Book: The Hundredth Queen
Author: Emily R. King
My Rating: 4 Burning Stars
Lately, I’ve been reading to escape. So I thought I would share with you The Hundredth Queen. It’s the first book in a series, and it’s a great world to get lost in for a few hours!
Kalinda, a sickly orphan raised by the sisterhood in a temple her whole life, dreams of spending her days in peace. However, the Rajah Tarek visits the temple and sets her life on a completely different path. She finds herself trekking across the desert, and then fighting for her place amongst the Rajah’s 99 other wives, only to discover that her sickness was just an indicator of a power hidden deep within.
I’ll come right out and tell you the main problem I had with this story was the insta-love plot between Kalinda and Devin. Devin is literally the first man Kalinda has ever seen, and by the time their desert trek is over (not even halfway through the book), they’re head over heels for each other. Insta-love is not my favorite, however, it’s a fantasy fiction novel, and the story covered much broader subjects like the power of faith and friendship. So I moved past this and enjoyed the rest of the story.
Emily drew inspiration from Sumerian culture for her setting and religion, which I thought was interesting because most novels I read play off of Greek mythology or Norse mythology. I also loved the theme of faith (even though it was a different religion than mine), and how a person can draw strength from their own faith. It really made me appreciate and look at my own beliefs and how they inform my decisions and attitudes.
Another thing I loved about this book was the way Emily wrote about friendship. Kalinda and Jaya reminded me so much of Frodo and Sam, from The Lord of the Rings. Their friendship was so pure and so strong. Often times in literature we only see that kind of devotion in romantic relationships. So, to see two girls caring about each other and fighting for each other out of pure friendship was a serious “girl power” moment for me! I loved it!
The Hundredth Queen is the first of four books, and I was very satisfied with the entire arc of the series. It covers faith, friendship, prejudice, human rights, and it’s also action packed. It was a change of pace from the fantasy books I usually read, and I found it refreshing!
Krystle Goodman is a crazy cat lady, who loves to drink exorbitant amounts of coffee, and read a shocking amount of books. She lives in Benton with her husband Josh, her son Roman, and their two cats Roxanne and Abby. When she isn’t reading, you’ll find her cooking, painting, or watching true crime shows. Watch for Krystle’s book reviews every other Friday. Send fanmail to: [email protected]
See more of Krystle’s reviews at www.mysaline.com/krystle.