This dark adult fantasy duology follows two sisters, princesses Neverah (Neve) and Redarys, known as Red. It picks up right after the end of the first book, with Neve waking up in the Underworld with Solmir by her side. Together, they take a journey through the upside-down realm full of shadows and monsters.
The First Daughter is for the throne.
The Second Daughter is for the Wolf.
And the Wolves are for the Wilderwood.
By the way, It's got two points of view with the occasional third POV of Raffe. There is one observation about the POVs I would like to share with you. Interestingly, while I was reading the first book of the duology, I was more interested in Red´s point of you which changed in this sequel, where I enjoyed Neve´s parts more. I think Hannah Whitten truly knows how to work this concept to the story's advantage.
Very rarely can the entirety of fault be held by one person.
If you ask me, For the Throne is dark, so very dark - definitely darker than the first book - but still a very beautiful and indeed heart touching story. It is a journey through dark and deep woods with eldritch forest monsters lurking behind the upside down trees and I could not love it more. I've seen it described as part folklore, part fairytale, and part horror story, and I absolutely agree with that. Hannah Whitten is a master at creating a wonderfully gloomy and eerie atmosphere sprinkled with folklore. It is in fact drenched in it. The prose is gorgeous, and I was tremendously happy to sink into the Underworld realm and all its danger, shadows and darkness. It is truly a captivating story. Overall, this duology is highly atmospheric fantasy with a classic fairytale feel - a must read for all the fans of dark fantasy books.
It was impossible to know all the corners of the world. There was always some wrinkle left unironed, something tripping you up in your understanding of how things went and your place in them.
What makes it truly special are the themes hidden behind the layers of thorns, piles of bones, and gore. Both For the Wolf and For the Throne are books full of interesting and thought-provoking ideas. Like how destructing and self-destructing can be to blindly follow a notion that somebody else needs your help despite the person telling you to leave it be. Sometimes - as we've seen at the end of the first book - it has truly dire consequences. Listening to the people you love and letting them make the decisions for themselves is important, maybe the most important thing of all. I believe that the idea the book explores is that you can offer them a helping hand but then it is up to them if they choose to reach out and get it. Neve learns this the hard way. Now she is forced to face it and question her true nature, asking herself if she did the right thing or if she's actually the villain here. And she's not the only one to do so. Both Neve and Solmir are plagued by their previous actions and the question if they can become the heroes of the story and save Neve´s kingdom and its people.
Saving someone else was a wall you couldn’t scale unless they threw you a rope.
Plus is also that while there are a few romantic relationships throughout the duology, it shows that romantic love does not actually solve everything. Plus, as already mentioned, loving somebody does not mean that you get to make decisions for that said person, it means to offer a helping hand and let the other person still go their own way if they chose so. All in all, while feeling love for each other, all of those characters are still their own people, making their own choices. They keep their individuality and learn to respect each other. Opposite to what you can often read in books, sharing trauma with somebody does not immediately mean that you two are true soulmates (or whatever) and the book explores this idea so well. When you take a good look at the duology, you'll find that it is actually not a tale of romantic love but of a strong and deep sisterly bond. And while both of the main romances intrigued me, I love that.
Heroes and villains and the spaces between, a prism that changed reflections depending on the angle you turned it.
Another captivating thing about this duology as a whole is the way it works with religion and religious beliefs. Red, Neve and everybody else in their world grow up with the conviction that the Kings were good and sacrificed themselves to save the people. The message here is not to trust everything you are told, as this religious narrative that everyone lives by is a total lie. In Valleyda, religion serves as this tremendous tool of power and means of control and I am all here for it. I love how the book turns the religious narrative upside down, making the bad guys actually the force of good and the supposed good guys a menace to be dealt with.
For the Throne is a truly captivating book with an incredible atmosphere, well rounded and believably flawed characters, intriguing plot and many deep thoughts. Safely said, I cannot wait to read another book by Hannah Whitten. I cannot wait for what she comes up with next.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
