mkpatter's review against another edition
3.0
BIZARRELY flirty relationship between in this.
Spoiler
siblingsbakingwithconfidence's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
erinarkin20's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 stars.
When I read the summary of Nameless Queen by Rebecca McLaughlin I was immediately intrigued. Unfortunately, once I got a few chapters in, I'll admit I was a bit underwhelmed.
The beginning of the book grabbed my attention but as the story moved forward, I wasn't able to connect with the characters, especially Coin. She was solidly developed but there was just something about her that didn't hit home with me and without that connection to the character, I couldn't get invested in her story.
The story itself and the world was an interesting one. A class of people without names that are not acknowledged by the kingdom and the twist when someone in that class is "named" as the next queen throws the kingdom into a spin. Add to that, a character out to gain power and control...and willing to do whatever it takes to get it and you have a story that will grab your attention. There are some twists to the story that while not surprising, tied it all together.
I honestly believe this is a case of "it's not you, it's me" and if you enjoy fantasy books that have a focus on class divides, you may want to check this one out.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
When I read the summary of Nameless Queen by Rebecca McLaughlin I was immediately intrigued. Unfortunately, once I got a few chapters in, I'll admit I was a bit underwhelmed.
The beginning of the book grabbed my attention but as the story moved forward, I wasn't able to connect with the characters, especially Coin. She was solidly developed but there was just something about her that didn't hit home with me and without that connection to the character, I couldn't get invested in her story.
The story itself and the world was an interesting one. A class of people without names that are not acknowledged by the kingdom and the twist when someone in that class is "named" as the next queen throws the kingdom into a spin. Add to that, a character out to gain power and control...and willing to do whatever it takes to get it and you have a story that will grab your attention. There are some twists to the story that while not surprising, tied it all together.
I honestly believe this is a case of "it's not you, it's me" and if you enjoy fantasy books that have a focus on class divides, you may want to check this one out.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
shelbylynne13's review against another edition
1.0
Spoiler
It’s called nameless queen, and it sounds great. Like right up my alley. Basically the king dies and this “nameless” girl gets named as his heir. The ruler mark shows up on her arm, because it has to get transferred from ruler to heir by the dying ruler to say their heir’s name before they pass. Like on their death bed. So the whole thing is like this “nameless” girl who is the lowest caste in the caste system, is now the ruler. And even tho it’s YA it feels very incomplete. Like it jumps around a lot, the magic system doesn’t make sense. It’s said that only the royals (highest castes) get magic, but she’s the only one that presents magic. It’s like she’s meant to be this snarky FMC, but it doesn’t read that way. Like it doesn’t make sense with the character. I mean it’s weirdly focusing on the caste system instead of, IDK figuring out how the king knew her name to name her the heir?!?! SHE DOESNT EVEN KNOW HER BIRTH NAME AND YOURE TELLING ME THAT SHE DOESNT CARE TO FIND OUT?!??!!? The nameless people give themselves names, and she gets called “coin” because she’s a thief. Her BFF is named “hat”. 🧍🏻♀️then there’s supposed to be a tournament type situation for anyone to challenge the new heir, prior to them taking the throne 5 weeks after the mark shows up. Instead of preparing for that, she’s out gallivanting around, trying to figure out who is kidnapping these nameless people. Her priorities felt very backwards. When the big reveal is made that she is the former king’s second daughter, she still didn’t want to hear the rest of the memory message from her dad, the king, to learn her name 🧍🏻♀️finally in the very last three minutes of the audiobook, she was given a piece of paper with her name on it, from the guy who basically helped raise her as a nameless thief. SHE CANT READ!!!!! WE DONT KNOW HER NAME BECAUSE SHE WOULDNT ASK ANYONE TO READ IT TO HER 🧍🏻♀️Spoiler
end rant 1 staralyram4's review against another edition
4.0
3.75/4 rounding up
This book turned out to be better than I expected it to be, so I'm pretty happy about that! It was a quick read due to the story being easy to swallow. The pacing was a bit everywhere though: the beginning was incredibly fast, about 5 chapters in it becomes a good pace, sloooowwws down a ton once we reach the middle, and gradually build back up to a quick pace the closer we get to the end. I had major issues in the beginning and middle, as the pacing was just off to me. Another factor that went into that was that I was uninterested during a good chunk of these sections. I kept thinking to myself "when is it gonna get good again" even though the story going on in that portion was interesting. Luckily for this book, the characters are really what make this shine. Their individual stories, backgrounds, and characteristics were all wonderful. Some you love, others you love to hate, and there's 1 in particular where you just want to strangle them lol Characters are what made me bring my review up.
While the story was interesting, the pacing does get rocky in numerous sections throughout the book. However, characters really bring this home, and the way this book wraps up makes it all the better. I would be interested in seeing a sequel to this book, maybe not with the same MC but instead a different person. I'd love to know a bit more about this world and the outcomes of the finale.
ARC provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book turned out to be better than I expected it to be, so I'm pretty happy about that! It was a quick read due to the story being easy to swallow. The pacing was a bit everywhere though: the beginning was incredibly fast, about 5 chapters in it becomes a good pace, sloooowwws down a ton once we reach the middle, and gradually build back up to a quick pace the closer we get to the end. I had major issues in the beginning and middle, as the pacing was just off to me. Another factor that went into that was that I was uninterested during a good chunk of these sections. I kept thinking to myself "when is it gonna get good again" even though the story going on in that portion was interesting. Luckily for this book, the characters are really what make this shine. Their individual stories, backgrounds, and characteristics were all wonderful. Some you love, others you love to hate, and there's 1 in particular where you just want to strangle them lol Characters are what made me bring my review up.
While the story was interesting, the pacing does get rocky in numerous sections throughout the book. However, characters really bring this home, and the way this book wraps up makes it all the better. I would be interested in seeing a sequel to this book, maybe not with the same MC but instead a different person. I'd love to know a bit more about this world and the outcomes of the finale.
ARC provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
emiann2023's review against another edition
4.0
For the story that this book told, it was a good read.
Is it a blow you away with its genius amazing? No. But I don't think it's trying to be, and that is okay.
Is it a blow you away with its genius amazing? No. But I don't think it's trying to be, and that is okay.
danireneewood's review against another edition
This was an ARC that I was excited to read, but one that unfortunately did not live up to excitement or expectations.
The concept was intriguing: a social hierarchy arranged around the power of names and family heritage, but in the sense that those without names, the Nameless, are completely without power and must steal and sleep on the streets to survive.
Above the Nameless are Legals, who can be considered to be the working class, and finally, at the peak, are the Royals. The land of Seriden is ruled by the crown - and when the current king or queen dies, they name their heir by saying their name. The individual who is to ascend to the crown is marked with a tattoo. The story supposedly gets interesting when a Nameless is named heir.
Coin, the nameless who finds herself wearing the crown tattoo, is smart. She's quick mentally and on her feet, and has survived as a petty thief on the streets of Seriden. Early on there's the feeling that she's worked for what she has, and is smart enough not to get too attached to the material. There's a feeling that she's grown over time.
That image is completely shattered the moment she gains the crown tattoo. After revealing herself to be the named ruler of Seriden, Coin is taken into custody, and it is while she is in custody that she immediately begins displaying control of magical powers - such as seeing and understanding auras, making things invisible and the like. What's interesting is that despite no prior mention of these powers or having them before, she is instantly adept at using them. It is an incredibly frustrating display, and one that we don't see a lot of personal growth from. Immediately Coin falls into the tropes of the Mary Sue, and it's an image not recovered from.
The big moments are rushed, and don't feel like the climax they deserve to be. Outside of structurally, the writing is decent - it conveys what it needs to, and nothing more. It often feels very tell rather than show.
Nameless Queen does break the YA Fantasy norm in that it focuses on the importance of family - of blood relation or not - rather than a romantic interest, and in that, I thought, it had it's big win.
I wanted so much more from this title, and maybe it's a case of expectation being the root of heartache for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. Receiving a copy did not impact my review.
The concept was intriguing: a social hierarchy arranged around the power of names and family heritage, but in the sense that those without names, the Nameless, are completely without power and must steal and sleep on the streets to survive.
Above the Nameless are Legals, who can be considered to be the working class, and finally, at the peak, are the Royals. The land of Seriden is ruled by the crown - and when the current king or queen dies, they name their heir by saying their name. The individual who is to ascend to the crown is marked with a tattoo. The story supposedly gets interesting when a Nameless is named heir.
Coin, the nameless who finds herself wearing the crown tattoo, is smart. She's quick mentally and on her feet, and has survived as a petty thief on the streets of Seriden. Early on there's the feeling that she's worked for what she has, and is smart enough not to get too attached to the material. There's a feeling that she's grown over time.
That image is completely shattered the moment she gains the crown tattoo. After revealing herself to be the named ruler of Seriden, Coin is taken into custody, and it is while she is in custody that she immediately begins displaying control of magical powers - such as seeing and understanding auras, making things invisible and the like. What's interesting is that despite no prior mention of these powers or having them before, she is instantly adept at using them. It is an incredibly frustrating display, and one that we don't see a lot of personal growth from. Immediately Coin falls into the tropes of the Mary Sue, and it's an image not recovered from.
The big moments are rushed, and don't feel like the climax they deserve to be. Outside of structurally, the writing is decent - it conveys what it needs to, and nothing more. It often feels very tell rather than show.
Nameless Queen does break the YA Fantasy norm in that it focuses on the importance of family - of blood relation or not - rather than a romantic interest, and in that, I thought, it had it's big win.
I wanted so much more from this title, and maybe it's a case of expectation being the root of heartache for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. Receiving a copy did not impact my review.
womanon's review
2.0
Unfortunately, this wasn't wholly to my taste. I really loved the premise, but the execution was a little boring. I read the Dutch translation, and although I haven't read the original, I do think the translation was done a bit poorly. I might have enjoyed it better in its original form.
alexperc_92's review against another edition
3.0
DNF 31%
I'm sorry I tried I really did but it didn't pull me. I have to comment though the protagonist and her sass. I liked her.
I'm sorry I tried I really did but it didn't pull me. I have to comment though the protagonist and her sass. I liked her.