*I received a digital ARC on NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Title: The Foxglove King
Author: Hannah Whitten
Publisher: Orbit
Publication Date: March 7, 2023
ISBN: 9780316434997
Synopsis:
When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore’s job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore’s power is revealed, she’s taken by the Presque Mort, a group of warrior-monks sanctioned to use Mortem working for the Sainted King. Entire villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. Lore can either use her magic to find out what’s happening and who in the King’s court is responsible, or die.
Lore is thrust into the Sainted King’s glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted. Guarded by Gabriel, a duke-turned-monk, and continually running up against Bastian, August’s ne’er-do-well heir, Lore tangles in politics, religion, and forbidden romance as she attempts to navigate a debauched and opulent society. But the life she left behind in the catacombs is catching up with her. And even as Lore makes her way through the Sainted court above, they might be drawing closer than she thinks.
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The Foxglove King has been an interesting change of pace in the fantasy genre, with a far more sinister undertone than many of my recent reads. I actually found it to be a darker version of the One Dark Window series that I read a few months ago, with the introduction of a somewhat toxic love triangle. The world itself is full of corruption, addition, and darkness. Danger lurks around every corner and it’s hard to know which characters are trustworthy and which are not. Themagic is full of mystery and this book ends without any real deep dive into what the source and breadth of the magic really is. It’s a definite hook to book two.
Where this book really shines is in its overall plot line and the story arc. There’s the perfect blend of twists and turns that you can’t quite see coming. Whitten introduces some characters whose motivations are difficult to uncover which opens up the door for a world of possibilities for the plot to go. There is definitely more than one moment of surprise and delight in the unexpected as a plot twist takes the reader in a completely different direction than what is expected. Additionally, the story is strengthened by flowing prose and poetic descriptions of the scenery and setting. This author really knows how to build context. It is so easy to envision this world and imagine yourself walking among the vibrant flowers and the vaulting halls. It really made for an overall enjoyable read that is easy to get into and not easy to put down.
As someone who loves complex characterization and development, what I struggle with most in this story is the characters themselves, how they are built, and how they behave. Most of the characters fall flat, in my opinion. Lore is quite an intriguing character with her ability to channel Mortem and the unknown depth of her power. However, for someone who is a drug runner and often spy for a living, she doesn’t quite display those qualities in her day-to-day once the reader is introduced to her. She is not all that intuitive, indecisive, a bit flaky, and it’s very hard to understand what her motivations are. Her love triangle with Bastian and Gabe is also very confusing. Neither one of these men seems like a stand out and both are often more annoying than anything. This is sold as a romantic fantasy, but there’s little-to-no spark between the protagonist and possible romantic matches. It was a bit of a let down to be honest.
I’m a bit on the fence overall with this one. There are strengths and weaknesses and neither is stronger than the other. It’s a good book, and definitely in keeping with my fantasy phase.
Happy reading!
Worn Pages and Ink 