Spoiler-Free Blog
If you enjoy tales that combine magic, royal court politics, and a dash of romance, with a bonus theme of religious hypocrisy and elitism, then The Foxglove King should be your next read.
This is my review for book 1. For my review of the sequel, see below:
Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit Books for the ARC! All opinions are my own.
What’s it about?
Lore, a necromancer who can wield death magic, must spy on the crown prince in a world where such magic is a highly-priced illicit commodity. Here the church and the monarchy are dangerously interwoven, and Lore must find a way to navigate the obscenely opulent royal court.
This was one of my favorite ARCs in 2022.
This book cured me of my reading slump ailments at the time. It was fun, I liked the writing style, and the world-building was superb.
In fact, the world-building in The Foxglove King was one of my favorite parts. It felt intricate enough to be wholly unique and fleshed out, without making me feel like I should be taking notes. The religion and magic system perfectly intertwined, allowing for an immersive experience.
The romantic elements added some much-needed flare without ever overtaking the main plot. I loved each character and what they brought to the table.
The end was a little long and dragged out, which is why it wasn’t a five-star read for me. The climax involved so many people that it was just complicated enough to slow the pacing. It also had the effect of diminishing the main character’s agency just a bit.
But I did have fun reading it and can’t wait for book 2!
Should you read it?
I recommend it. If you enjoyed Serpent & Dove book 1, you’ll probably like The Foxglove King.
This book will release on March 7, 2023!
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One response to “The Foxglove King (Book 1): Fun and thought-provoking”
“Necromancer”…had to look that up! I bet there is a million stories on it!! Have to start with this book. 😉
Necromancy (/ˈnɛkrəmænsi/)[1][2] is the practice of magical sorcery involving communication with the dead by summoning their spirits as apparitions or visions, or by resurrection for the purpose of divination; imparting the means to foretell future events; discovery of hidden knowledge; “returning a person to life”, or to use the dead as a weapon. Sometimes categorized under death magic, the term is occasionally also used in a more general sense to refer to black magic or witchcraft as a whole.[3][4] However ‘reanimation necromancy’ is not considered a real practice by occultists and authentic practitioners of witchcraft.