and avoid wars. The main characters are developed further, although they don't make nearly as much progress as you would expect in a 592 page book. Ellin struggles with self-doubt, and Alys wallows in pain and misery, for much of the book. At a certain point something needs to give, but nothing changes much. This gets tedious to read.
Overall, this is a good second book in the series and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2020
3.5
I felt like this one moved slowly until the end, and then rushed and left a lot unfinished. I realize this is a trilogy but I prefer a bit tidier endings even in a series. This one read a lot like a glimpse at the next book, although I appreciate the author not ending with a "stay tuned..."
It's a good story.
I felt like this one moved slowly until the end, and then rushed and left a lot unfinished. I realize this is a trilogy but I prefer a bit tidier endings even in a series. This one read a lot like a glimpse at the next book, although I appreciate the author not ending with a "stay tuned..."
It's a good story.
March 27, 2021
You can also read my review here: https://devouringbooks2017.wordpress....
Review: 5 Stars
As soon as I finished reading The Women’s War I needed to start reading the sequel, especially after that ending. While I expected it to be great, I didn’t expect to love it even more than The Women’s War. When reading books as large as these epic fantasies there are typically times that I get bored or the pacing struggles. Not only did I tear through these thick books, I didn’t want them to end. I actually put off reading the last chapter for an entire day because I didn’t want the book to end.
Queen of the Unwanted is an incredible follow up to The Women’s War. It’s a political fantasy and once again there are multiple plot lines in play and all of the political manuvering made for a compelling plot. This is a character driven series, but whille the pace is slow there was never a dull moment. I was so incested in the story, it’s world ant the characters that I was completely absorbed in every minute of the book. This is an incredibly well written political fantasy, if you enjoy political manuvering and multiple plot lines, this is one series you won’t want to miss.
As I mentioned previously, this is a character driven novel and while I loved all of the characters in the previous novel there are some new characters introduced in this installment. Marisol was my favorite character that was introduced in this book. She is an extremely morally grey character and I absolutely loved watching her grow throughout the course of this story. I also loved Alys’ character arc in this installment. She was so vulnerable, yet remained so strong at the same time. i love that this series focuses on all types of women as they fight against adversity and for freedom. While this novel takes place in a fantasy world it’s an incredible story about how strength comes in different forms. Some women in this story are vulnerable while others are cold, but they show that bravery and strength come in many different forms.
The world Jenna Glass built is probably my favorite aspect of the series. These books encompass several kingdoms and courts, yet it doesn’t feel overwhelming and I could keep track of the different kingdoms and all of the events occurring in each. The magic system is really cool and this sequel expands upon everything in the first book and by the way it ends you can see that there is room for the world to continue to expand. I fell in love with the world and the magic system. The way it was written made it so easy to sink into and the world came to life so vividly in my mind. I felt like I was watching every minute of this book unfold in my head and could easily understand the magic, the differing cultures in the kingdoms and the settings.
I really did not want this book to end. I’m so invested in this world and the lives of all of these characters. I could not be happier that I stumbled upon this amazing epic fantasy series. The only complain that I have is that I have to wait for the next book! This book ended in a truly epic way just like the first book, so I can not wait to get my hands on the next installment. If you love political fantasies of an epic scale about brave women fighting for justice and freedom then do yourself a favor and pick up this series right away!
Review: 5 Stars
As soon as I finished reading The Women’s War I needed to start reading the sequel, especially after that ending. While I expected it to be great, I didn’t expect to love it even more than The Women’s War. When reading books as large as these epic fantasies there are typically times that I get bored or the pacing struggles. Not only did I tear through these thick books, I didn’t want them to end. I actually put off reading the last chapter for an entire day because I didn’t want the book to end.
Queen of the Unwanted is an incredible follow up to The Women’s War. It’s a political fantasy and once again there are multiple plot lines in play and all of the political manuvering made for a compelling plot. This is a character driven series, but whille the pace is slow there was never a dull moment. I was so incested in the story, it’s world ant the characters that I was completely absorbed in every minute of the book. This is an incredibly well written political fantasy, if you enjoy political manuvering and multiple plot lines, this is one series you won’t want to miss.
As I mentioned previously, this is a character driven novel and while I loved all of the characters in the previous novel there are some new characters introduced in this installment. Marisol was my favorite character that was introduced in this book. She is an extremely morally grey character and I absolutely loved watching her grow throughout the course of this story. I also loved Alys’ character arc in this installment. She was so vulnerable, yet remained so strong at the same time. i love that this series focuses on all types of women as they fight against adversity and for freedom. While this novel takes place in a fantasy world it’s an incredible story about how strength comes in different forms. Some women in this story are vulnerable while others are cold, but they show that bravery and strength come in many different forms.
The world Jenna Glass built is probably my favorite aspect of the series. These books encompass several kingdoms and courts, yet it doesn’t feel overwhelming and I could keep track of the different kingdoms and all of the events occurring in each. The magic system is really cool and this sequel expands upon everything in the first book and by the way it ends you can see that there is room for the world to continue to expand. I fell in love with the world and the magic system. The way it was written made it so easy to sink into and the world came to life so vividly in my mind. I felt like I was watching every minute of this book unfold in my head and could easily understand the magic, the differing cultures in the kingdoms and the settings.
I really did not want this book to end. I’m so invested in this world and the lives of all of these characters. I could not be happier that I stumbled upon this amazing epic fantasy series. The only complain that I have is that I have to wait for the next book! This book ended in a truly epic way just like the first book, so I can not wait to get my hands on the next installment. If you love political fantasies of an epic scale about brave women fighting for justice and freedom then do yourself a favor and pick up this series right away!
May 14, 2020
I liked the first book, liked the short story the author put out, but man...I feel like I'm slogging through this one. The audio book, which usually works better for me with fantasy, is 25 hours long, so you know this is a monster book. I'm 10 hours in and every time I have to pause the book it's harder and harder to turn it back on. In fact I went the last hour with quiet because I just didn't want to listen any more. So I'm taking that as my clue that this one isn't for me. I think it's all the political machinations that are doing me in, along with all the men being petty in not wanting to loose power and thinking women are less. I can't do it today.
June 19, 2020
3.5 🌟
I enjoyed but not as much as book 1.
Lot more politics in this one. New characters added on that we the readers had to get to know.
Kingdoms still against each other.
Hald brother putting his kingdom in jeopardy due that his sister Alys has claimed the new Well as Women's Well with their own rules braking away from her kingdom.
It was okay. Felt I wasn't satisfied with how some characters ended tales.
Thought more revenges will pay off and be more satisfying to me.
I enjoyed but not as much as book 1.
Lot more politics in this one. New characters added on that we the readers had to get to know.
Kingdoms still against each other.
Hald brother putting his kingdom in jeopardy due that his sister Alys has claimed the new Well as Women's Well with their own rules braking away from her kingdom.
It was okay. Felt I wasn't satisfied with how some characters ended tales.
Thought more revenges will pay off and be more satisfying to me.
June 26, 2020
I wanted to like this as well as I did the first one, but I think it just didn't go quite as well. I did not really like one of the story lines as well, and just didn't feel as involved as the first one. And, towards the end, I was really turned off by a moment of fat-shaming. I know we aren't supposed to like Delmanel, and I didn't really care that he was a fat person, but I did object to his fatness being presented as part of his weaknesses of character, and of the times others used this to think less of him and once to actually say they were repulsed by him. Was this necessary? Knocked my 3.5 down to a 3.
May 6, 2020
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Women's War series has the usual historical fantasy world where women have almost no choices. Their primary worth is to bear an heir for men in the patriarchal society. Men control the magic. Men can also choose to send women to a whorehouse for the "unwanted." This includes wives who can't have children, or if the man wants someone else, or even daughters. There, the unwanted are bought for sex or toil in creating spells, where the earnings go to the kingdom.
In the first book, Women's War, there were considerable battles and the primary characters were women. They were women of royal families. Their magic bloodlines were powerful and one created a spell to give women power over their own fertility. Men were not happy. One women leaves her kingdom and finds a new magic well and forms a new kingdom. Another woman becomes queen when her grandfather and parents are both dead. So now two kingdoms are ruled by women.
Queen of the Unwanted is more of a character study with much less action and battle. I kept expecting a big fight. Men were not happy and kept trying to undermine the women. Unfortunately for them, the woman were fairly successful in their politics and magic. We continue to get the story of Alys and her struggles with ruling the new Women's Well, and Ellin, the ruler of Rosenam(?) has trade agreements and her own marriage to negotiate. The other women who are primary are two unwanted women from the Abbey in Khalpar who are set to work to find a cure for the spell. I alternated between liking and hating them.
The men are struggling with their lack of control and their anger at the women's abilities and new power. They have no trouble being greedy, dishonest, and ruthless to get their way. Even the "good" guys have some difficulty. Two men from royal families are part of the arranged marriages, now negotiated by women, and while this is a normal event, they are really not happy. It's odd because it would have happened to them even if the rulers were men. So their happiness seems a bit more because women are involved in the deciding?
The pace was more even with only a few scenes of action. I did enjoy the characters and the magic. The book is not a cliffhanger but there are some huge plot lines to explore in the next outing. I'll be looking forward to it!
Narration:
Robin Miles is the narrator of this world for me. The male and female voices sounded appropriate. I enjoyed listening at my normal 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/penguin-audio/...
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Women's War series has the usual historical fantasy world where women have almost no choices. Their primary worth is to bear an heir for men in the patriarchal society. Men control the magic. Men can also choose to send women to a whorehouse for the "unwanted." This includes wives who can't have children, or if the man wants someone else, or even daughters. There, the unwanted are bought for sex or toil in creating spells, where the earnings go to the kingdom.
In the first book, Women's War, there were considerable battles and the primary characters were women. They were women of royal families. Their magic bloodlines were powerful and one created a spell to give women power over their own fertility. Men were not happy. One women leaves her kingdom and finds a new magic well and forms a new kingdom. Another woman becomes queen when her grandfather and parents are both dead. So now two kingdoms are ruled by women.
Queen of the Unwanted is more of a character study with much less action and battle. I kept expecting a big fight. Men were not happy and kept trying to undermine the women. Unfortunately for them, the woman were fairly successful in their politics and magic. We continue to get the story of Alys and her struggles with ruling the new Women's Well, and Ellin, the ruler of Rosenam(?) has trade agreements and her own marriage to negotiate. The other women who are primary are two unwanted women from the Abbey in Khalpar who are set to work to find a cure for the spell. I alternated between liking and hating them.
The men are struggling with their lack of control and their anger at the women's abilities and new power. They have no trouble being greedy, dishonest, and ruthless to get their way. Even the "good" guys have some difficulty. Two men from royal families are part of the arranged marriages, now negotiated by women, and while this is a normal event, they are really not happy. It's odd because it would have happened to them even if the rulers were men. So their happiness seems a bit more because women are involved in the deciding?
The pace was more even with only a few scenes of action. I did enjoy the characters and the magic. The book is not a cliffhanger but there are some huge plot lines to explore in the next outing. I'll be looking forward to it!
Narration:
Robin Miles is the narrator of this world for me. The male and female voices sounded appropriate. I enjoyed listening at my normal 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/penguin-audio/...
June 29, 2022
Trigger warning: Rape, Sexism, Sexual Assault, Child Death, Emotional Abuse, Forced Institutionalization, Suicide
The fatphobia in this book was a huge red flag for me. I did enjoy the political intrigue, but for 600 pages, I wanted it to build a little more conflict or tension. The last book implied an out-and-out war, but there is no war in this book. The feminism also feels a little second-wave to me, especially with how cruel it is in its portrayal of men. (I have nothing against valid criticism of sexism, but it felt like this book went beyond criticisms to exaggerations).
The fatphobia in this book was a huge red flag for me. I did enjoy the political intrigue, but for 600 pages, I wanted it to build a little more conflict or tension. The last book implied an out-and-out war, but there is no war in this book. The feminism also feels a little second-wave to me, especially with how cruel it is in its portrayal of men. (I have nothing against valid criticism of sexism, but it felt like this book went beyond criticisms to exaggerations).
January 9, 2020
I received a galley of this book from NetGalley.
Glass's feminist fantasy series started off with The Women's War, establishing an epic fantasy world where women are chattel who are not allowed to practice magic, and if their dominant men are displeased with them in any way, women and girls can be cast off to abbeys--essentially, government-run bordellos. Within the book, an incredible, multi-generational magic effort is made to correct this gender imbalance. The repercussions of this rattle the entire world, literally and figuratively.
Queen of the Unwanted carries on soon after that catastrophic event (for men), following different characters around the world as they grieve, love, and scheme amid the changing order. This epic fantasy setting feels fresh, and there is absolutely nothing predictable about the plot. Usually I can guess how things will end--nope! Glass excels at deft turns of plots, and her characters are incredible. In particular, there is a vital character who is a true antagonist, seeking to undo the mighty spell that gives women more power--and I hated her and deeply sympathized with her all at once. That's good writing.
Glass's feminist fantasy series started off with The Women's War, establishing an epic fantasy world where women are chattel who are not allowed to practice magic, and if their dominant men are displeased with them in any way, women and girls can be cast off to abbeys--essentially, government-run bordellos. Within the book, an incredible, multi-generational magic effort is made to correct this gender imbalance. The repercussions of this rattle the entire world, literally and figuratively.
Queen of the Unwanted carries on soon after that catastrophic event (for men), following different characters around the world as they grieve, love, and scheme amid the changing order. This epic fantasy setting feels fresh, and there is absolutely nothing predictable about the plot. Usually I can guess how things will end--nope! Glass excels at deft turns of plots, and her characters are incredible. In particular, there is a vital character who is a true antagonist, seeking to undo the mighty spell that gives women more power--and I hated her and deeply sympathized with her all at once. That's good writing.
October 9, 2020
This innovative series continues in book 2, and I enjoyed this one immensely, though it was a more conventional fantasy book in many ways. Some of the criticisms I had of the first one-not enough female antagonists, over-reliance on fat = evil have been completely remediated in this novel. The story does not have as many army on army battles as the first book, but there is a wealth of court intrigue to have the plot going forward. The theme of exploring the female POV by swapping gender roles continues, particularly in the depictions of marriage negotiations where the men are the pawns. As most middle books do, this one had to do a lot of work setting up pieces for the next book, which I think will be the concluding novel of a trilogy. It was particularly interesting seeing the female leaders deal with events, and contrast that with the male leaders on the board, particularly the chief antagonist. This has a unique feel in many ways, but in particular, fans of NK Jemisin, Janny Wurts, and Kameron Hurley's Mirror empire will like this series. While the plot of this book felt a lot more familiar than the first one, it allowed the central theme of the series, the examination of Fantasy through a feminist lens, to shine, and I thought it worked well. Worth reading for the exposure to a POV you still don't see that often in SFF.
March 23, 2020
I loved Jenna Glass's first book in this series and was really looking forward to this one. I did struggle a bit more to get into the book despite that...it was a little bit of a slog through the politics., That said, I love the characters and could rally behind their struggle to own their bodies and not be beholden to men.. I was left wondering if there was another book coming or not...which I hope is the case!
July 16, 2020
I liked this book less than the last in the series. I really liked the main characters in the last book and they were featured a lot less and showed little growth in this one. Unfortunately, the new viewpoint character was pretty odious for most of the book with only brief moments of redemption. I thought this was a solid three star until the end which I really liked. Looking forward to the next one!
July 1, 2021
3.5 🤔 this was good but not great. I really enjoyed book 1 but this one fell a little flat for me.
I didn't agree with some of the decisions made by the characters, some things seemed out of character completely to me.
There was a chance for a cool poly throuple but that never played out. Also I'm surprised at the lack of queen characters in this world.
I'm still excited to see what book 3 has as a wrap up though.
I didn't agree with some of the decisions made by the characters, some things seemed out of character completely to me.
There was a chance for a cool poly throuple but that never played out. Also I'm surprised at the lack of queen characters in this world.
I'm still excited to see what book 3 has as a wrap up though.
May 20, 2020
Interesting but typical of the middle books of a trilogy. There is a lot going on as more is revealed. The characters are more fully developed and the world building is more complete. The action is there to get everyone in place for the next book. Nothing is really settled. Just awaiting the next book in the Women's War series.
September 11, 2020
Bought the Kindle version the same day I finished #1 and read it right away. Imho an excellent followup that I enjoyed immensely -- some different aspects of the world are fleshed out here -- though a new primary character is introduced who wasn't my favorite. Her arc, however, was satisfying.
February 25, 2025
The Women’s War triloģijas pasaulē visa vara pieder vīriešiem, kamēr sievietes ir knapi kas vairāk, kā bērnu dzemdētājas (vēlams vīriešu dzimuma, īpaši, ja vīrs dižciltīgas kārtas), bet pirmās grāmatas jau pašā sākumā pēc paaudzēm ilgiem pūliņiem noris pavērsiens, kas apgriež kājām gaisā līdz tam pastāvošo pasaules kārtību
https://poseidons99.com/2025/02/25/je...
https://poseidons99.com/2025/02/25/je...
September 16, 2021
Actual rating 2.5 stars
Questionable decisions, villain simply because...
Questionable decisions, villain simply because...
January 17, 2022
A solid follow up to the first book, and one that deals with grief while the world is changing under you in a way that felt very authentic to me.
October 7, 2022
A slow starting sequel but intriguing enough to read
May 13, 2020
Alys may be the acknowledged queen of Women’s Well—the fledgling colony where women hold equal status with men—but she cares little for politics in the wake of an appalling personal tragedy. It is grief that drives her now. But the world continues to turn.
In a distant realm unused to female rulers, Ellin struggles to maintain control. Meanwhile, the king of the island nation of Khalpar recruits an abbess who he thinks holds the key to reversing the spell that Alys’s mother gave her life to create. And back in Women’s Well, Alys’s own half brother is determined to bring her to heel. Unless these women can come together and embrace the true nature of female power, everything they have struggled to achieve may be at risk.
(I usually write my own summaries, but I felt it better I take it from Amazon this time)
You know that feeling of, when you come into a conversation in the middle, you kind of know what the others are talking about, but not really? That’s how I felt while reading this entire book. It makes sense, though, because I did not read the first book. It’s my own fault, really, as I wished for it on Netgalley and was approved for it months ago and probably assumed I’d read the first book before the second one published. Oops. That never happened. Still, I did manage to enjoy this book, it just feels harder to review.
The Characters: Men vs. Women or Women vs. Men
Considered a feminist fantasy, this trilogy pits women against men. Or is that men against women? Anyways, it’s centered around the kings, queens, and sovereign princes and princesses who rule the various kingdoms that make up the Seven Wells, though there are a number of non-royal characters, like a scheming abbess and a charming young lady who happens to be able to only see magical elements.
I think there are some characters who were meant to be hated and others the reader is supposed to sympathize with. At least, that’s how it felt to me. So many characters were distasteful, especially in their treatment of each other whether or not the other person was male or female, while others seemed to be counterpoints with how sweet and morally good they appeared to be.
The one thing I found interesting was that men had clearly been the dominant sex, but that didn’t keep them from being manipulated and used too differently than a woman usually was. As a female reader, I felt myself identifying more with the female characters, but it didn’t stop me from disliking those who were just as cruel as the men. And the men! Most of that lot seemed downright loathsome. In a society where women are subservient to men and considered property, I found it strange that more people didn’t run away to the newly created Women’s Well kingdom where women were viewed more as equals.
I’d like to name particular characters, but none of them and all of them feel highlighted in my mind. None of them were paragons of virtue and some of the women were just as bad as the men. There were plenty of awful characters. Still, they were painted as being human with their own morals and beliefs, and watching all of that be stirred together created a fascinating story.
The Setting: Absolutely Fascinating
I have to admit I’m not too clear on this world because, as I mentioned, I haven’t read the first book. I did gather that this is a world where there are seven wells (hence the name Seven Wells for the entire region) that spew out magical elements that are male, female, or neutral and each kingdom is based around one of these wells. The newest, eighth well is Women’s Well, which is ruled by Sovereign Princess Alysoon, who also happens to be the half-sister of the King of neighboring Aaltah, who definitely doesn’t want his sister on any kind of throne.
Most of the kingdoms are ruled by men, of course, except for Women’s Well and nearby Rhozinolm, where a young queen reigns because, I suppose it happened in the first book, every other heir before her perished. Much of this world came into focus for me through the various trade agreements these kingdoms had with each other. Considering there are two women in power, the court politics and the economics of this world painted a world that’s, overall, quite bleak for women as unwanted women are thrown into an abbey where they are little more than prostitutes, and women are only considered useful if they can marry well and bear and heir. Anyways, the negotiations the male and female rulers found themselves in helped to really highlight this battle of the sexes. The women were demeaned and the men felt like they had all the power, but the women still had some power over other things.
Overall, I found this world to be intriguing, not so much in terms of landscape, but just in how the society had been built and how it was actively evolving, albeit slowly. The magic was also fascinating. Magical elements are spewed from the wells and people can see a different number of them. There are feminine, masculine, and neutral elements that seem to fall along the gender lines, so men can’t really see feminine elements. They are used to activate spells and I think they’re also used to create potions and spells, but I’m not too sure. However, it sounds fascinating and quite different from most other fantasy I’ve read. I like how the magic is just floating around in the air, waiting to be used, instead of needing to be drawn from the individual.
The Plot: The Story of an Abbess
This book is a continuation from the first book. I have no idea what happened in the first book, but, from what I gathered, it didn’t seem to be any less manipulative than this second book, but perhaps it was a bit more deadly. After all, several people that were mentioned were no longer living, so I am surmising they perished in the first book.
This second book felt more like Mairahsol’s story than anyone else’s. A Sister in an Abbey of the Unwanted, she’s power hungry and vengeful, but her character showed a surprising amount of growth that really helped drive this book forward. It was about her rise and fall and how her actions will lead to whatever happens in the third book.
This book also followed several other characters, notably the many rulers of the Seven Wells and those close to them. There was a great deal of court intrigue and politics. Some of it was hard to keep up with because I missed out on the first book, but a lot of it was easy to figure out. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling of walking into a conversation halfway through. I spent most of this book confused, but still enjoying the characters, world, and story. It was a strange feeling.
As hard as it sometimes felt to follow the story, it did move along. Sometimes it felt unrelenting because I was trying so hard to figure out what was going on, but, once I decided to just stop and enjoy the story, it was a lot of fun to read. I became torn between whether I liked or disliked the characters and found myself screaming in my head for one thing or another to happen. There were times when I thought something would happen, only for it to not, which was always a pleasant surprise because sometimes what I thought would happened turned out to be quite sexist!
Overall: Enjoyable, but Read the First Book First
Overall, this was an enjoyable read despite the lingering confusion. I found myself enjoying and hating the various characters and enjoyed being swept up in the court politics. There were so many underhanded things going on and so many machinations. It was so hard sometimes to figure out who to trust, but the characters seemed to have been crafted from certain molds that held true, so it was mostly easy to figure out whether they were trustworthy or not. I loved that they each had their own motives and that they felt like real people. While the characters were fun, this felt more like a plot-driven book, but the characters and world worked so well with it that I didn’t even notice most of the time. All three elements worked in perfect harmony, making this a pleasure to read even though I didn’t understand pieces of it.
Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for a free e-ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
In a distant realm unused to female rulers, Ellin struggles to maintain control. Meanwhile, the king of the island nation of Khalpar recruits an abbess who he thinks holds the key to reversing the spell that Alys’s mother gave her life to create. And back in Women’s Well, Alys’s own half brother is determined to bring her to heel. Unless these women can come together and embrace the true nature of female power, everything they have struggled to achieve may be at risk.
(I usually write my own summaries, but I felt it better I take it from Amazon this time)
You know that feeling of, when you come into a conversation in the middle, you kind of know what the others are talking about, but not really? That’s how I felt while reading this entire book. It makes sense, though, because I did not read the first book. It’s my own fault, really, as I wished for it on Netgalley and was approved for it months ago and probably assumed I’d read the first book before the second one published. Oops. That never happened. Still, I did manage to enjoy this book, it just feels harder to review.
The Characters: Men vs. Women or Women vs. Men
Considered a feminist fantasy, this trilogy pits women against men. Or is that men against women? Anyways, it’s centered around the kings, queens, and sovereign princes and princesses who rule the various kingdoms that make up the Seven Wells, though there are a number of non-royal characters, like a scheming abbess and a charming young lady who happens to be able to only see magical elements.
I think there are some characters who were meant to be hated and others the reader is supposed to sympathize with. At least, that’s how it felt to me. So many characters were distasteful, especially in their treatment of each other whether or not the other person was male or female, while others seemed to be counterpoints with how sweet and morally good they appeared to be.
The one thing I found interesting was that men had clearly been the dominant sex, but that didn’t keep them from being manipulated and used too differently than a woman usually was. As a female reader, I felt myself identifying more with the female characters, but it didn’t stop me from disliking those who were just as cruel as the men. And the men! Most of that lot seemed downright loathsome. In a society where women are subservient to men and considered property, I found it strange that more people didn’t run away to the newly created Women’s Well kingdom where women were viewed more as equals.
I’d like to name particular characters, but none of them and all of them feel highlighted in my mind. None of them were paragons of virtue and some of the women were just as bad as the men. There were plenty of awful characters. Still, they were painted as being human with their own morals and beliefs, and watching all of that be stirred together created a fascinating story.
The Setting: Absolutely Fascinating
I have to admit I’m not too clear on this world because, as I mentioned, I haven’t read the first book. I did gather that this is a world where there are seven wells (hence the name Seven Wells for the entire region) that spew out magical elements that are male, female, or neutral and each kingdom is based around one of these wells. The newest, eighth well is Women’s Well, which is ruled by Sovereign Princess Alysoon, who also happens to be the half-sister of the King of neighboring Aaltah, who definitely doesn’t want his sister on any kind of throne.
Most of the kingdoms are ruled by men, of course, except for Women’s Well and nearby Rhozinolm, where a young queen reigns because, I suppose it happened in the first book, every other heir before her perished. Much of this world came into focus for me through the various trade agreements these kingdoms had with each other. Considering there are two women in power, the court politics and the economics of this world painted a world that’s, overall, quite bleak for women as unwanted women are thrown into an abbey where they are little more than prostitutes, and women are only considered useful if they can marry well and bear and heir. Anyways, the negotiations the male and female rulers found themselves in helped to really highlight this battle of the sexes. The women were demeaned and the men felt like they had all the power, but the women still had some power over other things.
Overall, I found this world to be intriguing, not so much in terms of landscape, but just in how the society had been built and how it was actively evolving, albeit slowly. The magic was also fascinating. Magical elements are spewed from the wells and people can see a different number of them. There are feminine, masculine, and neutral elements that seem to fall along the gender lines, so men can’t really see feminine elements. They are used to activate spells and I think they’re also used to create potions and spells, but I’m not too sure. However, it sounds fascinating and quite different from most other fantasy I’ve read. I like how the magic is just floating around in the air, waiting to be used, instead of needing to be drawn from the individual.
The Plot: The Story of an Abbess
This book is a continuation from the first book. I have no idea what happened in the first book, but, from what I gathered, it didn’t seem to be any less manipulative than this second book, but perhaps it was a bit more deadly. After all, several people that were mentioned were no longer living, so I am surmising they perished in the first book.
This second book felt more like Mairahsol’s story than anyone else’s. A Sister in an Abbey of the Unwanted, she’s power hungry and vengeful, but her character showed a surprising amount of growth that really helped drive this book forward. It was about her rise and fall and how her actions will lead to whatever happens in the third book.
This book also followed several other characters, notably the many rulers of the Seven Wells and those close to them. There was a great deal of court intrigue and politics. Some of it was hard to keep up with because I missed out on the first book, but a lot of it was easy to figure out. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling of walking into a conversation halfway through. I spent most of this book confused, but still enjoying the characters, world, and story. It was a strange feeling.
As hard as it sometimes felt to follow the story, it did move along. Sometimes it felt unrelenting because I was trying so hard to figure out what was going on, but, once I decided to just stop and enjoy the story, it was a lot of fun to read. I became torn between whether I liked or disliked the characters and found myself screaming in my head for one thing or another to happen. There were times when I thought something would happen, only for it to not, which was always a pleasant surprise because sometimes what I thought would happened turned out to be quite sexist!
Overall: Enjoyable, but Read the First Book First
Overall, this was an enjoyable read despite the lingering confusion. I found myself enjoying and hating the various characters and enjoyed being swept up in the court politics. There were so many underhanded things going on and so many machinations. It was so hard sometimes to figure out who to trust, but the characters seemed to have been crafted from certain molds that held true, so it was mostly easy to figure out whether they were trustworthy or not. I loved that they each had their own motives and that they felt like real people. While the characters were fun, this felt more like a plot-driven book, but the characters and world worked so well with it that I didn’t even notice most of the time. All three elements worked in perfect harmony, making this a pleasure to read even though I didn’t understand pieces of it.
Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for a free e-ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
February 17, 2020
I really love this series! The idea of a class of women magically forcing liberation and the shockwaves, literal, political, and social, that it caused in the world is fantastic. The magic system is really interesting. I love the continued development of the characters as well as the introduction/redemption of some of the old characters. She excels as making sympathetic anti-heroes. The political maneuverings are fresh and interesting. As the second book in the series, I think it went a little slower. There was a lot of set-up happening for the rest (the conclusion?) of the series. I'm really glad I got to read it early and I'm definitely keeping an eye out for the next one!
July 18, 2021
*I received a free copy to read & review for Wicked Reads*
Queen of the Unwanted is the 2nd book in The Women's War series, which is classified as "women's literature" although I believe anyone could, and should, enjoy it!
In this fantasy world kings rule, unwanted women are delegated to the Abbey (brothel), and magic is wielded based on sex.
While the above statement is the truth, we are now seeing the changes taking effect after the world shaking Blessing/Curse (depending on who you ask) has been cast. A spell that takes just a tiny sliver of power away from the men and awards it back to women... this little thing has thrown the world into a tail spin.
This book continues where Women's War left off. Alys has been awarded the position of Sovereign of Women's Well, and while she's the leader she is dealing with a devastating loss. She's a mother, a daughter, a sister, and a leader. She's also the sworn enemy to her homeland, and declared a traitor by her half-brother. She's dealing with many things and doing the best she can for her new principality, but will it be enough?
What I love about this series is that every single character has a story. All the females (Queen Ellinsoltah, Kailee, Chanlix, and Mairahsol) have something that makes them human, they have flaws but they never give up. I must mention that even the female villain in this book, one I truly despised, totally shocked me. I would never guess that I could empathize with this woman, I wouldn't think I could like her...and here I am, still thinking about her.
This story takes the patriarchal society and is turning it on it's head. I love the magical elements, the political intrigue, the character building, and even the budding romance. I will mention that this book took a while to build up, but by 40% I was completely enthralled and didn't put it down until I was done!
Queen of the Unwanted is the 2nd book in The Women's War series, which is classified as "women's literature" although I believe anyone could, and should, enjoy it!
In this fantasy world kings rule, unwanted women are delegated to the Abbey (brothel), and magic is wielded based on sex.
While the above statement is the truth, we are now seeing the changes taking effect after the world shaking Blessing/Curse (depending on who you ask) has been cast. A spell that takes just a tiny sliver of power away from the men and awards it back to women... this little thing has thrown the world into a tail spin.
This book continues where Women's War left off. Alys has been awarded the position of Sovereign of Women's Well, and while she's the leader she is dealing with a devastating loss. She's a mother, a daughter, a sister, and a leader. She's also the sworn enemy to her homeland, and declared a traitor by her half-brother. She's dealing with many things and doing the best she can for her new principality, but will it be enough?
What I love about this series is that every single character has a story. All the females (Queen Ellinsoltah, Kailee, Chanlix, and Mairahsol) have something that makes them human, they have flaws but they never give up. I must mention that even the female villain in this book, one I truly despised, totally shocked me. I would never guess that I could empathize with this woman, I wouldn't think I could like her...and here I am, still thinking about her.
This story takes the patriarchal society and is turning it on it's head. I love the magical elements, the political intrigue, the character building, and even the budding romance. I will mention that this book took a while to build up, but by 40% I was completely enthralled and didn't put it down until I was done!
June 6, 2020
I was very excited to return to this world and now that I’ve finished the book I am disappointed. I’m mostly disappointed that it had the potential to be so much better.
Because this book ranges around the world of Seven Wells rather than staying primarily focused in the two main countries (as the first book was) it becomes much more obvious how homogeneous everyone is. Only one country is called out as having people who look different, everyone else is the same. Clothing styles are all described similarly and the only difference that is discussed is color choice and modesty level. And the modesty level doesn’t vary that much. Then there’s languages.... only one different language gets called out and that only happens when there’s a convenient plot point for a character to not understand everyone around her.
Then there are the missed opportunities to provide color, texture, and verisimilitude to the world. Repressive religion plays a HUGE role in how this world is shaped yet we do not see any detail on one single religious ceremony or observance. There’s even a wedding! Yet we get no description at all of the ceremony.
And the magic system.... it’s a gendered magic system and would afford all kinds of opportunities for interesting stories involving transgender, non-binary, and gender fluid/queer characters. And yet everyone is straight and cisgender.... so much potential wasted!
Then there’s the ending.... if there is another book to follow (I haven’t found it yet, but I could be missing something), then the ending is fine. It leaves enough loose ends to continue the story but it’s not quite a cliffhanger. But if this is it for this series then it’s very disappointing. There’s not enough resolution.
In the end, it was a decent enough read and I don’t feel like I wasted my time or money, but I am disappointed over the unfulfilled potential. It could have been so much better.
Because this book ranges around the world of Seven Wells rather than staying primarily focused in the two main countries (as the first book was) it becomes much more obvious how homogeneous everyone is. Only one country is called out as having people who look different, everyone else is the same. Clothing styles are all described similarly and the only difference that is discussed is color choice and modesty level. And the modesty level doesn’t vary that much. Then there’s languages.... only one different language gets called out and that only happens when there’s a convenient plot point for a character to not understand everyone around her.
Then there are the missed opportunities to provide color, texture, and verisimilitude to the world. Repressive religion plays a HUGE role in how this world is shaped yet we do not see any detail on one single religious ceremony or observance. There’s even a wedding! Yet we get no description at all of the ceremony.
And the magic system.... it’s a gendered magic system and would afford all kinds of opportunities for interesting stories involving transgender, non-binary, and gender fluid/queer characters. And yet everyone is straight and cisgender.... so much potential wasted!
Then there’s the ending.... if there is another book to follow (I haven’t found it yet, but I could be missing something), then the ending is fine. It leaves enough loose ends to continue the story but it’s not quite a cliffhanger. But if this is it for this series then it’s very disappointing. There’s not enough resolution.
In the end, it was a decent enough read and I don’t feel like I wasted my time or money, but I am disappointed over the unfulfilled potential. It could have been so much better.
February 12, 2022
This one is frustrating. Glass can certainly write, her ability to weave complex political machinations through a book and sustain it without being boring is impressive. Her work is very readable. The characters are complex and interesting.
But the more I read, the more it was clear this book suffers from the same flaws as the first. And without any indication that these flaws were going to be addressed, I found myself more and more disillusioned with the whole thing.
Everyone is straight and cis. All the adult women yearn for motherhood as the pinnacle of their lives. The evilness of the main antagonist is made that much more apparent because he is so overwhelmingly fat. (And an alcoholic.)
It all just started grating on me. This is not the "feminist fantasy" I was promised. This is an intriguing premise falling short of the mark because it has no concept of intersectionality. It approaches the concept from such a limited perspective, it probably has no idea of what it lacks. It's honestly the same as in the plot itself--revolving around the lives of gentry and royalty, the effects on anyone and everyone else are completely ignored.
I don't think I'm going to finish this series, to be honest. I don't think I can read another 600 pages and not be even more frustrated. I would try reading from Glass again though, but hesitantly. And only if there's some indication that these flaws are addressed.
But the more I read, the more it was clear this book suffers from the same flaws as the first. And without any indication that these flaws were going to be addressed, I found myself more and more disillusioned with the whole thing.
Everyone is straight and cis. All the adult women yearn for motherhood as the pinnacle of their lives. The evilness of the main antagonist is made that much more apparent because he is so overwhelmingly fat. (And an alcoholic.)
It all just started grating on me. This is not the "feminist fantasy" I was promised. This is an intriguing premise falling short of the mark because it has no concept of intersectionality. It approaches the concept from such a limited perspective, it probably has no idea of what it lacks. It's honestly the same as in the plot itself--revolving around the lives of gentry and royalty, the effects on anyone and everyone else are completely ignored.
I don't think I'm going to finish this series, to be honest. I don't think I can read another 600 pages and not be even more frustrated. I would try reading from Glass again though, but hesitantly. And only if there's some indication that these flaws are addressed.
July 11, 2020
Given the subject matter (fantasy feminism), I would have hoped that this series would be more intersectional, but it primarily focuses on the women of royal families and aristocracy. Even the Abigails, the unwanted and 'tainted' women who are ostricized, are primarily formerly aristocratic women. We don't see how class, race, sexuality, plays into the sexism in this fantasy world.
I loved the concept of the magical system, with gendered magic. I kept hoping that it would be used to explore the complexities of gender, sex, and trans and nonbinary people and how they interact with the magic system. Unfortunately there is no LGBT presence in this series thus far.
I appreciate that the main driver of events, the Blessing/Curse, is not a turning of the tables, but a sudden shift that equalized the power of men and women. It is kind of what I wanted 'The Power' to be. The women don't get to suddenly subjugate men. It feels like a more realistic and less hyperbolic exploration of a power shift like that.
Overall I have enjoyed the first two books, but I do find the world building lacking, since we really only see the world through the eyes of the aristocracy, especially for a book with feminist themes.
I loved the concept of the magical system, with gendered magic. I kept hoping that it would be used to explore the complexities of gender, sex, and trans and nonbinary people and how they interact with the magic system. Unfortunately there is no LGBT presence in this series thus far.
I appreciate that the main driver of events, the Blessing/Curse, is not a turning of the tables, but a sudden shift that equalized the power of men and women. It is kind of what I wanted 'The Power' to be. The women don't get to suddenly subjugate men. It feels like a more realistic and less hyperbolic exploration of a power shift like that.
Overall I have enjoyed the first two books, but I do find the world building lacking, since we really only see the world through the eyes of the aristocracy, especially for a book with feminist themes.
November 6, 2019
It took me a while to get into the first book, but the Women's War totally hooked me by the end. Obviously I had to devour this one as soon as I saw it and I was not disappointed. Glass continued to surprise me with twists and turns she took with the story. I had some suspicions that certain events from the first novel weren't as they seemed and it was gratifying to see that I was both right and wrong. I'm looking forward to the next in the series!
Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for the eARC.
Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for the eARC.
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