The Queen of Attolia

The Queen's Thief #2

by Megan Whalen Turner

Revenge

When Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, stole Hamiathes's Gift, the Queen of Attolia lost more than a mythical relic. She lost face. Everyone knew that Eugenides had outwitted and escaped her. To restore her reputation and reassert her power, the Queen of Attolia will go to any length and accept any help that is offered... she will risk her country to execute the perfect revenge.

...but

Eugenides can steal anything. And he taunts the Queen of Attolia, moving through her strongholds seemingly at will. So Attolia waits, secure in the knowledge that the Thief will slip, that he will haunt her palace one too many times.

…at what price?

When Eugenides finds his small mountain country at war with Attolia, he must steal a man, he must steal a queen, he must steal peace. But his greatest triumph—and his greatest loss—comes in capturing something that the Queen of Attolia thought she had sacrificed long ago...

Books for the Teen Age 2001 (NYPL) and Bulletin Blue Ribbon Best of 2000 Award.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Adventure, Romance, Audiobook, Young Adult Fantasy

362 pages, Paperback

First published April 26, 2000

About the author

Megan Whalen Turner is the author of short stories and novels for children, teenagers and adults. She has won the LA Times Book Award for Young Adult LIterature, a Boston Globe/ Horn Book Honor and a Newbery Honor. She won the Mythopoeic Award and was shortlisted twice for the Andre Norton Award.

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I finally understand why everyone seems to like this book so much more than the first. You see, The Thief is a wonderful little book filled with excellent writing, an interesting protagonist, an exciting fantasy world and a great big twist near the end. The Queen of Attolia had all of this, but it just had more of everything. It was everything I loved about the first book... on steroids.

Every character and every sentence - damn it, every word even! - is important, serves it's own purpose and is never wasted. This is a characteristic in books that is rare but oh so wonderful when you manage to find it.

Being told in 3rd person, unlike book one which was from Eugenides POV, allows the reader to see the bigger picture and to better understand the world that forms the backdrop of this series and the political relationships between Attolia, Eddis and Sounis. But, oddly, at the same time I felt like we also got to know Eugenides far better than in The Thief, and I loved him all the more in this second installment. He's such a perfectly imperfect character, he's flawed, he's brave without being ridiculously self-sacrificing, he's a little devil and yet you can't do anything but be on his side. Whatever happens to him in the next book has suddenly become very important to me.

And it's not just Eugenides... I mean, how easy would it have been for the author to make the Queen of Attolia nothing more than a villain sat on a foreign throne? But that's not the story Megan Whalen Turner is trying to tell. Like I said, Turner doesn't waste characters and her use of 3rd person in this novel lets us readers see the real queen behind that stone mask of cruelty. Of all the qualities I like characters to have, complexity is quite possibly my favourite.

But I think the book was really sold to me when Turner managed to successfully pull off a romance that surprised me, pleased me and just generally worked without being soppy or cheesy. A young adult novel with romance that doesn't make me cringe? Genius.

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update 1/6/19

This may be my book soulmate.

Original review

If I were ever to write a book, this is the one I would want to see my name on. I am not very good at writing positive reviews, so this will probably sound cheesy, but I totally loved every word, every sentence of this story!

"The Queen of Attolia" is a second book in Megan Whalen Turner's series about the Thief of Eddis Eugenides. I moderately liked the first book, mostly for its conciseness and intricate world-building rooted in Greek history and mythology, but this second book exceeded any kind of expectations I had had. It is just so much better than "The Thief" written from Eugenide's 1st person POV. "The Queen of Attolia" is written in 3rd person which allows us to understand the workings of minds of all major players - King of Sounis, Queens of Attolia and Eddis, magus, etc.

The story starts when Eugenides is caught by Attolian guard. The Queen of Attolia executes her revenge on the Thief, and in a way that almost breaks Gen. Queen of Eddis, enraged by her Thief's plight, embarks on a war with Attolia, and Sounis starts his attack on both neighboring countries in an attempt to unite the territory against the outside threat of Mede. What follows is a complex story of politics, diplomacy, military strategies and intrigue.

I am not lying when I say I loved every word of this book. Because every word of it is important, there is no fluff or filler, every sentence matters. That is probably why it took me 3 days to finish this 300-page book, I simply didn't want to miss anything!

But there is more. I really loved the character developments in this book. Just like in "The Thief," we never fully know the narrators. In many ways, they remain anonymous to us, but whatever is revealed, is layered and complex. I enjoyed following Eugenides' transformation from a snarky selfish boy into a strong man. And let me tell you, the romance in this book totally catches you off-guard and certainly pushes boundaries.

I can't wait to read the next book - "The King of Attolia" and see where Turner takes her characters next. Why, of why does it take her on average 5 years to write each book?

[Veronica Roth · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard for me to imagine writing a follow-up to something like The Thief, a story that is so effective in no small part because of how it strategically withholds information from the reader-- you can't do that in the same way in a sequel, now that the reader HAS information that they can't UN-HAVE. So I approached The Queen of Attolia aware that I was going to have to embrace a different style of story, though I wasn't sure what kind.

And then...well, we have to start the spoiler tag.



And then Eugenides lost his hand, and let me tell you: at the moment this occurred I was working out in my basement and I had to just. Stop and sit down for a moment. Not just because it was brutal and troubling, though it was, but because I suddenly had no idea where we were going; how do you write a book series about a thief and then take away one of his main tools for thieving right at the start of the second installment? And that's really the genius of this book, because at the moment that I, the reader, feel like "well, what the hell are we going to do NOW?", Eugenides also feels that, and that is how this book left me with a deep ache in my gut that persisted for the entire middle section.

I do love a recovery/restoration of strength story, though.

Reading The Thief makes you feel like you're running downhill, because you know where it's headed (toward stealing the Gift) and how it will be structured (journey to Gift --> theft of Gift --> delivery of Gift), but The Queen of Attolia is not so straightforward; you know it's going to take you back to Attolia eventually, that Eugenides is going to get some kind of revenge or restitution, but it's also a book about politics and war and growth and fear and blame, so mostly, it just asks you to get on board with a character instead of a plot. Do you want to walk with Eugenides wherever he goes, or do you not? Whether you enjoy this book or not will probably hinge on your answer to that question.

My answer was obviously yes. I love that guy. "Protect him at all costs," I said on some social media platform while I was halfway through this book; and yeah, that's an old joke, but also, I meant it.

The reason I had to chew on this review a little is because of the revelation of Eugenides' feelings for Attolia (and her returned feelings), which made me say EXCUSE ME? aloud to my dog. I feel they were seeded well throughout, upon reflection, but they were also beyond my imagining; but then, the backstory of Attolia/Irene was so effective in fostering understanding of her incredibly precarious position that it was hard to keep hating her (only, maybe I still do? do I?). What I'm telling you is that this book brought me a tangle of emotions that I'm still untangling, and as I describe them to you I'm newly aware of how much that rocks-- and how hard it is to accomplish, from an author's perspective.

Overall, my feeling about this book is that I just kept wanting to be back in it, and though this novel has high stakes and therefore can't truly be described as "cozy," it has an "I want to spend more time with these people" feeling that I also got from The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison (which is more of the "cozy" variety; I recommend it). And when you think of books that stick to you from your childhood, isn't that how they feel? What a special thing for a book to achieve, particularly for a thirty-five year old woman for whom nostalgia is not a factor here.

Anyway, I'll be reading the next one, obviously. Actually, I've already started.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh!
HOLY SHIT SHE CUT OFF HIS HAND! The Queen of Attolia caught Gen and cut off his hand!
So that happened.



That was the thing that I didn't expect, and it set the tone as far more adult from there on out.
The other thing (that they were in love and would end up together at the end) was the thing that I did kind of expect.
And since I was thinking that was what was going to happen, it made that first bit extra juicy for me. As in, how is this author going to pull that off now?



I can see why some of my friends weren't as fond of this as I was and I can't really blame them. I think you might need to know what you're getting into because not everyone is going to want to get on board with the dark turn the story takes.
I actually liked how uncomfortable the complexity of it all made me, but that's not going to be the case for everyone. Nothing that happens here is what you think of when the words healthy relationship flashes through your mind.
Then again, should we only read about healthy things?



I don't know the answer to that, by the way.
Ok.
Without doing any more spoilers than absolutely necessary, this one centers on a war that has been percolating for a while and was ignited by what happens in the opening bit.
Then you have a lot of Gen being a drama lama (it's actually quite understandable) and working through some of his issues that were also caused by the opening bit.
Then there's the ending bit that brings up all of the complexities that not every reader will enjoy or approve of (fair!), but that I thought took this shit to a 10.
Highly recommended. <--but maybe not for everyone

[❄️BooksofRadiance❄️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third read in prep for book 6.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Long overdue for a reread.

Gen, my one and only, we meet again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I want to climb on the highest rooftop and scream at the top of my lungs - I LOVE THIS MAGNIFICENT SERIES WITH EVERY FIBRE OF MY BEING! but I feel even that won't do my feelings—and this series—justice.

Give me a fantasy/fantasy-esque book with heavy political intrigue and you’ve got my undivided attention. 
Reading a novel filled with court intrigue, heavy conflicts - more behind the scenes conniving and pulling strings than actual battles, complicated stories full of clever manoeuvres and characters Is. My. Jam! I could never get enough. And given the somewhat slowness of its predecessor, I was not prepared for the magnificent surprise that was The Queen of Attolia. Wow!

I felt almost every emotion while reading this. Anger, hate, love, sadness, rage (so much rage) and oh the confusion! Before I even got to page 50 my jaw was wide open with shock and amazement. 
The more I thought I knew the less I actually knew anything when the whole plot took a completely different direction than I’d expected. 

And the characters! I truly didn’t know what to make of them. 
Let’s start with The Queen of Attolia - okay, wow. Throughout the book I hated her. I admired her. I was enraged by her. I freaking loved her and by the end, I was simply in awe of her.


Eugenides. What the actual hell. Alright, before I move on, let me preface this by saying, the next book in the series The King of Attolia, put Eugenides on the number two spot of my top five favourite male characters in fantasy. Ever. What a character. What. A. Character!

Now, onto the topic at hand, I have never been so damned confused by a character (Confusion, as you can see, is the theme of this review). He was nothing like I’d expected! Especially when compared to the Eugenides of book one, The Thief. It was almost like they were two different people. In a good and a bad way. One thing I did love was that he was not the all-perfect, all-brave, badass protagonist we’re used to seeing who could simply do no wrong or whom no one could best. In fact, he rarely got things right, in this book at least. I was happy to see him humanised and humbled by some extremely disturbing, albeit significant events. He did mess up, got bested at times and he was also painfully vulnerable and weak when the situation demanded it. However, he was also amazingly clever when he needed to be. I love him. I can't say it enough.

The plot was amazing and every chapter gripped my attention from start to finish and nothing dragged, nor was there ever a single boring moment. 

Why some books have to end, I will never, in my life, understand.

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the great but hard-hitting sequel to The Thief (which, fair warning, you absolutely need to read first). This is a fantastic fantasy series, with a strong flavor of Ancient Greek mythology and life. The gods are real and they care, in a remote way, but they can be cruel. My highest recommendation for this series! If you haven’t read it, you’re missing out!

Review posted at www.fantasyliterature.com:

Megan Whalen Turner’s The Queen of Attolia, the second book in her QUEEN’S THIEF fantasy series, begins much the same as The Thief, the first book in this series: Eugenides (Gen) the thief is in prison. This time it is the Attolians who have captured him, but he’s made them, especially their queen, even more angry than he had the kingdom of Sounis in the first volume. From this similar beginning, however, the plot veers in some completely unexpected directions. Whalen Turner explained this in a Publisher’s Weekly interview:

I could have written a whole series about fun, cool, exciting things Gen could get away with, but they would all be leading up to a point where he did something he didn’t get away with. The next significant thing that was going to happen to Gen would be when he got caught. It was inevitable. So I started Queen there. I knew some people would be upset but I trusted they would also see it had to happen eventually. To write something else would be a kind of lying to ourselves.

It’s difficult to say much more without spoiling the story. This book, even more than most, is one that should be read without being spoiled. The first part of The Queen of Attolia is heart-wrenching and difficult reading, however. The first time I attempted to read it, about a dozen years ago, I foundered on the rocky part of the plot and didn’t finish it. However, after reading the third book in this series, The King of Attolia, and falling in love with the characters all over again, I came back to The Queen of Attolia to give it a second try, about five years ago. I made it through the book that time and rated it three stars; I was still much more enthused about the other two books in the series than this volume.

However, on this read, my third try, I’m rating it a strong four stars. Rereading the entire series, it has become more apparent how cleverly Whalen Turner has plotted this book, how well the books’ plots interlock with each other, and how brilliant and devious her characters are. Small nuances in the plot can carry significance. Each main character has layers and hidden depths. They can be charming and maddening, sympathetic and brutal, all at the same time. And the ancient Greece type of world, with gods and goddesses that are real and intervene occasionally in the lives of mortals, is fascinating:

“Stop whining,” Eugenides said.

“What?” Eddis’s expression shifted from wary to puzzled.

“That was the message. For me, alone among mortals, the gods send their messenger to tell me to stop whining. That’ll teach me to go hide in a temple.”

For a young adult fantasy, The Queen of Attolia has a surprising amount of complexity and depth. Due to the painful and disturbing content in some parts of the book, I don’t recommend this for middle grade readers, but the rewards for more mature readers are great.

2 3 4 enthusiastic stars. Next time I read it it'll probably jump to 5!

[Elle (ellexamines on TT & Substack) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I am the pawn of the gods, it is because they know me so well, not because they make my mind up for me.

Okay, wow, this was... way better than book one.

I love how this one plays around with point of view, showing us both Eugenides’ views on Attolia and Attolia’s view on Eugenides: it’s an excellent view into both of their characters. While I think Whalen Turner occasionally relies too much on not letting you into the head of a character so she can execute a plot twist, we still get an excellent look into these characters, a view that feels dimensional if perhaps not full.

The other thing I liked about this book is something I knew I would — political intrigue. Whalen Turner does such a grand job with the power moves, the wars, the intrigue of it all. This one is narratively all over the place, but it is made to work. It feels like a wide story rather than an incoherent one. The plot twists and plot reveals are consistently interesting and often surprising.

I also love that the two lead female characters we get in this book are both such powerhouses. And hey, maybe it’s time to talk about badass girls — Attolia and Eddis both make for such excellent political leaders, each in their own way. This book may be led by Eugenides, but I think it’s more about Attolia and Eddis and the power in different kinds of strength. Attolia has lost sight of that in her own power, her own life of ruthlessness. The Queen of Attolia is basically a takedown of the idea of petty competition between women and the idea that there’s only one way to be strong for a queen; Attolia and Eddis contrast so wonderfully.

And oh my god, my favorite part of this whole book was Attolia. She is such a good antivillain. We start out seeing her as a complete and total villain, and end seeing her as a very well humanized antihero. Her redemption arc — or, to be more specific, reframing arc — is the best part of this book, and absolutely worth reading for.

I mean, I like Eugenides too. He's a mess and a delight. But mostly I’d die for her.

Something I did think was missing for me was my investment in the first half of the book; we’re basically thrown into a political situation we only got a glimpse of in book one, and it’s difficult to really get invested in the world and the characters. I also think a few of the plot twists are kind of easy to guess and the time between them too extended. I wished for less lagging between the big moments and big twists. But: I think the conclusion completely makes up for it. This book aged fantastically in my mind; I read this in April and it's August and I'm still thinking about how much I adore this specific book. It kept me invested and I so want to continue with my journey through this world.

here are my other series thoughts:
book one - ★★★☆☆
book two - ★★★★☆
book three - ★★★★☆
book four - ★★★★☆
book five - ★★★★☆
book six - TBD

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[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Edited with my favorite SPOILERISH quotes - hidden behind a spoiler tag, because I'm not a monster]

4.5 stars, rounded up because...well, if you must know, because Eugenides. Hellooo, name's Anna, I just finished The Queen of Attolia and my mind is utterly blank.



I'd say I'm speechless, but everyone knows that I always confuse talking with breathing so nope, not happening. However I am genuinely sorry but I don't think I'll be able - or even want to - put my thoughts into words this time. First because there are many outstanding reviews out there already, given that I'm late to the Gen-is-awesome party ; the second - and perhaps the most important - reason would be that I want to warn you, yes, YOU THERE, you who haven't read this series yet, and who wander oblivious, unaware of the merits of this little gem, you, I strongly advise you to stay clear from any review and savor these novels blind. (she says, after providing links to other reviews... the irony is not lost on me XD) Trust me, the experience will be better (why am I under the impression that I'm some sort of dungeon mistress here, that I do not know).

If you really need a little more incentive, trust this : The Queen of Attolia is splendidly plotted, its word is inhabited by characters you will adore and want to protect under fire (when you won't be strangling them, but), including strong women (yes PLURAL), a poisonous snake (I KNEW HE WAS A SLYTHERIN COME HOME GEN BABY) and a minister of war who doesn't know that he's hilarious (to me), the writing... well do tell, what can I say about a writing so compelling that I've read the damn book in a few hours, barely stopping to eat? Huh?

Now if you would excuse me, I might forget to look at my watch (3:55am, dammit!) and maybe start The King of Attolia, because if you should know something about me, it's this : my restraint is so thin, I wouldn't see its threads if I looked at them in full light, and I'm not one bit ashamed.

My favorites ""quotes"" (more like scenes) are full of BIG spoilers, so don't look at them if you haven't read the book, but aw damn, I love these characters so much <3

"Bending over Eugenides, she grabbed his head by the hair above his forehead and twisted. Eugenides's eyes opened, and his feet trashed in panic. Looking up at her, with her face filling his field of vision, he stopped moving as if suddenly paralized.
"Goatfoot," she said, "do you understand what is going to happen to you?"

I guessed at this moment that she was wearing his earrings, and I was not so discreetly cheering like a maniac XD

"Attolia snapped, "You have any mistresses and I'll cut your other hand off."
Besides her, Eddis stiffened. Attolia raised her chin to meet the look that her seneschal had said would melt lead. Eddis opened her mouth, but before she could put her thoughts into words, Eugenides laughed. Laughing, he dropped his head onto the bed; then he looked up to grin at Attolia.
She looked back at him, and her cheeks flushed. She said, with sincerity, "You are a poisonous little snake."

Eeeeeeps I defy you to not smile at this part <3

"I did that next. She said there would be a hunting party leaving this morning; perhaps I'd like to join."
"And?" Eddis asked, looking at his arm. He hadn't ridden well enough to hunt on horseback even before losing his hand.
"I told her I'd already been hunted in Attolia, thank you very much."
"Oh, Gen," sighed Eddis."

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA I LOVE YOU GEN

"Nooo," he said, and he looked over at her. In his eyes Eddis saw a hint of something she couldn't remember having seen there before. Panic.
"I didn't think about being king," he said, his voice hoarse, either from worry or from the bruises around his neck.
Eddis stared. "Your capacity to land yourself in a mess because you didn't think first, Eugenides, will never cease to amaze me. What do you mean you didn't think about being king? Is Attolia going to marry you and move into my library?"

I'll never stress enough how much I love their siblings dynamics.

"What will you do now?"
"Oh" - he tried unsuccessfully to keep the tremor out of his voice - "grovel, I suppose."
"I've heard you do that before," said Attolia, briefly amused in spite of herself.
Eugenides swallowed. "That was begging," he said with a better effort at lightness. "There wasn't much opportunity from groveling last... time." He stumbled, then added evenly, "I am very good at groveling."

MY HEART

"Eddis looked at her minister, curious. "Your head? she asked.
Attolia explained. "He had to be forcibly dissuaded from strangling his son."
"So have we all from time to time," Eddis said seriously.
One of Attolia's eyebrow rose in carefully conveyed surprise. Eddis took not of the expression, amused to have found at last, she was certain, the original of the look Eugenides had copied. She smiled.
Attolia hesitated, then smiled herself, very briefly. In her expression Eddis saw hope for her Thief, and her heart lightened."

Damn, there are TOO MANY, I'll need to update this later, because Gen's waiting^^

PS. Am I the only one wondering how old Gen is, exactly?

My reviews for the other books of the series :
۩ Book 1, The Thief ★★★★
۩ Book 3, The King of Attolia ★★★★★ [ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE EVER READ]
۩ Book 4, A Conspiracy of Kings ★★★★

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Eliza · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 Stars

Well, I gave it a go and continued on with this series, with the hope that my 3 star rating for The Thief would be higher with this second novel. Heck, I expected a higher rating, because people kept on telling me, "The second book is loads better!" And? Was it? Well. To me, sorry to say, but it really wasn't. So, I guess I'm in the minority, once again.

What the first novel in this series had, that The Queen of Attolia lacked, (to name a few) were: lively characters, an exiting adventure, and more humor (I suppose).

Even though I wasn't too fond of the first novel, reading this one made me realize that the characters felt more real in The Thief, than in this book. Though, I will admit that Gen was much more developed in this novel. We got to figure out more about him (his strengths and weaknesses), which I really quite enjoyed. For example, his depression after having his hand cut off. However, his improved character didn't make up for the rest of the lot that fell flat.

Also, do I even need to even bring up that random romance that just came out of the blue? C'mon. That was so sudden. Wasn't it? I thought so.

With the second point, this novel did have adventure, I won't deny that. But it wasn't like the first book. In the first book we followed Gen (step-by-step) throughout his entire journey. But in this novel, we would hear about events that had occurred within lengthy paragraphs or quick conversations. This book just made me think of the saying: All talk, no action. It sums up this novel up so well. There were hardly any real scenes of action (the prologue was the strongest part of the book because the action in it was great), which was something I didn't like.

Lastly, this novel was much darker and held little to no humor. While I completely understand why this novel was darker (it wouldn't feel right to be anything else), I just didn't like how different it felt compared to the previous novel. They almost don't feel like they belong in the same series.

I don't know ya'll. I almost feel like I'm missing out on something with this series - but I guess it's just not my cup of tea.

Overall, I will say there were many scenes in this novel that were much stronger than its predecessor - however, there were also many other scenes that lacked more than The Thief had. So with this I can say, that I probably will not continue this series. Though, I still might. Don't hold me to it. Right now, it's in the air.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god.

Honest to goodness spoiler lies within.

"Unable to guess the answer, she asked, "Who am I, that you should love me?"
"You are My Queen," said Eugenides. She sat perfectly still, looking at him without moving as his words dropped like water into dry earth.
"Do you believe me?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered.
"Do you love me?"
"Yes."
"I love you."
And she believed him.


And if that isn't the most perfect, gut-wrenching way to finish a book, I don't know what is.

I'm not sure if I can even write a review for this book.

[Mayim de Vries · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Steal peace, Eugenides, steal me some time.”

Reading Queen of Attolia straight after The Thief was like flipping a coin. It simultaneously is the same story and not the same story.

Those who have read the first part will remember the slow progress of the opening chapters but also the startling and thoughtful finale of the book. Queen of Attolia begins quite differently; there is no shortage of fast-paced action from the very beginning, and there is more than one “welcome” plot twist that leaves the reader in disbelief and stupefaction.

These differences between these two books are crucial, especially if you are unsure whether to continue the series.

Firstly, The Thief is largely a road trip novel, sprinkled with some world-building lore and mythology, while Queen of Attolia is dominated by political intrigues taking place between four countries. There is an abundance of conspiracies and schemes interspersed with reflections of military and economic nature. Although the first fiddle is still played by the incomparable Eugenides, the story is less confined, personal and more universal, set on a wider canvas.

The plot draws the reader in from the very beginning. However, its tone is much more serious and subdued than in The Thief. We don't have as many opportunities to laugh at Gen’s cockiness and admire how skilful a prankster he is. Nearly all such moments have been replaced by political shenanigans, as well as tactical warfare. For me, the book gained quite a lot from it, because it forces the reader to better understand the multi-layered developments and take into account the most important motives and hidden messages.

The story here takes on a completely different flavour than in the first volume. There we had a clever boy who fooled the royal mage. And here we have a Thief who can truly be called Queen’s Thief. After all, one can steal not only a purse but also an entire kingdom. Just how to go about it?

Secondly, it might be because Gen is no longer the carefree trickster we remember from the previous instalment. Ms Turner does not spare her main character; she subjects him to shocking developments that question his very identity. On the one hand, this brings him even closer to the reader and makes him more credible. On the other hand, it does not allow Gen to get comfortable in his brilliance. He is constantly challenged beyond comfortable, beyond possible. This is also achieved by introducing the Queen of Attolia, who is both intriguing, cruel and unhappy, alternately evoking sympathy and aversion.

This is the third considerable change: this time, more ambiguous characters appear on the pages of the novel. The eponymous Attolia is in the lead here, evoking many conflicting emotions. Her intriguing personality is worth a momentary departure from Eugenides' POV, although for me, her behaviour often could not be called differently than… well, embarrassing. Even better, the Author did not leave the already-known characters behind, and some of them even got their own sparkling five minutes. As a result, the number of interesting protagonists has expanded, and the complexity of relations opens new paths that I hope will be explored in future. The focus here undeniably is on relationships and action, which both can sometimes be as surprising as Eugenides is.

Finally, while Megan Whalen Turner’s style remains light and imminently readable, perfect for an adventure novel that is focused on providing entertainment rather than providing deeper reflections, the change in narration is also noticeable. The story is told from the third person perspective. This was probably intended to facilitate different POVs and jumping between different places of action. What I liked about it is that a different narrative is implemented without flattening Gen’s character; on the contrary, his personality (but also others) gains unexpected depths.

And here the greatest peans are due as Megan Whalen Turner found the perfect proportions between characterisation and description when showing the premises determining the actions of her protagonists. Many times what the narrator presents to us is only an external mask appropriate for a given situation and yet having nothing to do with the true beliefs or desires of a particular individual. Even Gen, the invincible trickster, increasingly shows a human face, vulnerable in his newly discovered imitations and fears.

Unexpectedly, it turns out that the arrogant and self-confident thief who can steal everything is also a young man torn by classic feelings for his age group. Although I will not lie and admit that I find the love story the most problematic in the whole book… despite the fact that everything falls into a coherent and understandable whole when reaching the climax.

For fans of The Thief, I don’t even have to recommend Queen of Attolia, and for those who haven’t started the series yet, I can recommend it with a clear conscience, especially if you are looking for an original picaresque novel. Megan Whalen Turner has created an extraordinary story, which constitutes a completely different take on a seemingly familiar topic.

It is only very rarely that I like the second book in the series more than the first one, and this is one of those exceptional cases. Queen of Attolia, while so different from The Thief, maintains - and even surpasses - its quality. Full of intrigue and political machinations, skilfully mixed with fast-paced action, it sets an example of how sequels should be written. At the same time, it provides hours of superb entertainment, encouraging you to immediately reach for the next volume and learn about Eugenides’ further adventures.

Also in the series:

1. The Thief ★★★★☆
3. The King of Attolia ★★★★☆
4. The Conspiracy of Kings ★★★☆☆
5. Thick as Thieves ★★★☆☆
6. Return of the Thief ★★★☆☆

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The man besides him lifted the sword. It caught the firelight on its edge down, biting deep into the wooden arm of the chair. His right hand disappeared behind the blade.

Attolia saw his body jerk against the straps. She had expected him to cry out, but he made no sound. He turned away from the sight of his right arm, and she saw his face grow white as the blood under his skin drained away. His eyes were squeezed closed, his mouth twisted in pain." (PG. 32)

YA

This is the second book of a 4th in the series. I really like the series but I have noticed it takes a while for the story line to pick up. It's very slow in the beginning and gets super good towards the last 100 pages with some good revenge plot twists. Eugenides, the queen's Thief, is the prominent character and he does not disappoint. He is sneaky, funny and broody. His job is to steal anything the Queen of Eddis needs without being caught. In this edition he gets his right hand cut off when he gets caught. Can he survive the depression of being "useless" to her majesty?

I like the characters and the wars between Attolia and Eddis and the Sounis. I would definitely recommend this series to the young adult in your life.

[Bibi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love this book- and series, it helps that Ms Turner wrote one of the best (and adorable) male leads ever.

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Gen Stole My Heart Stars

I had a great time reading this with a few friends at Buddies Books & Baubles

I liked The Thief it was a solid 3 star read, it took a little while to get into but the ending was very solid. The Queen of Attolia though….well let’s just say that it had some very unexpected and crazy surprises in store for me. It was so much better than the first book with complex characters and more than one twist I wasn’t expecting. I really love it when a book blindsides me with something that I never saw coming and there were exactly 3 instances in this book where I had no clue ‘that’ was going to happen until the bomb dropped.

This series might seem to read a little slower than some other fantasy novels because a lot of the tension and build up is political intrigue and posturing. It is about cunning and sneakiness, who is telling the truth, who is lying and is everything what it seems or something else entirely. I like smart dialogue like that where I’m trying to figure out the true motives and intension of all those involved. I had inklings and suspicions of the actions and reactions of all the characters but I never once knew for sure and to me that is extremely entertaining.

The characters and their emotions are complex and intricate. I started this book disliking the Queen of Attolia, shortly into this I despised her, then I grew to maybe feel some empathy for her, to finally possibly understanding her and perhaps maybe now I have an smidgen of like happening for her. It was an emotional journey and I can say definitively that I have a healthy respect for her character. She is smart, cunning, manipulative and merciless sometimes. But The Queen of Attolia is a great three dimensional character doing her best to rule a country full of Baron’s who do not want to be ruled by her and she is so alone.

There was a shadow behind the wardrobe, a deeper one at the edge of the window curtains. She sat up against her pillows. She pulled the bedclothes up as far as they would go and suppressed a perverse wish to have her old nurse come to chase away the darkness, perverse because she didn’t know if she wanted the shadows to be empty or not. She sat watching until the day dawned and the shadows lightened and were gone.

Eugenides totally WOWED me. His growth in this book alone is amazing. He is not just the scheming prankster of a boy he once was. He went through some very traumatic experiences in this book and they have changed him. He is different now, but we the readers get to travel with him through that transformation and it is not always easy. This book is sometimes much darker than the previous installment. Eugenides might have taken a little time to bounce back after his tragedy but he got there with a little nudging.

”Stop whining. Eugenides said.
“What?” Eddi’s expression shifted from wary to puzzled.
“That was the message. Fe me, alone among mortals, the gods send their messenger to tell me to stop whining. That’ll teach me to go hide in the temple.”

I had so much fun watching Eugenides get back on his feet and up to his old tricks. Everyone better watch out, he has a new ambition and plan that I think he was willing to go to the grave for.

Eddis is another great character and smart Queen. It is so interesting to compare how similar and different she and Attolia are. Each is ruthless for their people and will do anything for those they care about. They are both smart, cunning and able to see into the true motivations of those around them. But where Attolia is surrounded by people trying to take a kingdom away from her Eddis is surrounded by family, friends and subjects that would protect and keep her in power at any cost. Eddis is allowed to seem softer and kinder because of this but do not let that fool you she is just as ferocious.

“Magus,” she said from the doorway. “I’d heard that you had come.”
Eugenides swung to look at her. “You started a war in my name without telling me?” he asked.
“You will have to excuse me,” said the queen to the magus as if she hadn’t heard. “I overslept, or I would have greeted you earlier.”
“Are we at war with Attolia?” Eugenides demanded.
“Yes,” said his queen.
“And Sounis?” asked Eugenides.
“Nearly,” said Eddis.

Being a Queen at war leaves no room for sympathy in most. The battle between the two Queens showed how each used their strengths to maneuver against opponents. I enjoyed the alternating PoVs to get a full picture of the story.

I was happily surprised by the direction this story took and I had a great time trying to figure out who was going to outmaneuver who. I think Eugenides wins in that regard though. I think he could test a monk’s patience and get Gandhi into trouble. I’m really interested in seeing what he will do in his new role for the next book. Barron’s Beware Eugenides is coming for you is really all I can think of saying on that.

[Peep (Pop! Pop!) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. I really did. I loved the first one, you know. I thought Gen was hilarious and really someone I'd like to have around with - even if he was annoying.

The Queen of Attolia started out really good. I really was not expecting anything like that to happen. It was very surprising and I almost thought it was a dream. Where the first book had twists that had me smiling and gaping, this one had few. It was just ok. Eugenides had grown and changed so much that the only reason he is likable is because everyone else tells you and reminds you. Almost none of his original charm is there. He's quiet and brooding. Granted, he has reason to - but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

And just when I thought the action would pick up and that there would be another twist absolutely nothing happens. It just keeps going until the end. I don't want to post spoilers so I can't elaborate, but I really thought that more was going to happen. The story just kind of ended in a ho-hum manner.

A great portion of the book is devoted to talking about war and war strategy and where one army is and what this minister or Baron is thinking and it all became quite tiring after a while.

Like I said, I really wanted to like this book and had high expectations. Looking back this isn't the first time that I've disliked a four star book and something tells me that it won't be my last.

[Kacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never get tired of reading this book, that's how much I love it (and the whole series).

Update 8/15/20
I read/listen to this book too much XD. I listened to it during work yesterday because filing papers for four hours can get a little monotonous. So thank goodness for audio books! And since I can't focus completely on the audiobook while working, I'm listening to ones I've already read. I think howl's moving castle will be next :p

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been wanting to read this book for years and now that I did, I can surely understand the hype surrounding it. It’s very clever, it shows much the author has put thoughts into the strategies used by different kingdom. However, there was something missing and it’s the emotional investment in a book. Fault’s probably mine since I am not 100% recovered from my reading break late 2021. I’m still looking forward to reading the sequel even if this book didn’t end with a cliffhanger.

[Lightreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well well! So our pleasant, feather-brained little fantasy romp grew a bigger, bitchiner sequel. Turner made the very good choice of switching from first person to roaming third, and tossed us straight in to political intrigue and war and post trauma.

So – and, frankly, this is one of those spoilers that has to be revealed because talking about the book without it is like talking about Harry Potter without talking about magic . . . this sentence was going somewhere. Since when is drunk reviewing this hard?

Anyway this book! Which I liked very much, this book is about acquired disability, and identity changed by trauma, and all of that stuff. I reflexively withdraw from books with sudden acquired disability plotlines. I am predisposed for dislike from two directions: I have the lifelong disabled person’s disdain for badly done flailing and trauma and howling and “how will I ever survive I’d rather be dead” (um, you may have heard me demurely mention this on a previous occasion), and at least in the past four years I’ve also had the periodic raw-nerved sensitivity of sudden loss that can’t tolerate acquired disability actually done well. So it’s not that my standards are high so much as that they are . . . complicated.

So reading this book and watching myself respond to it was actually really instructive in pinpointing what works in acquired disability stories and what doesn’t. What I liked about this book was that the acquired disability and the post-violence trauma were different processes. People almost never get that right, but they really are. Even when they spring from the same event, and even though they are both fundamentally a kind of violence done to identity, they . . . operate in different keys. They are different necessities to reconcile the old identity with the new circumscribed reality, with what you can’t do now and with what everyone else thinks you can’t do (also two different things).

The other thing I liked was that the disability in this book was not about fetishizing pain or woobiness, but instead about fetishizing the person who came out the other side. The former is far more frequently creepy than the latter. And here the process is nicely drawn, with some beautiful moments in Gen’s long, quiet winter in his room, feeling out the new boundaries of his body one tiny increment at a time. And, “I thought I was doing so well.” Oh, yes.

Here’s what I didn’t like. I think it is cheap and it is easy for author’s to shorthand their character’s post-disability trauma entirely into their discomfort with the injury being seen. It does make sense – the gazes of others are of course self-definitive, and this is a thing that people go through. But when you channel so much of the aftermath trauma into body discomfort you’re playing with fire. Because disability is not biological. It is not somatoform. Disability is a sociological condition rooted in the embedded culture’s incapacity to, I don’t know, embrace universal fucking design, and the resultant discord it projects back at the disabled person. I realize I’m being all modern social theory at a little young adult fantasy book, but you know what? You do have to deal with the physical pragmatics, but when you get bound up in this idea of body-based disability shame, you’re permanently stuck in the physical and you can’t get anywhere else. Anywhere a lot more interesting, frankly. Also, modern theory is just how I roll when I’m tipsy.

So anyway. It’s a book about a smart-mouthed kid who gets hurt, and how he gets up again after, and how it hurts the people around him, and how it hurt the person who hurt him. Big stuff, for a silly little young adult fantasy.

[Limonessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I elected Froi as my favorite male character of the year for 2011, but Eugenides definitely gets second place.

The Queen of Attolia is the second book in The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner and in this review THERE WILL be spoilers. If you haven't read the first book, The Thief, I strongly suggest you not to continue reading this.

I think that, if you liked The Thief, you'll probably like this book even more. I'd rather not get into the synopsis to leave all details undiscovered but this book is way more complex than the first one.
A big detail that makes the reading experience completely different is that, while The Thief was told in our Eugenides' unreliable narrator's first person POV, The Queen of Attolia is narrated in third person omniscient, therefore giving the reader a glimpse into all protagonists' minds and actions and a better understanding of the political mechanisms of the story.
So while, on the one hand, this latter technique is more "complete" for the reader, who's not constrained into one single character's biased and purposefully misdirected point of view, on the other hand, this book lacks, for obvious reasons, the big jaw-dropper that made the first book so special.
While in The Thief, the whole book revolved around obnoxious Gen who played the lion's share, in The Queen of Attolia other characters finally get to play protagonists' roles and the reader gets the chance to form a personal opinion on them, unfiltered by Gen's eyes.

Eugenides is very much changed from the first book. He's still obnoxious, but more charmingly so. His relationship, hid friendship with Eddis reminded me often of Finnikin and Isaboe in Finnikin of the Rock, I have to say.
He grows quite a lot in the course of the book and I really connected with his character. He's bound to break your heart very early in the story, be warned and he's not a character that will leave you indifferent.

Attolia was also a great character to discover, perhaps one of the more fascinating and complex. A fierce woman, she is constantly underestimated by her enemies but she is also a victim of her environment, a woman who had to build herself with steel, who has been fed to the sharks from childhood and had to learn to fight and survive, or be eaten. Hints about the nature of her relationship with Eugenides are detectable right from the start of the story and, even though I still did not quite see where Eugenides' love came from, I was really pleased with how it was developed.

I'm not giving this book the highest rating because, even though to a lesser extent, I had problems with the pacing, like for The Thief. It was a tad too focused on political intrigues and descriptions of war strategies for my taste. I felt caught up and extremely involved in some scenes with Eugenides or Attolia protagonists, but rather detached and slightly bored during conquering of islands and naval deployments.
Furthermore, I don't know it if was specifically my edition of the book that lacked one but I felt in dire need of a map to follow all this moving around of people and ships. Maybe, with the help of a little map, I would have been able to follow better the action and I wouldn't have felt so uninterested.

Still, I was very satisfied with the book, I love Turner's writing style, concise and very a propos "military" I daresay and will be looking forward to secure a copy of the next book The King of Attolia.
My dear Eugenides, what will you surprise us with next?

[Gavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just like the first book in the series The Queen of Attolia was a decent old school coming of age YA fantasy story. The world was heavily inspired by Greek mythology. Even to the point of sharing some of that same mythology! The story mixed action, political intrigue, and adventure but ended up being told at a fairly sedate pace.

The plot and story in this sequel was engaging enough. Gen has gained a bit of fame after his exploits in the first book but he needs his wits as well as his spying and thieving skills to help Eddis keep her people from war. Tensions and bickering between the nations of Eddis, Attolia, and Sounis are high and if that was not bad enough The Medean Empire looks to have gained a foothold in the Court of Attolia. The Mede are a scary enough threat that they are feared by all three countries! Eddis and Gen have to be both creative and lucky to keep their country free and at peace.

Megan Whalen Turner has a slightly distant writing style and her books tend to have a sedate pace to them but for all that her writing still tends to be weirdly engaging and her characters have just enough about them that they do have some emotional resonance for me. I felt like The Queen of Attolia was an upgrade on The Thief in almost every regard even if it was not a massive upgrade. The story in this one was more engaging with the big focus being on the political strife between the three nations of the region. Adding in the threat of the Mede added an extra dimension to things. The other big upgrade in this second book was having both the Queen of Attolia and the Queen of Eddis as secondary POV characters. I felt it really helped flesh out both characters and that they were both interesting and added a lot to the story.

Another big plus for me was the fact that the stuff with the magic and the Gods of this world was kept at a minimum in this book. I'm more of a fan of the mundane adventure and political intrigue in this series so having the focus in those areas really helped me enjoy this instalment of the series more than the first. I'm just not a giant fan of the Gods of this series as they feel like weak imitations of the Greek Pantheon. That said, I did feel like the few moments the Gods did feature in this book were well done and helped enhance the story.

I figured out most of the big twists and turns well in advance but I still feel like they were well done by Turner and I enjoyed both the journey and the destination of the story. I feel like Turner did an especially good job at handling what could have been an awkward romance for Gen.

All in all I felt like this was an enjoyable book and a solid upgrade on the first book in the series so I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series to see what else is in store for Gen and the three nations!

Rating: 3.5 stars. I'm rounding down but I was close to rounding up!

Audio Note: I listened to the older Jeff Woodman version of the audio this time. I feel like it was a good call. Steve West did an OK job with the last book but I switched to Woodman this time and feel like I enjoyed his take on the world and characters a tiny bit better. West can make some of the characters sound overly bitter and whiny and I feel like Woodman did not fall into that trap and that resulted in a more enjoyable take on the story. I'll go with the Woodman versions of the series from here onwards until I'm forced to switch back to Steve West. Mind-boggling really that Woodman recorded four books in the series and was not retained for the sequels. It is probably one o those weird moments when the audios changed publisher mid-series. Fair play to the new publisher HarperCollins for having West rerecord the whole series as I do love consistency of interpretation even if I'm going to go with the Woodman versions while I can lol!

[Sid · Rating 1 out of 5]

I quite liked the first one. It was a fun, easy read. This book, on the other hand, well...where do I begin?

It was at first jarring to see that this book was written in the third person, as opposed to the first person narration used in Book #1. I'm not saying that first person is better or worse than third person, I'm just saying that the change from one to the other took a bit of getting used to. But this is only a minor quibble.

This book was boring. Very, very boring. The political intrigue between the countries became more and more incomprehensible as the story progressed. It got to the stage where I just did not care anymore.

However, the major beef I have with this book is the following (and please note, there are SPOILERS):

The Queen of Attolia cuts off Eugenides hand, but yet he falls in love with her. That's right - SHE CUTS OFF HIS HAND, and he FALLS IN LOVE WITH HER!!! This makes absolutely no sense, and this is due to the fact that you don't see him (and evenutally Attolia) falling in love, it is just explained to us that this has happened. It's not explored why Attolia is in love with Gen. What's even worse is that it seems that Gen loves Attolia only because of her beauty. Yes young ladies - it does not matter if you are a cruel and calculating bitch who cuts of limbs, as long as you are beautiful. Great message to send to kids - this is YA after all. Oh, but wait, apparently Attolia isn't so much of a cold-hearted queen, as told to us by the narration. Even so, why we should we the reader believe that's the case if we don't see any kindness from her?

I think it would have been better if Gen and Attolia hate each other but still get married purely for political reasons. Then, in a later book, there relationship is developed and we can see them falling in love. That would make more sense! That would be much more believable!

Another small thing that bugged me was how the Queens and Kings of the three countries were referenced by their country name. Example: the queen of Eddis was referred to as Eddis, the queen of Attolia was referred to as Attolia, and the King of Sounis was...well, you get the picture. Again, a small irritant that pales in significance to the absurdity of the love story.

Will I be reading the next one? No.

[nastya · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, alright, I expected to love this more than I did the first childish book. And I don't think I did. And it's not even because of the things other people seem to dislike. Did I buy the romance? Not really, but then there was something there. He is an incredible thief after all, and it makes sense to me that in his romantic life he'd prefer a challenge. And whose heart is more challenging to steal if not this icy snow queen? And I still think this book is for kids, it's darker, sure, but have you read fairy tales? It's surely darker than the first one but no more darker than something like Jane Eyre. The problem is not so much in level of darkness but in tonal whiplash coming from the first one, those poor kids. My problems are all those other bits that just dragged and dragged and this book was smart for a children's book, but it has it's limitations for an adult reader and it was not enough to keep me engaged. And since this world has literal gods that meddle in humans' affairs and shape politics of the region, it highly detracted from the satisfaction of the plotting in the end. So as a whole I like the first book more which I really didn't expect.

[Vinaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have such mixed feelings about this book. I can't deny that it's an amazing book, but at times, I just wanted to throw it away and howl in frustration -- not because any of the characters were misbehaving, but because of the twists and the turns and all the bad things that I don't like happening to anyone. I think I should never write a book, ever, because I hate doing unpleasant things to my characters, and as for killing off characters I like -- forget it!

The Queen of Attolia is one hell of a ride. If The Thief was fairly predictable, well, Turner makes up for it in spades with this book. I started saying WTF!!! about five pages into the book, and I didn't ever stop until the end of the book.

Turner's writing just gets better and better. It's sort of like how I felt towards the Kate Daniels series. After the first book, I was shrugging my shoulders saying, What's all the hype about. And then I read the second book, and the third, and I couldn't stop or put the books down even though I hadn't slept in forty-odd hours, and my eyes were gummy and I looked like someone from the zombie apocalypse. The Thief was kind of the same experience. The first book was good, and I really liked it, but the second book was EPIC! (Sorry to steal your adjective, Jillian!)


*** SPOILERS ***

I love Gen, no two ways about it. He stays true to character in The Queen of Attolia, with flair, but no flamboyance. Turner does a brilliant job with his character, making him clever-as-hell, but very, very human. SO imagine my shock when this model character suddenly declares a hitherto unsuspected love for his nemesis! To fall in love with someone who so obviously scares the crap out of you, who tortures you till you've lost your reason for living, well, that just feels unhealthy. So when I first heard Gen's declaration, I was not buying the love story. That was one of the parts where I wanted to chuck my book against the wall, so it's a good thing I was reading an ebook. I wanted to scream NO NO NO, you were doing SO well!

But you know what, Turner managed to make the whole thing believable! I'm not saying I'm totally convinced, and I had some The Fountainhead-type flashbacks, but I could deal with the love story, and that is saying a lot, considering how Turner spends most of the first half of the book making us hate The Queen of Attolia, despite her occassional glimpse of humanity. Again, the thing with the Mede ambassador was no big surprise, but this time I'm convinced Turner actually set it up that way.

*** SPOILERS END HERE ***

This book wrenched me out of my complacent Urban Fantasy hole, where it's all action with very little emotion (at least the stuff I've been reading lately!) turned my perceptions topsy turvy and made me want to cry, and cheer and laugh. I loved the experience, even if I hated some parts of the book. Some side characters I'd love to see more of are Sophos, who does not appear in this book at all, the Magus of Sounis, whom I'd like to see a lot more of, and Gen's father, who is so awesome for someone who gets about ten lines in total! I can't wait to go read the third book, and for anyone who hasn't gotten hooked on this series yet, go buy the book RIGHT NOW!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harrowing. Lovely. Couldn't put it down, think that Turner is a genius.

Reread 2021: Had forgotten how heartbreaking this was, on all sides. This time it really hit home how terrible Attolia's life had been.

[Erika · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this one because everyone said it was better than the first book. But the politics were boring and the surprise Gen loves the Queen of Attolia- what?! just came so far out of left field for me that it it wasn't believable. by the end when he convinced her that he really did love her, he just didn't convince me. I just thought he was stupid. He still flinched when she touched him! SHE CUT OFF HIS HAND!!! He's always loved her and we had no idea? I just don't like the way the author hides things from the audience and then we are expected to be shocked and delighted when she throws us a bone and tells us what's REALLY going on. Shocked maybe, delighted, no. I wish I could have liked it more.

[Samantha (ladybug.books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this way more than I expected to after being underwhelmed by The Thief. I did find the pacing a bit odd and I have mixed feelings about the believability of the twist the story takes. Not sure if I’ll continue the series but very glad I read this one.

[hiba · Rating 5 out of 5]

the complete 180 tonal shift from the first book to this one is pretty wild.

for a relatively short book, the queen of attolia is absolutely packed - political machinations, scheming, war tactics, twisty plot, angst, powerful queens, an insane romance - and all of it rendered with care and skill. eugenides is such a compelling protagonist - he remains the flippant, scathing, clever thief we've known from the first book but here we get to see his pain, his fear, his mistakes, all his messy feelings and it makes him all the more likable. the queen of attolia herself is a fascinating, contentious character and i was torn between hating her and empathizing with her. i loved her backstory and her contrast with the queen of eddis. also, the last quarter of the book was so incredibly intense and beautifully executed, i was on the edge throughout.

as for the romance, it's definitely one of the strangest dynamics i've ever read about - on the verge of dark, toxic, uncomfortable. i'm not entirely sure how i feel about it but i'm really intrigued, i think it's handled well here and i can't wait to see it develop.

my only minor complaint is that the narrative keeps you quite distant from the characters and their inner thoughts, and yeah it's done for plot reasons but still not the kind of writing i normally prefer. apart from that, i'm excited for the rest of the series.

[Sharon Loves to Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read this book so many times, but it never gets old! Warning to anyone interested in this for the first time—

🚨🚨Don’t read the book blurb!!🚨🚨

[Ѽ tazannah Ѽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

**4.5 stars**

“There are a lot of things a person with two hands couldn't steal," Eddis said.
"So?"
"If it's impossible to steal them with two hands, it's no more impossible to steal them with one. Steal peace, Eugenides. Steal me some time.”


“I sometimes believe his lies are the truth, but I have never mistaken his truth for a lie.”

*phone rings*
me: stares into space
*phone rings more persistently*
me: still sitting, processing what just happened
me: *accepts the call*
"I'm sorry, Tazannah is not available at this moment due to turbulent feelings after reading the Queen of Attolia. Please leave a message and call back in a month. Thanks."
End Call.
_______________________________
The Queen of Attolia is yet another brilliant novel written by the highly acclaimed novelist, Megan Whalen Turner. Mrs. Turner never fails to exceed my expectations. Her writing is crafted in such a unique way, and her work is so distinctive and magical. She writes cleverly and knows how to keep the reader intruiged. Her mythological elements are so fascinating and ingenious. I mean, creating all those mini stories and Greater Powers elements? Ahh, I'm a sucker for maps and kingdom history in books, hehe.

I must admit, some parts dragged a little and were a tad boring, but the second half?--

It all. kicks. off.

Everything sped up and I loved it. So much was happening, and I could not stop reading. It was just soo good. I can't wait to read The King of Attolia and see what happens next ;)

The characters: Soooo... I absolutely loathed Attolia for the first third of the book. She was a sadistic, barbaric ruler and sickened me. But with such an amazing subtelty, Megan Whalen Turner shifted those feelings toward a love for her. By the end of the book, I absolutely loved her, and though her actions weren't exactly justified, I feel like I began to understand her more.

Her progression as a character throughout this book was such an incredible thing to read. Her mask cracking, and her slowly letting Gen in, even though she opened the door to her heart just the tiniest sliver, was so beautifully tragic. I love them both <3

THE QUEENS,I LOVE BOTH OF THEMM <3
Eddis is such a good ruler, and her friendly banter with Gen is just *chef's kiss* I love their friendship; it's filled with warmth and such genuine love.

And Attolia, or should I say... Irene? Hehe... I'm sorry, but that name just does NOT fit. She needs a more... fIeRcE name; one that radiates power. But that's just me *shrugs* I also hated that it took literally TWO WHOLE BOOKS TO FIND OUT THEIR NAMES. Like whYyYyYy??!?!? But Attolia, at heart, wanted what was best for her country. Throughout this book, we could all clearly see that, and to my own confession, she's more intelligent that I gave her credit for, soo, whoo *bows my head in due respect*

AND THE E N D I N G .
OHMYGRAPES, THAT ENDING?!?!
BEST LAST PAGE I'VE EVER READ.
THAT LAST CONVO WAS JUST SO ✨PERFECT✨. IT WAS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SCENE, AHHHH. WHAT A GREAT WAY TO END A BOOK. Thank you, MWT

This whole book was full of political machinations and deep thoughts, and intervention from the gods. It was filled with fighting and war and love and hate. Deceit and secrets and revelations told. History that goes back further than we think, and characters that, after finishing this book, will be seared into your head for eternity.

The Queen of Attolia is a highly addictive novel, perfect for fans of The Mark of the Thief by another one of my favorite authors, Jennifer A. Nielsen. Please read this series if you haven't already! It's different from most typical YA books, but in a good way :)

Kudos to you, Mrs. Turner, for writing yet another brilliant book *salutes*
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Christian POV / CWs:
- infrequent cursing
- death
- mythology / intervention from the gods (like the first book)
- mentions of incestion
- mentions mistresses (as a joke)
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Quotes I Saved:
"Eugenides, who continued to abuse her about her taste in clothes and relatives, as if the existence of the cousins were her fault.

"Exile them all," he'd suggested.

“You know I can't. Someday they're going to be officer in my army and my ministers of trade and the exchequer."

“You can make me an officer instead."

"You tore up your enrollment papers during the last fight with your father."

"I'll be your minister—”

"Of the exchequer? You'd rob me blind.”

"I would never steal from you," he'd said hotly.

"Oh? Where is my tourmaline necklace? Where are my missing earrings?"

"That necklace was hideous. It was the only way to keep you from wearing it."

"My earrings?"

"What earrings?"

"Eugenides!" She had laughed. ‘If Cleon beats you, it's because you deserve it!’"

p.50 • "She never worried about his complaints. She worried only when he was quiet. Either he was plotting something so outrageous it would bring her entire court to her throne howling for his blood, or he'd been fighting with his father, or on very rare occasions it meant he'd been seriously hurt."

p.211 • "Eddis spoke ine last time to the general and the officers in charge of the men, and to her Thief. When she had given them their last instructions, she sent them in their way. She recalled the Thief as he reached the steps up to the door.

“My Queen?” He turned back, unsure what she required.”

“Only for that,” said Eddis.

Eugenides smiled and bowed his head. “My Queen,” he said again, perhaps for the last time. Then he was gone."

• "Once she, too, was standing on the dock, he moved back several steps, closed his eyes, and stretched his arms up over his head to ease the stiffness in his shoulders. Attolia reached to pull from its fabric padding the knife she carried along her ribs, but it was gone. Gone as well were the ceremonial knife from her belt and even the tiny blade hidden in the twists of her hair.

She looked at Eugenides to see his eyes open and his hand holding all three knives, their blades spread in fan. He tossed them one at a time into the air, catching each by the blade as it came down and tossing it up again, juggling them one-handed, then holding them out, handles first, to
the queen. She hesitated, expecting him to pull them back, but he didn't move.

"Have all three," he said.

When she'd taken them, he pointed to a spot just below his heart.

"An upward stroke here," he said, "would be most efficient, but almost anywhere would do the job. You can push me into the water," he said.

“Don’t know if I can swim with one hand or not. Attolia waited, sensing a trap. The moon disappeared behind a cloud.

Eugenides was only a dark form against the darker water behind him.

"Before you make a decision," he said, ‘I want you to know that I love you.’"

• "‘When I am actually willing to marry you, I will wear your earrings. Don't wait for it, Thief.’ She turned her back on Eugenides and started climbing again as fast as before.

"Your Majesty," he called.

"What now?"

"It's a long climb," he said, very subdued. "If you keep going like that, you're going to die of apoplexy before you reach the top

"I'm sure I wouldn't be the first you drove to apoplexy," snapped Attolia, but resumed her climb at a slower pace Eugenides followed, still a safe distance behind her."

• "They climbed in silence for another half an hour. They could see the end of the stairs above them when Eugenides succumbed to temptation and produced under his breath a credible imitation of a small goat bleating.

Attolia heard him. Her head lifted, and she froze for a moment, her hands tightened into fists. She reached for the knives and again found them gone, though she had checked them in their sheaths several times during the climb.

Murderously angry, she turned and started deliberately back down the stairs toward the Thief. Eugenides skipped backward step by step as the queen advanced.

"The more stairs we go down, the more stairs we have to climb up again, Your Majesty," Eugenides called.

The queen stopped. After years of intrigue and outright war with her barons, she knew when she was beaten.

Without assistance she could not free herself from the Thief. His armed companions waited at the top of the cliff to escort her to her wedding, and there was no help at hand. She schooled herself to patience, always her best resource, and turned back to the climb."

• "‘Where there's life there's hope, Eugenides,’ Attolia said as she looked him over."

• "Eddis looked at her minister, curious. "Your head?" she asked. Attolia explained. "He had to be forcibly dissuaded from strangling his son.

"So have we all from time to time," Eddis said seriously.

One of Attolia's eyebrows rose in carefully conveyed surprise. Eddis took note of the expression, amused to have found at last, she was certain, the original of the look Eugenides had copied. She smiled.

Attolia hesitated, then smiled herself, very briefly. In her expression Eddis saw some hope for her Thief, and her heart lightened."

• "‘And your ambassador?’ Attolia uncharacteristically said the first thing that came to mind. "He
sharpens his beard into points like a fork," she said of her ambassador,"and uses cheap hair oil."

"Well, that certainly is frank on your part," said Eddis, laughing. "I had thought you were fond of him.”

"'So did he," said Attolia dryly."

• "‘You know—’Eddis hesitated, not sure how far to push the Attolian queen.

"Go on." Attolia inclined her head.

"I was going to say you look like a polecat when you smile like that.

"Do I?" Attolia still smiled. "You look a little vulpine yourself."

"Yes, I suppose so.

The two queens sat for a moment in happy agreement."

• "Eddis, arriving in the courtyard, had seen the queen. She, too, had dropped from her horse and left the rest of her party milling behind her as she hurried up the steps to follow Attolia. She passed the seneschal, and the guard captain reached out a hand to hook her elbow.

"Now then, young man," he said, stopping her in her tracks. "Where were you going?"

Eddis turned. The captain needed only one more look to see that he'd made an error. He withdrew his hand, and Eddis, without speaking, followed Attolia.

When she was gone, the captain looked again at the seneschal and grimaced, shaking his hand as if he'd touched something hot and burned it.

"That look would have boiled lead," agreed the seneschal. "You're not going to follow them?"

"Not I," said the captain. "I will be very glad to be somewhere else if those two are crossing swords.""

• "How cruel of the gods, she thought, to send her a boy she would love without realizing it."

• "‘He looks—’Attolia hunted for the word. "Defenseless" came to mind, but it wasn't the one she wanted, nor was "young," though he looked even younger when he was asleep.

"Quite guileless," she said at last.

"Oh, yes," said Eddis. "I'm always willing to forgive him anything--until he wakes up." She leaned down and poked him again."

• "‘You forgot me.’

Eddis shoved her hands into the pockets of her trousers.

"Don't lie," Eugenides said, pressing her. "You charged off in a haze of glory to chase the vile Mede from our shore, and you never gave me a thought until they were gone.”

He twisted to address Attolia. "You forgot me, too," he accused.

Attolia answered coolly, "You were fed."

Eugenides looked up at her, and Attolia felt transparent, as if her mask were gone, as if he could see her heart and know that a moment before it had been stopped by grief.

"That's true, a girl brought me dinner," Eugenides said thoughtfully. "She was very pretty." After a pause he added, “and very kind.”

Eddis had heard of the conversation between the Thief and Attolia on the relative merits of beauty and kindness. She winced at the intended rebuke, but Attolia only pressed her lips together in a thin smile and said,"It's not too late for you to end up chained to a wall."

"Oh, someone would rescue me," Eugenides said, rolling his eyes
innocently. "And while I was there, that lovely girl could bring my dinner. I think," he said, with his head propped by his arm, looking into the middle distance, think when I'm king"—he repeated himself slowly. “When I am king, she can be my first mistress.

Attolia snapped, "You have any mistresses and I'll cut your other hand off.”

Beside her, Eddis stiffened. Attolia raised her chin to meet the look that her seneschal had said would melt lead. Eddis opened her mouth, but before she could put her thoughts into words, Eugenides laughed.

Laughing, he dropped his head onto the bed; then he looked up to grin at Attolia.

She looked back at him, and her cheeks flushed. She said, with sincerity, "You are a poisonous little snake.”

"Yes," said Eugenides."

• "But she didn't let go of his chin. She held him, looking into his face. He reached up to touch very lightly the earring in her ear, a square-cut ruby on a gold backing that matched the design of the ruby-studded band across her forehead. She'd been wearing the earrings when she bent over
him in his chains in the megaron.

"Do you like them?" he asked.

"Yes," said. She straightened and went to the door.

"Will you send that nice girl who brought my dinner?" Eugenides called.

Attolia lifted her eyebrow. "No," she said, and was gone."

• "Eddis stared. ‘Your capacity to land yourself in a mess because you didn't think first, Eugenides, will never cease to amaze me. What do you mean you didn't think about being king? Is Attolia going to marry you and move into my library?’"

p.337 • "Once the women had gone, she had pulled the flowers from her braids herself and thrown them to the floor, muttering,"Damn him, damn him, damn him," as each blossom dropped.

But it wasn't the Thief she was angry at, or Phresine.

What a fool she was to offer hunting to a man with one hand. What a fool to fall in love with someone after she had cut his hand off. Well, she might be fool enough to love him; she wasn't fool enough to believe he loved her.She'd seen the look in his father's eyes, and if she didn't see it in Eugenides's eyes, then he was better at hiding it, that was all."

p.360 • "She asked, "Who am I, that you should love me?"

"You are My Queen,” said Eugenides. She sat perfectly still, looking at him without moving as his words dropped like water into dry earth.

"Do you believe me?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered.

"Do you love me?"

"Yes."

"I love you."

And she believed him."
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Fan Art I Saved:
**Note: the following images are NOT mine. I found them all online**

[mich · Rating 5 out of 5]

”You aren’t the boy hero anymore.”
“Was I ever?”

If you're familiar at all with this series, then you'll have already heard that this book is way better than the first one. But I'll just confirm it again anyway - cuz it IS. So much better.

This is the story of two young, intelligent queens, Eddis and Attolia; it is a story full of political maneuvering and plays for power, of military strategizing and cunning. And in the midst of it all is Eugenides, the Queen’s Thief, who, true to form, will surprise you in ways you least expect.

Complex characters -- I LIKE them.

The writing made for an interesting experience for me. It had a sort of distance to it, and normally that would make me feel detached and disconnected from the characters but that was not the case here. Rather, it lent an air of mystery to them - you never quite knew anyone's true motivations. Sure, you suspect things, but nothing feels cut and dry, not until actual revelations are made. I LIKE it.

Note: If you read the first book and thought it was boring, I can see how this one may bore you also. The pace and storyline IS more exciting and intriguing than The Thief, BUT there are a lot of "slow" parts also made up of political and war strategizing. Personally, though, I was fine with it, and thought any shortcomings in pacing were more than made up for with the awesome characterizations.