The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima

An awesome story continues in The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima.  My daughters will not read this trilogy until they are a bit older because the youth seem to have little moral integrity.  It's not a part of their culture, so it makes sense to the book.

I started this series with this book.  I'm sure I will enjoy reading the first and seeing how Chima set things up that have and are coming to pass in this book.  She is a good storyteller with almost poetic prose at times.  I'm able to get INTO the story in the way that one feels a bit like coming out of a dream when the real world calls our attention away from the story.  In fact, a neighbor arrived to share some news while I was reading and I didn't realize he was walking toward me until my little boy mentioned it.  So, I definitely recommend it.

This fantasy follows two main characters with a few secondary characters.  One of the two main: a wizard youth learning to use and control his magic and navigating his way through the the political difficulties he faces is interesting and engaging.  The other main character, Raisa, known as Rebecca Morley, is a strong princess under cover.  She's trying to make her own way in the world rather than succumb to being controlled by a man in an arranged marriage.

Will she be able to choose her own way?  Will her marriage be for love or simply the best political move she can make?

Have you read The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima?  What did you think of it?



Happy birthday to me!