Traitor to the Throne by Alwyn Hamilton BOOK REVIEW

Title: Traitor to the Throne

Author: Alwyn Hamilton 

Source: E-Arc 

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Published: 2017

*Received e-arc to review from Net-Galley

*Not strictly spoiler free

Goodreads summary

This is not about blood or love. This is about treason.

Nearly a year has passed since Amani and the rebels won their epic battle at Fahali. Amani has come into both her powers and her reputation as the Blue-Eyed Bandit, and the Rebel Prince's message has spread across the desert - and some might say out of control. But when a surprise encounter turns into a brutal kidnapping, Amani finds herself betrayed in the cruellest manner possible.

Stripped of her powers and her identity, and torn from the man she loves, Amani must return to her desert-girl's instinct for survival. For the Sultan's palace is a dangerous one, and the harem is a viper's nest of suspicion, fear and intrigue. Just the right place for a spy to thrive... But spying is a dangerous game, and when ghosts from Amani's past emerge to haunt her, she begins to wonder if she can trust her own treacherous heart.

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I should start by saying that when I began reading this book, I had read no blurb, I had not even seen its book cover; I had no idea this book was the second in a series, and I have not yet read book one, Rebel of the Sands - though I fully intend to once I finish this review.

Why?

BECAUSE I FREAKING LOVED THIS MAGICAL, ENCHANTING BOOK.

I can't believe what I've just stumbled into. The world, the words, the characters - I've never read anything quite like it. 

"We rode like we were trying to beat the sunset to the horizon." 

                                                                         - Alwyn Hamilton, Traitor to the Throne

Going into this book without any idea of what to expect, and with no knowledge of the backstory, I believe I am at an advantage to readers who are picking this book up after first reading Rebel of the Sands, as Traitor to the Throne pretty much begins by throwing you right into the action. 

As an English and Creative Writing graduate, I was given the advice to 'throw my characters into the deep end' constantly throughout my degree. However, I've never minded a build up before the action kicked in, as long as the action had began no more than a couple of chapters in. By beginning this series on the second book, however (unintentional as it was) I was open and without expectation, and it was incredibly exciting to instantly find myself thrown into this frantic, fast paced rebellion. 

"'How do they work?'

Leyla shrugged, looking miserable. 'The same way all magic does. Words, words,words.'"

                                                                                             - Alwyn Hamilton, Traitor to the Throne

Occasionally a writer, a book, or a sentence will come along and remind you why it is called spelling. Traitor to the Throne was filled with moments like this for me. Alwyn Hamilton is a master of words. The best type of novel creates its own style of language, and this book is over flowing with creativity. The world building is exceptional, and the characters all have such strong, nuanced personalities that noen of them felt like filler to me. I loved the gender fluid, shape-shifting demdji Imin and their small but significant sub-plot. I loved Izz and Maz, with their yin and yang blue hair and skin, their youthful exuberance, and willingness to throw themselves straight in. I loved Jin, though I didn't encounter him much. He was flawed and heroic - the foreign prince who captured my attention easily. Admittedly I'm not as invested in his and Amani's relationship as those who have read book one, but I do still enjoy them together, and because I was not as invested in their relationship, I wasn't as frustrated by their lack of page time together in Traitor to the Throne. I was fully immersed in Amani's story, in the rebels story, and also, in the story of the Sultan. 

"I forced my tears to dry. I forced myself to remember I was a desert girl. I didn't have water to spare."

                                                                                             - Alwyn Hamilton, Traitor to the Throne

When Amani finds herself a prisoner of the Sultan, she faces a moral dilemma when she finds herself able to understand some of the Sultan's logic. She struggles to rectify this in her mind, and questions her loyalty to the rebellion. A great deal of this book is spent presenting things from the perspective of the Sultan, and though we see this through Amani's eyes, and therefore not strictly an unbiased narration, it is clear that it is the reader, and not just Amani who is supposed to question where they thought they stood in regards to the battle for the kingdom of Miraji. Though I did not have the events of the first novel, I did have the mind of Amani as a guide, and a brief summation in chapter one. Usually I find these things irritating, but not in this case. It almost felt like being introduced to a fairy tale, which in a way I guess is true.

Traitor to the Throne is a fantasy novel through and through: the words, names, people, characterisations, abilities, back stories, myths, and legends are all fantasy created and constructed by the incredible author Alwyn Hamilton. Including, but not limited to, the many, many female characters in this novel, in this universe, that are the number one reason that made me love this book so much.

We have Amani, the Blue Eyed Bandit, a sharpshooter with as much sass as Buffy, and and twice the strength. 

There's also Shazad, the daughter of a Mirajin general, who is often underestimated due to her beauty and grace, and yet is someone with incredible skill in both fighting and strategy. She is fiercely loyal and a beautiful character from the inside out.

Delila, who can cast illusions out of light and air, the sister to both the rebel prince and the foreign prince, a young girl with all the fight of a power puff girl. 

Hala, golden skinned and a sharp tongue, able to twist people's minds, to ease their suffering or to cause it. She is strong and independent and feisty. 

Even Shira and Leyla were strong, interesting 'villain' type characters whose decisions were not necessarily well liked, but they were certainly respected. 

"Sometimes I doubted if Jin even knew those stories of his mother. They weren't the sorts of things women told their sons. They were the sorts of things women told other women. Beware, they told their daughters. People will hurt you because you're beautiful.

I wasn't beautiful. I wasn't here because of that. I was here because I was powerful."

                                                                                             -Alwyn Hamilton, Traitor to the Throne

The women, and girls, in this world are strong, feisty, intricate, beautiful, powerful, and incredible role models to young readers. Even though the world itself is particularly hard on women and girls, like the women of the Harem, it is also a world where women reclaim their liberty, their independence, and their right to be women. At this time in the real world, where rights and issues like this are particularly prevalent, I feel that this novel is a beautiful gift to give to the girls, women, or indeed boys and men, in your life who need to feel strong and valuable in times of great distress and mistrust. This novel is empowering. 

I would recommend this book as a perfect escape into another world. 

I would recommend this book as a voice for strong women.

I would recommend this book for lovers of fantasy - and not just young-adult fantasy. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves epic, magical worlds and incredibly intricate plots.

And yes, I would recommend this story to fans of romance.

"Anyone could see the way Navid looked at Imin. And it didn't chge no matter what body our shape-shifter wore, woman or man, Mirajin or foreign."

                                                                                 - Alwyn Hamilton, Traitor to the Throne

Rebel of the Sands series website

Alwyn Hamilton Twitter