review: queen of nothing
3.5 Stars
I really wanted to love this book. I really did. I mean, the ending of âWicked Kingâ was just so heart-pounding-ly sinister I can forgive it for being a cliff-hanger. But, there are just some aspects that I have to point out.
The Plot
Queen of Nothing picks up exactly where âWicked Kingâ left off, and is the much anticipated conclusion of the âFold of the Airâ trilogy. Our protagonist, Jude is bidding her time to return to the treacherous Faerie Court as war is brewing in the horizon. And obviously, because we are dealing with faeries, there is a juicy smattering of politics and wicked deception.
The narrative was action packed while also playing into the complex political deception that is typical of the faerie world. Political intrigue was balanced quite nicely with the action. The stakes were high, and I found it to be a read that you can fly through - in other words, it was very binge worthy.
That being said, I almost feel there was too much going on while being not enough. Here is what I mean: There were too many loose ends and unresolved plot points that could have been epic.
I was also kind of disappointed at the final battle scene. In a way, it was almost anticlimactic compared to the build-up of stakes from the three books. Also, call me petty, but I am quite disappointed that the devastating cliffhanger from the second book was pretty much unnecessary.
Lyrical writing
Like the other two books, I loved the writing style. As the world is fae is full of whimsical and dark twists, the writing style perfectly mirrors it. There were so many quotes that I highlighted in this book to read again!
Characterization
Imma just going to put it out there: Grima Mog is the real MVP in this story.
You can fight me on this.
I think this book is hands down the most character develop for Jude. She has to figurative and literally confront the monsters of her worst nightmare. I wasnât really a fan of any of the characters in the âCruel Princeâ at all. I grew to like Judeâs characterization in this book. She was completely badass and unapologetic about how to get the upper hand while at the same time growing to consider the implications for her family.
Cardan. Sad face. I was really hoping to get more scenes with Cardan, and to understand his political cleverness. Instead, what we get is Cardan being a smear of feelings on the floor. Seriously, he is as gooey as a chocolate chip cookie. Now, itâs not to say that I donât love a good chocolate chip cookie. But I mean, the boy was literally plotting her death in the previous two books. This kind of major transition needs some perspective. Where was his growth? What were his thoughts during Judeâs exile (and not just summed up as a sentence in the dialogue on one page of the story)?
ViVi and Heather. While, they have less of a starring appearance as in âThe Wicked Kingâ, I loved their ending. It was just the proverbial cherry on top.
World Building
I was LIVING for the juxtaposition between Faerie and the mortal world. It was so much fun seeing the stark difference between live in Faerie with all its decadent sinisterness to the mundane world with its own charm. And, to see the faerie navigating navigating ordering pizza with gummy worms was just adorable and the perfect slice-of-life amidst all the monsters.
To Conclude
It was a pretty good wrap up to the series. The whimsical nature and wicked political mechanisms were just so much fun to be immersed in. Ultimately, I liked the second book the most out of the three, which is quite rare for me. Word on the street is that there is a sequel or potential spin off, but honestly, I think the three books is enough. Less is more.