- The setting..Hello, it is Imperial Russia, with the court, the Queen, politics and balls. It made me giddy. I loved the tension, backstabbing, and plays for power. Now for those of you who aren’t big on historical fiction this tale isn’t weighted with lengthy details. In fact, my only complaint about the entire book is that I wanted more details regarding settings, customs, etc.
- Sophie is fifteen when she and her mother travel to the Imperial Court, in St. Petersburg. The Queen favors her to marry the Prince. Sophie is brilliant, and a heroine you cannot help admire from the onset. The girl is kick-ass with a blade and arrow. She is also quick-witted and observant. She doesn’t whine when the world treats her cruelly; she stands up dusts herself off and takes action to strength her position. One of the things I admired about her, was that despite everything that occurs she holds her head high, lets go of her anger and still manages to treat those around her with compassion. Ficklin’s portrayal of Sophie was brilliant, and I cannot wait to see how she continues to grow.
- Queen of Someday portrays a young Catherine the Great. For history buffs, who aren’t overly concerned with the details, the author offers up a clever, captivating tale about a girl who became Queen. Ficklin includes information in the back of this novel, and I am happy she chose to explore Catherine’s story.
- Romance in the Imperial Court is crazy, and Sophie is not immune. In fact, she has several suitors. It is complicated, wonderful, and heartbreaking. Filled with friendships and political moves these threads kept me on edge and showed many facets of a young queen in the making. The romantic threads will move you, make you swoon, and have you shedding a tear. But all of it transforms Sophie.
- Read Queen of Someday for the writing style. Despite wanting more details regarding the castle, surroundings and customs, Sherry Ficklin held me captive from page one. Her characters have depth, unique voices and show growth. Love them or hate them she weaves them into your heart. The tale moves at a nice clip with plenty of twists and turns keeping the reader fully engaged. Ficklin equally balances the lighter and the darker moments of the story, keeping the anticipation high without weighing down the readers overall mood.
Copy received from NetGalley, and full review posted on blog.This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer