Trickster’s Queen, By Tamora Pierce
Alianne of Pirate’s Swoop has had an interesting year. After being kidnapped by pirates in the spring, she was sold as slave in the Copper Isles to the family Balitang. The former god of the Isles made her a deal: if she could keep the children of the family alive for the summer, he would send her home in an instant. Aly kept her part of the deal, but instead of allowing herself to be sent home, she decided to stay with the family in an attempt to put one of the girls on the throne. Rebellion has been smoldering in the hearts of the common people for three hundred years, and Aly is about to help shape that into an unstoppable force. Using her skills as a spymaster, Aly helps coordinate one of the biggest coups in history. She also must make many important and deadly decisions. The way to the throne is not clear of other claimants: namely a three year old king, and also the younger brother of the girl she wants to put on the throne.
I’ll admit straight up that this book flabbergasted me. It hit me between the eyes with something I failed to notice and made me feel very very stupid. I love it when books can pull that off. Of course, I didn’t feel all that great about it later when I was chastising myself for not picking up on it. All you need to do to make me feel unobservant and horrible is to tell me that you noticed this plot twist before it happened. ‘Cause I didn’t and I’m usually good at that sort of thing. Sadly though, I will not tell you what that twist was. I won’t even hint, because that would totally ruin the best moment in the book.
And as for that moment being the best part of the book, I am not joking. There was so much not right about Trickster’s Queen that the full list would take forever. Namely, there was no Nawat, Aly’s pov’s were annoying, much of the plot was predictable, and it wasn’t written all that well. The whole Nawat thing really made me mad because Nawat was the reason book one was sooo good. Then she ups and makes him disappear for the whole book nearly, leaving us just with Aly. I mean, I like Aly, but she needs others around her to make things interesting. She can’t quite carry a book. This was the biggest mistake that Pierce could make: to not flesh out Aly like she needed to, and to let her loose before it was time. And Aly kept making silly comments like she was glad she didn’t have to protect the Balitangs anymore, all she had to do was find information. Isn’t finding information the thing that will keep them alive and well? Doesn’t she want to protect them even if it isn’t technically her job? That statement was just so confusing I wish it didn’t exist.
Trickster’s Queen was a very disappointing book on the whole, with a few parts that were interesting. I believe it needed a lot more work before it should have been published, but at the same time I still enjoy reading it. Go figure, I’m just a contradiction. But if you like her other books, I say to just stick with those. You won’t be disappointed.
I’ll admit straight up that this book flabbergasted me. It hit me between the eyes with something I failed to notice and made me feel very very stupid. I love it when books can pull that off. Of course, I didn’t feel all that great about it later when I was chastising myself for not picking up on it. All you need to do to make me feel unobservant and horrible is to tell me that you noticed this plot twist before it happened. ‘Cause I didn’t and I’m usually good at that sort of thing. Sadly though, I will not tell you what that twist was. I won’t even hint, because that would totally ruin the best moment in the book.
And as for that moment being the best part of the book, I am not joking. There was so much not right about Trickster’s Queen that the full list would take forever. Namely, there was no Nawat, Aly’s pov’s were annoying, much of the plot was predictable, and it wasn’t written all that well. The whole Nawat thing really made me mad because Nawat was the reason book one was sooo good. Then she ups and makes him disappear for the whole book nearly, leaving us just with Aly. I mean, I like Aly, but she needs others around her to make things interesting. She can’t quite carry a book. This was the biggest mistake that Pierce could make: to not flesh out Aly like she needed to, and to let her loose before it was time. And Aly kept making silly comments like she was glad she didn’t have to protect the Balitangs anymore, all she had to do was find information. Isn’t finding information the thing that will keep them alive and well? Doesn’t she want to protect them even if it isn’t technically her job? That statement was just so confusing I wish it didn’t exist.
Trickster’s Queen was a very disappointing book on the whole, with a few parts that were interesting. I believe it needed a lot more work before it should have been published, but at the same time I still enjoy reading it. Go figure, I’m just a contradiction. But if you like her other books, I say to just stick with those. You won’t be disappointed.
posted by Tai Schutz | Saturday, January 20, 2007
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