3 out of 4 stars
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Through this most vivid novel, Fred Pilcher attempts to put together pieces of history from stories that have been passed down purely by word of mouth. The Queen of Xana tells the story of a young girl, born as heir to the throne of her country Xana, who from a tender age has a very different perspective on what leadership should be as compared to what she sees happening under her mother’s rule, and centuries past. Hers are unprecedented objectives and policies aimed at empowering the poorer person in society that aren’t very popular with the present aristocrats in leadership. However, an unexpected turn of events thrusts her into her reign and plunges her nation into chaos altogether. Going against the norm and present aristocrats, we as the readers get to experience her growth, through various such trials but also successes in leadership past coronation and beyond.
Most delightful about the book was the fact that the author has put little excerpts in between that remind the reader the context in terms of time and how the information was indeed passed down over time to the present day. However, while there was indeed a common thread throughout, it may have lacked a real story line to follow through instead bringing out many different scenarios and their outcomes as the book’s narrative mainly maps out the queen’s entire life.
I definitely recommend it for someone looking for a good read and rated it 3 out of 4. Three stars because it is a vivid well told story with vibrant, bold characters that depict clearly the happenings of Queen Agatha’s era. The importance of these characters cannot be downplayed as their interplay with Queen Agatha was instrumental to her success then and the survival of the story for generations and generations. Two stars would be too low for such a good read and exceptional editing by the author. I didn’t give it four stars because the story while full of adventure, didn’t quite build suspense.
This book would most appeal to audiences that enjoy historical fantasy. In as much as the book is based on actual happenings, it is almost like a fantasy world as the era cannot actually be traced back and the day to day happenings are very unlike what we have today. People in positions of leadership may very well benefit from reading this book as it deals with most of the issues in their context such as corruption and shrewd judgment. It is however not suitable for children as it contains adult content. If you enjoy or are comfortable with erotic scenes, this novel is for you.
With this novel, right from the beginning to the very end, Fred Pilcher vividly gives his readers a glimpse into history, showing clearly what successes and failures may have led to present day governing in many nations today.
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The Queen of Xana
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