The Orphan Queen (Orphan Queen, #1)

by Jodi Meadows

Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.

She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.

She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others.

Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl’s battle to reclaim her place in the world.

• ISBN10: 0062317385
• ISBN13: 9780062317384
• Publish Date: 9 April 2015 (first published 10 March 2015)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 10 April 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Katherine Tegen Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[ladygrey]

I wasn’t in love with Jodi Meadows first trilogy. But I thought it was decent enough to read the while thing. I went into The Orphan Queen expecting it just to be ok.

And it’s, admittedly, not extraordinary. The prose is functional. The characters are fine. It isn’t particularly witty or engrossing. The world, is imaginative and unique but doesn’t draw you inextricably into the story. And yet, when I’d reached the end I wanted more.

I realized, especially in the final third, I’d been enjoying myself. That the dynamic between Wil and Black Knife was interesting enough to keep me reading, to make me want more of the story and more of the (minor) intrigue and more of them together.

I also have to give Meadows credit for a well crafted story. The plot turns and evolves quite nicely, even though it’s obvious. From the first pages it’s clear that Tobiah is Black Knife. That creates, however, something of a reversal of intrigue where he knows her identity (sort of) every time they meet and the reader knows it even if Wil doesn’t. And I especially liked the way the characters spun each other and in turn shifted the story. It felt organic and even with all the resolution by the end, there’s a great deal left to uncover in the next book. Also, it was refreshing that the story didn’t feel like it was retreading the worn ideological grooves of YA currently.

In the end, it wasn’t mediocre at all. It was enjoyable and the sort of thing I’ll reread and I’m looking forward to The Mirror King. Plus, it’s always fun to see authors progress in their craft and enjoy their books more each time.

[paperbackjedi]

3.5/5.

I really liked this book! The only thing was that the 'reveal' wasn't as exciting as it had been in my head... I had all of these things imagined for when Wil would 'reveal' her secret, and my imagining was a lot mroe exciting than how she actually did it in the book...

[reveriesociety_]

I did not fall head over heels for this book but I enjoyed it greatly! Good pacing, an ingtriguing plot and world-building too. I especially loved twist. Yeah, you can add that to the things I'm a whore of. You know, a cover and a plot twist one ;). I figured it out halfway into the book, but still, I liked it because it was done well. I almost wish I hadn't figure it out that soon.

The cliffhanger also didn't bother me as much as I initially thought. I mean, I finished the book this morning and I'm already over the ending, thanks god.

The dynamics between Wil and Patrick is what I liked the most. A queen whose people only listen to her 'general'. That's gotta suck.

[Angie]

The Orphan Queen was certainly an exciting new Fantasy, but I can't say that if fully wowed me. Much like with her Newsoul series, I believe the author's strength lies in world-building, because the setting was once again my favorite part. The plot was exciting and engaging, but also very predictable. Wilhelmina is a princess displaced from her throne, but it's time for her to take back the kingdom. But first, she has a mission to complete: infiltrate the palace, get her people back home, and stop the encroaching wraithland. Of course, unforeseen circumstances arise, plans must change, no one is who they say they are, and Wil has to decide if she continues doing things the way she has been, or if it's time for change. A very queenly decision.

I basically loved the world of The Orphan Queen. It's a land where some people have magic, but now it's been banned, because there are consequences to using magic, even if you have the best intentions. The best way to explain the connect between wraith and magic is the comparison made in the book: magic is the flame and wraith is the smoke. So I'm sure you can see why there's a ban on magic, but maybe magic is the only way to destroy the wraith? No one knows! All they know is that the wraithland which is this scary, awesome deadish zone is taking over. Evil creatures come out of it and attack people, the weather goes bonkers, and there's no stopping it. Although mirrors can slow it down, since wraiths are apparently afraid of themselves! They are quite scary. That....thing Wil creates on accident...very creepy and weird.

The main reason I didn't enjoy The Orphan Queen as much as I could have was because one of the big reveals was beyond obvious to me. I figured it out 250 pages before it was actually revealed. I desperately hoped that I was wrong, and that all of the obvious hints were just red herrings, but they weren't. So instead of feeling something, anything other than "duh," I was just like "It's about time! Now get on with it!" It was so expected and cliche, and I wished it had gone in a different direction. Also, the ending is one doozy of a cliffhanger! But it's one plot device that I don't fall for. Maybe the joke will be on me when the sequel comes out, but somehow I doubt it. It's just one of those things.

Lets talk about Black Knife for a moment. He's kind of awesome. Imagine Batman and the Dread Pirate Roberts having a lovechild and then plopping him down into Fantasyland. That's him in a nutshell. This super, kickass, vigilante out to save the kingdom from magic users, wraith creatures, and criminals! And of course he's the love interest, because obviously. A masked man who rescues damsels in distress? Or in Wil's case, another super, kickass, vigilante in not-really-distress.

I did really like The Orphan Queen, but mostly for the world-buidling, but luckily the world plays a huge role in the plot. Wil needs to take back her throne, but first she has to make sure there'll even be one for her to sit on!

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[lizarodz]

4.5 Stars

WOW! That. Was. Awesome.

What? You need to hear more?  Well, okay then. Here we go.

Wilhelmina (Wil) Korte is the princess of Aecor which was taken over by the Indigo Kingdom.  Together with the high born children of the defeated kingdom they plan on how to re-take it.  They call themselves the Ospreys and their leader is Patrick, the son of the former general.  Their initial plan entails Wil and her fiend Melanie to pass as Liadia’s nobility and seek refuge in the castle. This is when the story really starts to take shape.

“I was going to have to face the man who'd destroyed my kingdom, and the boy who was the reason.”

The characterization is amazingly good.  Wil is strong, loyal, pragmatic, vulnerable, smart and so much more.  She has magic, which is illegal and dangerous, thus she tries to keep it hidden.  She’s a skilled fighter and so brave. I loved her since the first page.  Even though the book is not that long, she grew a lot as a character as she became more aware of her options.

Tobiah is the crowned prince of the Indigo Kingdom and he is not the most personable man ever.  His cousin and best friend James is really easy going and friendly and I liked him well enough.  Besides Melanie – which I feel ambivalent about – the other prominent Osprey is Patrick.  I didn’t like Patrick at all.  He’s conceited, inhuman, a natural leader and a condescending dictator.  Did I said I didn’t like Patrick? 

“A memory welled up, like blood from a thin cut, of standing on a ledge and watching my city burn. My hand in Tobiah’s.

Tobiah Pierce and me: this was why the Indigo Kingdom had won the One-Night War.”

Now we come to the masked vigilante, Black Knife. I loved him!  He’s supposed to be a threat to the Ospreys, but he is like “El Zorro”.  People love him, they seek his help, he does a great service for the Indigo Empire.  Through a series of encounters with Wil, we get to know him better. More importantly, they change each other’s view of the world.  They start feeling sympathy and love for each other, even if they don’t know each other’s identity.  I have high hopes here and I can’t say anymore least I spoil the book for you.

“I spun and had my daggers drawn before his question was half finished. “Black Knife.”

“Nameless girl.” … “What are you doing?”

My grip on my daggers didn’t slacken despite his apparent ease. “Taking a walk.”

“Most people use the street.”

“Standing on a roof isn’t illegal, is it?”

The world building is so good!  I didn’t feel like it was an info-dump in any way.  We learn about the kingdoms, the wraith, glowmen, flashers, castles and customs in an easy and understandable way.  It is such a great world and I hope it can be saved.  The plot is outstanding.  There are spies, vigilantes, princes and princesses, classes, magic, wraith land, and enough secrets to drive one crazy.  I which I could tell you more, but you know I don’t like spoilers.  The writing is compelling, engrossing, easy to read.  I couldn’t put it down. This is my first book by Meadows and it will not be the last.

What happened with that ending?  This is one of the worse cliffhangers EVER! However am I going to manage to wait for The Mirror King for a whole year?  *sigh* it’s a good thing that there are already about four novellas that will be published in between.

Overall, The Orphan Queen was SO good.  As a lover of fantasy, this book will have a place of honor on my shelves.  I cannot recommend it enough.  Now, go read it.This review was originally posted on Reading With ABC

[jnikkir]

This review can also be found at my blog, There were books involved...

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I honestly don't think I've ever been more terrified to be the black sheep about a book. O_O Usually when I'm the black sheep, I'm not that much of a black sheep -- maybe I didn't like it quite as much as others, or maybe it wasn't for me, but I can usually appreciate why others loved it...

So, this one is tough. I pushed through The Orphan Queen (for eighteen days, save me), because so many people were so vocal about their love for it. I mean, you know me, I have no problem DNFing and dropping a book if I hate it -- but I pushed through. Why? Because at first, I didn't actively dislike much. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it, and I kept hoping something would finally click and I would See The Light...

Spoiler Alert: I didn't end up Seeing The Light. I can usually at least understand the appeal even if I didn't love a book myself, but with this one... I'm stumped. I don't see it. I don't get it. And that makes me sad. :(

So, here's why this book didn't work for me. Many of these things, I know, are personal pet-peeves and things that I just never enjoy, so take them as you will...

The magic and worldbuilding . . .

First off, the "magic system"... wasn't really a magic system? I'm still very unsure about the whole thing. It's "magic" in the sense that people can do crazy stuff for inexplicable reasons... but there doesn't seem to be tons of logic to it. Wil's magic basically lets her manipulate inanimate objects however she wants... except when it serves the plot to make something unfortunate happen instead.

Much of the worldbuilding was done via info-dumps, especially the world's history and what brought our characters to the situation they're in. There were info-dumps in the narration, and info-dumps done through dialog, and all of it seemed super awkward to me.

Now, this next point is probably going to be my weirdest point of contention, but: the characters' names...? Francesca, Tobiah, James, Patrick, Wilhelmina, Melanie, Theresa, Connor, Ezra, Quinn, Julianna, Meredith... To me, they don't feel like names from a fantasy book. To me, they seemed random, pulled from different cultures and time periods, and I couldn't piece together any kind of coherency to them, within the world of The Orphan Queen. Maybe there was some rhyme or reason to them that I completely missed...? But when something about the worldbuilding and culture (to which names are inextricably tied) seems random... that bothers me.

The plot, characters, and romance . . .

The plot was... okay? Wil is basically trying to regain the throne of her kingdom, while at the same time trying to figure out how to stop the Wraith, a deadly fog caused by magic, which threatens the whole world, her own country included. There's court intrigue, spy stuff, plenty of action, some surprises... But honestly it never really grabbed me. The court- and spying-stuff, especially.

My main issue was that I didn't believe that Wil and this small group of orphans could be capable of what they were doing. I mean, obviously they were capable, because they were doing it, but it had me side-eying them the whole time, as to how on earth they were pulling it off. The Ospreys (Wil and her group of orphans) are very young, they've been runaways for years, but they're good enough to pull off being spies? Able to track down groups of rebels to build an army for Wil to reclaim her throne? I didn't buy it. (And yes, I obviously read a lot of YA where teens are the heroes -- I rarely have a problem with this believability factor, or at least not enough of one to raise issues with it. But I definitely had some issues here.) They were doing things that seemed, to me, to be too big for their little group, and there were so many moments when I didn't understand how Wil was actually pulling off the undercover-in-the-palace thing. She really didn't strike me as having her emotions under control, which seems important for that kind of work... I don't know, guys. I just had a hard time going along with most of it.

I also didn't find the characters to be terribly engaging. I think a lot of this came from the fact that I didn't find them believable. But also, I felt like their emotions weren't adequately conveyed. It wasn't that the emotions were always told (there was telling, but it wasn't exclusive)... I just felt like they didn't have quite enough depth, and I never found myself caring or becoming emotionally invested. All of the Ospreys obviously have tragic backstories, some even more than others, but the characters who grew up out of those tragic circumstances just didn't elicit much of a reaction from me.

And the romance...? Where was it? I seem to have missed it, up until the point the kissing started. I never felt any chemistry, and I especially didn't understand Wil's trust in this character whom she had no reason to trust, and every reason to avoid. But then they're working together, and suddenly she has feelings for him... I just didn't get it. I also found his character to be pretty flat. :(


In conclusion...

All-in-all, I'd say this is definitely on the "lighter" side of fantasy, which is rarely something I'm a huge fan of. The worldbuilding wasn't anything too mindblowing, the magic system was disappointing... To me, certain things seemed not-well-thought-out, there wasn't a lot that added depth to the world, and the characters weren't ones I found believable or engaging.

And all this, without mentioning the ending -- which is my least favorite type of ending ever. Things wrap up pretty well... until the last scene, the very last page, where something happens out of the blue and a character is left holding onto that metaphorical cliff as the screen cuts to black. To me, that just feels like bait to make the reader pick up the next book. Unfortunately, this works the opposite way with me. :(

Honestly, I probably should have DNF'd like some people were telling me I should, but people love this book a lot, and I sort of thought if I kept reading, I'd eventually see why. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. But hey, at least I can say I read the whole thing and gave it a fair shot, right? =/

--

There were books involved...

[Silvara]

Check out my other reviews, discussions and link ups at Fantasy of the Silver Dragon.

I really loved Wil. She was smart, and really cared about the people around her. She wasn't perfect, but she admitted her mistakes and tried to be a better person. I also really liked the Black Knife. I had a suspicion as to who he was early on, then thought it might actually be someone else. But his duality was a neat twist to read about.

The good and bad wasn't as clearly defined as in some books. Even though the kingdom Wil was infiltrating, was responsible for the downfall of her own kingdom. And even though that king had been directly responsible for killing her own parents, she was still able to see the good in the people of that kingdom. The good in some of the nobles as well.

There were bad characters, they just didn't turn out to be the expected ones. And they weren't bad in the usual ways I'm used to seeing them portrayed in YA books.

I found the Wraith intriguing. I want to know what's going to happen with it now that a major change has been introduced. I want to know how Wil (or anyone?) will be able to stop it killing off humans. And I want to know if the origin everyone believes to be true, is actually how the Wraith came to be.

The ending of the book though? That should totally be illegal. It is totally the mother of all cliffhangers, and had the next book been out in print already I would have gone right out to buy it. I still recommend reading this book, I did really like it! But if cliffhangers bother you at all, I would wait until closer to the release of book 2.

This review was originally posted on Fantasy of the Silver Dragon

[tweetybugshouse]

Ok first off if your not a cliff hanger kind of person then you might want to wait to read this tell book two comes out sometimes in 2016 cause that a long time to wait but i waited several years on some authors so i ok with a the cliff hanger but just a warning up front. Now to my review i loved this book i have a thing i guess for princesses who have lost their kingdomes and need to take them back. You toss in some magic, a bit of intrigue some love and i am hooked. I loved snow like ashes, the key, throne of glass yeah i am a sucker for this type of plot line but we all have a our likes. Jodi meadows has hooked me and i ready for 2016 right now so i can read more and of course i think i got even more torture for this one cause i got an arc but it was only a sample so i had to read that tiny teaser then wait tell i could get the actual book several months later. So in a nutshell basically The Orphan Queen is amazing, its gripping, it will rip your heart out in the best possible way. I always know I’m reading a great book when I find myself thinking about it even when I’m not reading. I grabbed this book every chance I could get and didn’t want to put it down. If you’re a fan of epic fantasy novels that introduce you to a world and story unlike anything you’ve ever read before, then I can guarantee you’ll love this book. It’s the first exciting installment of what is sure to be a new YA fantasy classic!