A review by libertyreads789
The Hemlock Queen by Hannah Whitten

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

When I said I needed something in my life to slow down my reading, I really didn't mean being overwhelmed with starting a class, having one of the worst migraines of my life, a car getting damaged beyond repair, and having to spend a day and a half purchasing a new car. But, really, I should know better at this point. It is 2024 after all. This is a book I would have read in 4 days or fewer if real life wasn't trying to tear me apart. And I feel like taking a week and a half to read it kind of took away from the experience. I would read 80 pages in a day and then put it down for a day and a half out of necessity. So, the reading felt so disjointed. I'm hoping when I reread the series before the next book comes out I'll have a better experience.

I really do absolutely adore a set of characters who are doomed by the narrative but continue pushing through because what else are they going to do? The thing I thought was happening pretty early on in the first book finally got confirmation in this one. It was the major plot of this one. I still really enjoy Lore, Gabe, and Bastian and it was weird in this one because it felt like they weren't as fully in the story as they were in book one. Which makes sense given the plot. I just missed them sometimes. I'm excited to see where the next (final?) book goes from here. The setting and the world still felt so real and I loved seeing all of my favorite places in this world again. In the next one, we're going to some new places so I'm excited to see it.

I struggled with some triggers that weren't there in the first book. It all makes sense for the plot and it isn't extreme at all, but it really did drag down my enthusiasm for the story as we were moving through it. I don't know if it's going to be a major thing in the next one so it does make me a little worried but I'm still planning on finishing the series.

Overall, it was a good middle book. I think a lot of authors struggle to avoid "middle book syndrome" where it feels too thin and like a bridge between set up and climax. I think if I had read this as quickly as I wanted to then it would have been slightly easier to follow and I probably would have enjoyed it at least a little more.