#Review - The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst #Fantasy

Series: Queens of Renthia# 1
Format: Hardcover, 368 pages
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy / Epic

An idealistic young student and a banished warrior become allies in a battle to save their realm in this first book of a mesmerizing epic fantasy series, filled with political intrigue, violent magic, malevolent spirits, and thrilling adventure 

Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .

But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms.

With the position so precarious, young women are chosen to train as heirs. Daleina, a seemingly quiet academy student, is under no illusions as to her claim to the throne, but simply wants to right the wrongs that have befallen the land. Ven, a disgraced champion, has spent his exile secretly fighting against the growing number of spirit attacks. Joining forces, these daring partners embark on a treacherous quest to find the source of the spirits restlessness—a journey that will test their courage and trust, and force them to stand against both enemies and friends to save their land . . . before it’s bathed in blood.

 

Sarah Beth Durst's The Queen of Blood is the first installment in the authors Queens of Renthia series. In the land of Renthia, there are six spirits that make up the land. Fire, ice, water, air, earth and trees. They vary in size and shape. They can look humanoid, or monstrous, or like pixies. These spirits have only one driving desire: To kill humans. They hate humans with a passion. The only thing keeping the spirits in check are the Queens of the different realms. 

“Don't trust the fire, for it will burn you.
Don't trust the ice, for it will freeze you.
Don't trust the water, for it will drown you.
Don't trust the air, for it will choke you.
Don't trust the earth, for it will bury you.
Don't trust the trees, for they will rip you,
rend you, tear you, kill you dead.”  

The Queen holds the ultimate power to control the spirits and keep them from killing the humans that live there. There are other humans who have power to control the spirits, these people also vary in power level but unfortunately most humans can’t control the spirits at all. In this world, spirits are never supposed to hurt people. Queen Fara is supposed to protect her people. Spirits are supposed to listen to her. But, when spirits attack and destroy a tree village called Greytree leaving only a few survivors, something is definitely amiss.   

The novel follows Daleina from age 10 as a survivor of that village that was shredded only because she managed to control the spirits, to age 19 as she attempts to learn to control all 6 spirits that control the land around her. Daleina is not all-powerful. She struggles with her control, and she knows that there are plenty of other young women who can easily step in and become the next heir to the Queen. Daleina never once falls into the trap of hating any of the others girls who she trains with. Even Merecot who tries hard to be villainous. In the end, they are all good friends even though they are much stronger than Daleina is. What she does have is a huge heart that often doubts her own self and her abilities which keeps her from becoming someone like Merecot who readers will learn more about in the next installment. 

The second notable character is a Champion named Ven who will learn some valuable lessons that will see him exiled, disgraced, but will never turn his back on the people of Renthia or the Queen who he loves dearly despite all her flaws. A Champion trains candidates to becoming heirs to the Queen. Even though he is no longer around the Queen, Ven never fails in helping villages under attack by spirits. He takes on a healer named Hamen who becomes an interesting romantic choice for Daleina. After researching Daleina, and realizing that she has the right mindset for what is to come, he chooses her to teach all things practical so she knows how to deal with the spirits.

This is a wild world. It is a world filled with tree villages, and pulley systems, and creatures from out of nightmares. It is a story about doing what is not expected, but necessary in order to survive. Daleina does some things in this book that are not pretty, especially in the final phase of this book. There are parts of this book from Fara's POV as well and readers will have to decide what her end game is. Was it doing what's best for her people, or to stay in power long after she loses respect for what she is doing in secret.  

I need to get my hands on the sequel stat!

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