5/5
I couldn't put The Queen's Rising down. I've always enjoyed the YA concepts that include training, so the concept of the five passions in this novel is what drew me in initially. After I started reading, what kept me hooked is the delicate relationship between Brienna and Cartier. Anyone who knows me knows I hate age differences, but the relationship between Brienna and Cartier was so carefully written and delicately designed that I couldn't get enough. It felt precious and it was full of admiration. Their romance was never the center of the plot, which I appreciate, though it was often the center of my attention.
Though the concept of training and mastering an art or skill is not particular original in YA novels, what was different in The Queen's Rising is that the protagonist isn't the special, most powerful trainee to ever exist, nor does some hidden power show up half-way through the novel that, surprise surprise, reveals her to be the most powerful all along. Instead, The Queen's Rising is full of other plot twists and reveals that kept me hooked.
The Queen's Rising is similar to Grave Mercy in that it begins with a group of girls training for a purpose, but a unique trait of The Queen's Rising is that our protagonist is able to form healthy relationships with men that aren't based on sex and there also weren't any assault scenes, which are common in novels set in historical periods that involve kingdoms.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Queen's Rising from beginning to end; it wrapped up nicely, which is rare as oftentimes YA novels can begin to feel forced toward the end. There is a sequel, but I'm not sure I will be reading it for fear of it tainting the delicate relationship I love between Brienna and Cartier! I recommend this to fans of Grave Mercy and other novels of overthrowing kingdoms.
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