“Carson joins the ranks of writers like Kristin Cashore, Megan Whalen Turner, and Tamora Pierce as one of YA’s best writers of high fantasy.”—Locus MagazineThe second book in Rae Carson’s award-winning and New York Times–bestselling trilogy! Betrayal, love, and untold power fuel the heroic adventure of a seventeen-year-old princess turned warrior-queen. Fans of Tomi Adeyemi, Kendare Blake and … warrior-queen. Fans of Tomi Adeyemi, Kendare Blake and Sarah J. Maas will be riveted.
She does not know what awaits her at the enemy’s gate.
Elisa led her people to victory over a terrifying, sorcerous army. Her place as queen should be secure. But it isn’t. Her enemies come at her like ghosts in a dream, from foreign realms and even from within her own court. And her destiny as the chosen one remains uncertain.
To conquer the power she bears, Elisa must journey from the hidden catacombs beneath her own city to treacherous seas and a long-forgotten island. With her go a one-eyed spy, a traitor, and the man with whom—despite everything—she is falling in love. If she’s lucky, she’ll return. But there will be a cost.
Don’t miss The Empire of Dreams, Rae Carson’s action-packed return to the world of The Girl of Fire and Thorns!
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This is one of those rare books where the sequel is better than the first!
I almost didn’t decide to read on in this trilogy, because my favorite character in “The Girl of Fire and Thorns” died about 75% of the way through. I didn’t know if I cared enough about the rest of the characters surrounding Elisa to continue. But, I loved Carson’s writing style, and I thought her world complex and interesting enough that I decided to give it a chance. I’m so glad I did.
Elisa started the trilogy as a princess turned queen consort; but when her husband the king died, he named her his sole heir to the throne, and she became queen in her own right. She also “inherited” the head of the king’s royal guard, Hector. Hector was kind to Elisa when she first arrived at the palace as an overweight and backward queen consort, but I somehow was under the impression that he was much older than she was in the first book. As soon as Carson went out of her way to say how young Hector was in this one, that he wasn’t that much older than Elisa was, and by the way he was very handsome too, it was clear that he was about to become the new love interest. It was done *so well* though! The tension between them is just right, and lasts exactly as long as it needs to, with reveals on both sides in precisely the right ways and the right moments. (The only thing I’d have changed was Elisa’s bumbling awkwardness: she manages to shatter what might have been terribly romantic moments by shoving her foot right down her throat. I think it’s meant to be endearing, but it’s more like cringe-inducing. Hector, on the other hand, is just perfect.)
Meanwhile, the villainous and powerful race of the Inviernos continues to threaten Brisadulce, and someone apparently wants Elisa dead. Multiple attempts on her life both serve to advance the politics of the realm, and Elisa’s and Hector’s budding relationship. She is advised to find a husband for political reasons–a predictable trope, given the tension with the head of her royal guard. Eventually she uses this circumstance as a ruse for her to venture out on her own, in search of her destiny as the bearer of the Godstone, as written in their scriptures. Once again, shades of what I assume are the author’s religious background seem to color the text. Some scripture fragments I actually recognize from the Bible are cobbled together with archaic language that sounds like something that might appear in a different ancient religious book. Carson also explores how abused the concept of “God’s will” can be by those who make it mean whatever they want it to mean, adding a layer of fascinating richness to the story.
And the ending–ah! So perfect! I immediately had to rush on to the third and final book in the trilogy.
My rating: *****
Language: none that I recall
Violence: present but not gratuitous
Sexual content: nothing direct… I thought it was going there, and sure looked like it was going to, but it didn’t. There is a lot of discussion of premarital sex with intent, though.
Political content: none (fantasy only)
I’m still shocked at how much I love this series. The second book was even better than the first and it is so amazing. There is something about this book that draws me in. I love Elisa’s character. She is very strong and cares so much about those around her while also being vulnerable, self-conscious, and inexperienced. She is strong-willed even when she doesn’t necessarily feel it at times. Lord Hector has been growing on me steadily and I love him so much now. I totally ship him. This book is just all kinds of awesome. The world is always amazing and has new places to explore. The strategic way Elisa and Lord Hector think makes for smart characters who have to think on their toes. There is enough action to keep the story from slowing down and dragging on.
This is definitely one of my favorites. Its pure perfection.