Review by JodiBrozio -- The Queen of Xana by Fred Pilcher
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Review by JodiBrozio -- The Queen of Xana by Fred Pilcher
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Queen of Xana" by Fred Pilcher.]
3 out of 4 stars
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I rate The Queen of Xana by Fred Pilcher 3 out of 4 stars. I did not grant four stars because I was disappointed by the descriptions in the sex scenes. It seemed that the author did not experience what he was writing about and had to copy from other sources. The words describing these scenes do not match the rest of the words chosen to tell the story. They are uncommon and awkward.
This is a fantasy book about how the land of Xana became prosperous and self-sufficient. When Queen Julia reigns, she allows for a society that takes advantage of the division of the classes. Her daughter, Agatha, was of the privileged class that was entitled to an education. Agatha had a first year teacher that inspired her to love learning. By the age of 15, she was reading a book a day to summarize and store the contents for use in her mind. When Julia becomes Queen, she uses her strength of character that she received from her mother and all she has learned about people and the world to make changes in how Xana is run. Queen Agatha makes it possible for everyone in her land to receive an education. She allowed children to join her Parliament, and respected them along with the common townsfolk whom she became a mother figure to.
The evil sorcerer, Magi, kills Queen Julia and brings about bad times in the land. He causes sickness and famine, and steals everything of value. In accordance with the fairy godmother that gifted Agatha at birth with wisdom and compassion, Agatha must identify Prince Olaf of Wan successfully on the first try without an introduction and make him fall in love with her. If she guesses wrong, then Magi will rule forever. If she guesses correctly, she and Prince Olaf will have the power to end the tyranny.
What I liked best about this book was that it was a gender neutral society with equal rights and privileges. There were women in construction, repairs, and manual crafts. Women helped their husbands in their craft shops or other work. Men helped at home with household tasks and raising children. The elderly were revered for their wisdom, and family history was valued. It was a privilege to take care of your elderly family members and friends when they became infirm. The disabled and handicapped found useful employment and were not neglected and isolated. This is an adult version of Utopia, and I think this book will appeal to anyone who has ever wished our society was better.
What I disliked the most about this book was that infidelity was acceptable, and clothing was optional. There could certainly be adult sexual content without these odd details. Younger adults and children should not read this. There is some swearing and vulgar language, although it seems bland and generic. Some language may be offensive.
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The Queen of Xana
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3 out of 4 stars
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I rate The Queen of Xana by Fred Pilcher 3 out of 4 stars. I did not grant four stars because I was disappointed by the descriptions in the sex scenes. It seemed that the author did not experience what he was writing about and had to copy from other sources. The words describing these scenes do not match the rest of the words chosen to tell the story. They are uncommon and awkward.
This is a fantasy book about how the land of Xana became prosperous and self-sufficient. When Queen Julia reigns, she allows for a society that takes advantage of the division of the classes. Her daughter, Agatha, was of the privileged class that was entitled to an education. Agatha had a first year teacher that inspired her to love learning. By the age of 15, she was reading a book a day to summarize and store the contents for use in her mind. When Julia becomes Queen, she uses her strength of character that she received from her mother and all she has learned about people and the world to make changes in how Xana is run. Queen Agatha makes it possible for everyone in her land to receive an education. She allowed children to join her Parliament, and respected them along with the common townsfolk whom she became a mother figure to.
The evil sorcerer, Magi, kills Queen Julia and brings about bad times in the land. He causes sickness and famine, and steals everything of value. In accordance with the fairy godmother that gifted Agatha at birth with wisdom and compassion, Agatha must identify Prince Olaf of Wan successfully on the first try without an introduction and make him fall in love with her. If she guesses wrong, then Magi will rule forever. If she guesses correctly, she and Prince Olaf will have the power to end the tyranny.
What I liked best about this book was that it was a gender neutral society with equal rights and privileges. There were women in construction, repairs, and manual crafts. Women helped their husbands in their craft shops or other work. Men helped at home with household tasks and raising children. The elderly were revered for their wisdom, and family history was valued. It was a privilege to take care of your elderly family members and friends when they became infirm. The disabled and handicapped found useful employment and were not neglected and isolated. This is an adult version of Utopia, and I think this book will appeal to anyone who has ever wished our society was better.
What I disliked the most about this book was that infidelity was acceptable, and clothing was optional. There could certainly be adult sexual content without these odd details. Younger adults and children should not read this. There is some swearing and vulgar language, although it seems bland and generic. Some language may be offensive.
******
The Queen of Xana
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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