The Ring & the Crown by Melissa de la Cruz

The Ring & the Crown (Ring and the Crown, #1)

by Melissa de la Cruz

Magic is power, and power is magic…

Once they were inseparable, just two little girls playing games in a mighty castle. Now Princess Marie-Victoria, heir to the mightiest empire in the world, and Aelwyn Myrddyn, a bastard mage, face vastly different futures.

Quiet and gentle, Marie has never lived up to the ambitions of her mother, Queen Eleanor the Second. With the help of her Merlin, Eleanor has maintained a stranglehold on the world’s only source of magic. While the enchanters faithfully serve the crown, the sun will never set on the Franco-British Empire.

As the annual London Season begins, the great and noble families across the globe flaunt their wealth and magic at parties, teas, and, of course, the lavish Bal du Drap d’Or, the Ball of the Gold Cloth.

But the talk of the season is Ronan Astor, a social-climbing American with only her dazzling beauty to recommend her. Ronan is determined to make a good match to save her family’s position. But when she falls for a handsome rogue on the voyage over, her lofty plans are imperiled by her desires.

Meanwhile, Isabelle of Orleans, daughter of the displaced French royal family, finds herself cast aside by Leopold, heir to the Prussian crown, in favor of a political marriage to Marie-Victoria. Isabelle arrives in the city bent on reclaiming what is hers. But Marie doesn’t even want Leopold-she has lost her heart to a boy the future queen would never be allowed to marry.

When Marie comes to Aelwyn, desperate to escape a life without love, the girls form a perilous plan that endangers not only the entire kingdom but the fate of the monarchy.

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There is an independently published sequel to this book, as it was originally planned as a series. However, the author feels this can be read as a standalone.

Reviewed by Joséphine on

3 of 5 stars

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Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Initial thoughts: At first I was confused about the time period The Ring and the Crown was set in, then figured out early 20th century. I also wasn't sure if it was supposed to be in an alternative universe or if it was supposed to account for an alternative history. After all the talk about a Franco-Prussian alliance, my conclusion came to be alternative history. Rooted in fantasy and history, this book followed a whole lot of main characters who were all part of the London Season in the early 20th century. Merlin was centuries old by then and on the verge of entrusting Aelwyn with the responsibilities of the head mage.

The politics between royal families across Europe was very much at the forefront though the focus was in particular on Marie of the Franco-Prussian Empire and her match Prince Leopold VII of Prussia as well as his younger brother, Wolfgang. Then there was Leopold's original fiancée, Isabelle, who had strong objections against the marriage and Ronan who traveled all the way from New York to London in the hopes of finding a noble husband. Despite the multitude of characters, they each had personality and the story wasn't too difficult to follow, even on audio.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 15 August, 2015: Finished reading
  • 15 August, 2015: Reviewed