Reviewed by Quirky Cat on
A River of Royal Blood is the astounding debut novel of Amanda Joy. This is a novel perfect for fans of Children of Blood and Bone, and is as chilling as it is entertaining. Set in magical world, the country is ruled by a magickal queen.
Myre is a country of magick, violence, and multiple species. This is the world that Eva was born into – and the world she might someday rule. That is, if she can beat her sister in a battle to become queen. But doing so would require Eva to embrace her magick – the magick of blood and bone.
Eva's world is forever changed weeks before her seventeenth birthday, when an assassin makes an attempt on her life. That was the night when she realized she had more magick than she had dared to believe. And she doesn't know how she feels about that.
“The smell of salty blood, orange blossoms, and incense filled the air – the scent of the singer's magick. It pulsed through the air, pushing every movement farther.”
Warnings: A River of Royal Blood contains some elements that should be fairly obvious, thanks to the description of this book. Eva's magick is of blood and bone – meaning her magick directly affects the body. Additionally, there is some animal death within this book, but I promise that you can see it coming.
A River of Royal Blood is a dark and deliciously written novel, full of emotional and intense moments. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough with this book, that's how anxious I was to see what would happen next.
Amanda Joy had a brilliant way of writing, introducing us to Eva and the world she was born into. This novel felt like it was heavily character-driven, as everything was pushed forward by what Eva was struggling with or feeling at any given time.
One clever thing Joy did in this novel was how she introduced the lore of the world. It was slowly revealed, bit by bit. But it was done so in sneaky and clever ways. So it never once felt like we were getting an info dump of lore. And I loved that.
The worldbuilding in this story was excellent, but it also left me desperate to see more. I know that there are many other cities and species in this country because they were all mentioned. But part of me really wanted to get a chance to see them. I truly hope we'll get a chance in the next few novels.
My only surprise in this novel was the role in which Isa played. Based on the description, I thought she would have a slightly larger role in this book. But I'm not complaining, as I'm okay with not getting overly attached to her character (when you read the book, you'll understand why I feel that way).
I have so many questions about this world, the characters, and of course, the plot that has been introduced. So, naturally, I'm now quite anxious to get my hands on the next novel in the series (which doesn't yet have a name). Oh well, I'll have to be nice and patient in the meantime.
For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 27 October, 2019: Finished reading
- 27 October, 2019: Reviewed