The kingdom of Seriden is a stratified society: Royals at the top.
Legals as the workers, and Nameless at the bottom. The Nameless have
no standing and live by theft and grifting. Coin is a Nameless. She’s
clever and brave, a very good thief.
The new ruler of
Seriden is chosen by the dying ruler saying the name of a person. The
royal tattoo is magically transferred to that person and he or she
becomes the next ruler. Surprisingly, on the death of the old king,
the tattoo appears on Coin’s arm. She shows the tattoo to save her
friend, Hat, who has been caught by the guards. No one is eager to
proclaim her queen, and she is unsure about her desire to rule, but
the rules must be followed. Coin will have tests to pass.
This fantasy will
appeal to middle grade girls. Coin is crafty and smart. She’s an
admirable thief. She also has courage to face the Royals. I liked her
best when she was on the streets, showing her crafty side. She seemed
less herself when faced with the challenges of the Royals.
The story is a true
fantasy. It’s filled with magic and strange characters. I thought
the genesis of the magic was hard to follow. Coin seems to require no
practice to use it. There is a basic description of how the magic
works, but I would have liked to know more.
If you enjoy
fantasy, this is an interesting tale that will probably be followed
by a sequel.
I received this book
from Net Galley for this review.
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