The Queen of Attolia (The Queen's Thief, #2)

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The Queen of Attolia (The Queen's Thief #2)

4.26 of 5 stars 4.26 · rating details · 10,305 ratings · 1,224 reviews

Revenge
When Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, stole Hamiathes's Gift, the Queen of Attolia lost more than a mythical relic. She lost face. Everyone knew that Eugenides had outwitted and escaped her. To restore her reputation and reassert her power, the Queen of Attolia will go to any length and accept any help that is offered...she will risk her country to execute the perfect...more

Paperback, 362 pages

Published January 24th 2006 by Greenwillow Books (first published April 26th 2000)

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Mar 30, 2012 Emily May rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Emily by: Tatiana, Catie

Shelves: ya-na, fantasy, 2011, fave-ya

Now I finally understand why everyone seems to like this book so much more than the first. You see, The Thief is a wonderful little book filled with excellent writing, an interesting protagonist, an exciting fantasy world and a great big twist near the end. The Queen of Attolia had all of this, but it just had more of everything. It was everything I loved about the first book... on steroids.

Every character and every sentence - damn it, every word even! - is important, serves it's own purpose and is never wasted. This is a characteristic in books that is rare but oh so wonderful when you manage to find it.

Being told in 3rd person, unlike book one which was from Eugenides POV, allows the reader to see the bigger picture and to better understand the world that forms the backdrop of this series and the political relationships between Attolia, Eddis and Sounis. But, oddly, at the same time I felt like we also got to know Eugenides far better than in The Thief, and I loved him all the more in this second installment. He's such a perfectly imperfect character, he's flawed, he's brave without being ridiculously self-sacrificing, he's a little devil and yet you can't do anything but be on his side. Whatever happens to him in the next book has suddenly become very important to me.

And it's not just Eugenides... I mean, how easy would it have been for the author to make the Queen of Attolia nothing more than a villain sat on a foreign throne? But that's not the story Megan Whalen Turner is trying to tell. Like I said, Turner doesn't waste characters and her use of 3rd person in this novel lets us readers see the real queen behind that stone mask of cruelty. Of all the qualities I like characters to have, complexity is quite possibly my favourite.

But I think the book was really sold to me when Turner managed to successfully pull off a romance that surprised me, pleased me and just generally worked without being soppy or cheesy. A young adult novel with romance that doesn't make me cringe? Genius.
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Dec 23, 2011 Lisa O. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, ya-lit

I elected Froi as my favorite male character of the year for 2011, but Eugenides definitely gets second place.

The Queen of Attolia is the second book in The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner and in this review THERE WILL be spoilers. If you haven't read the first book, The Thief, I strongly suggest you not to continue reading this.

I think that, if you liked The Thief, you'll probably like this book even more. I'd rather not get into the synopsis to leave all details undiscovered but...more

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Oct 10, 2011 Maggie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, a-z-book-2011, reviewed, i-ve-just-read-you-and-i-love-you

If you have any interest in reading this book, DO NOT READ THE GOODREADS SUMMARY. Read Tatiana's review instead. It's not that the summary is so spoiler-heavy, but it tells you more than you need to know. Some people may prefer that -- I suspect these are the same people who go on guided tours and stick to detailed itineraries when they explore new places. Not that there's anything wrong with that.* But I think you tend to miss the forest for the trees when you're too focused on finding the next...more

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May 05, 2013 Elevetha Houre rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone on the planet and in the far reaches of space and all the possible alternate universes

Recommended to Elevetha by: Miss Clark

Shelves: cons-spies-and-thievery, favorites, quite-good, political-fantasy-adventure, 2011, shippy-otp-ship, bloody-brilliant, gorgeous-covers, fangirl-alert, fantasy-adventure

This series is bloody brilliant.

This one is still occasionally slow going but not as boring as "The Thief." But it manages to be intriguing and political and a whole lot of awesome.

I love Gen so freaking much. He is a perfectly flawed character and so well done. Attolia. Ice Queen. Girl, loosen up. I like that we're seeing some development for her.

This one felt like such a different book than "The Thief" but that can be a good thing. There wasn't a huge twist at the end, (view spoiler)...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Belle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-land, oh-my-gods-and-goddesses

I don’t really know how to rate or review this book. I’m afraid I’ll be kicked out of the cool kid’s club* for not absolutely adoring The Queen of Attolia. I’m really upset that I didn’t, because I was expecting to. I had super high expectations. Pretty much everyone I know told me how amazing it is. How you only read the first book in the series to get to this one. But I have to say, I think I like The Thief more. It’s not that I didn’t like The Queen of Attolia. I did. I just didn’t love it, n...more I don’t really know how to rate or review this book. I’m afraid I’ll be kicked out of the cool kid’s club* for not absolutely adoring The Queen of Attolia. I’m really upset that I didn’t, because I was expecting to. I had super high expectations. Pretty much everyone I know told me how amazing it is. How you only read the first book in the series to get to this one. But I have to say, I think I like The Thief more. It’s not that I didn’t like The Queen of Attolia. I did. I just didn’t love it, no matter how much I wanted to.

What I did like about it was the world, the characters and the plot overall. But I really didn’t like the frequent, tedious descriptions of politics and war maneuvers and meetings. Yaaawn. I also didn’t like the big “twist” towards the end. The plot point itself isn’t what bothered me, it’s that it wasn’t even alluded to beforehand. It was too much of a surprise and wasn’t plausible to me. Of course I thought the story was heading there eventually, I just didn’t expect it to have already happened behind the scenes (view spoiler) While I admire Turner’s capacity to intricately build a plot and surprise the reader, I don’t like that we end up so removed from the inner workings of the main characters. I read to be immersed in not only a different world but a different person, including their thoughts and feelings. One of my only reviewer friends to have given this book less than five stars, Steph Su, used the analogy that it feels like the characters are acting and talking behind soundproof glass, and this is exactly how I felt. It was as though I couldn’t quite get at the action and emotions. It was quite frustrating. The few times there was raw emotion on display and intimate interaction between the characters, it was stunningly rendered, making it even more frustrating to be cut off for the rest of the book.

I’m glad I had already bought The King of Attolia when I finished this, because I probably wouldn’t have continued with the series otherwise. That’s how disappointed I was. Thankfully I did have The King, so I read it and ended up loving it. It makes me think perhaps I should reread The Queen; I might get get more out of a second reading. As it is I feel like I missed something, because I didn’t love this anywhere near as much as pretty much everyone else.

*Not that I was ever in it.

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Oct 31, 2011 Anne Toronto1 rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Everyone does it. You made me do it. Where "it" is painful. Permanent. Like piercing - ears, eyebrow, navel (the bellybutton skin never healed, the eye-ring drew uncomfortable attention, the ear-lobes still itch red), tattoos (people ASK for needles? shiverrrr), cosmetic surgery (not to MY soft skin), physical abuse (a bully who can be provoked by a weakling is not strong), chop hands off thief, kill murderer. Decoration adds to beauty, attaining a cultural ideal is worth any suffering, crime de...more Everyone does it. You made me do it. Where "it" is painful. Permanent. Like piercing - ears, eyebrow, navel (the bellybutton skin never healed, the eye-ring drew uncomfortable attention, the ear-lobes still itch red), tattoos (people ASK for needles? shiverrrr), cosmetic surgery (not to MY soft skin), physical abuse (a bully who can be provoked by a weakling is not strong), chop hands off thief, kill murderer. Decoration adds to beauty, attaining a cultural ideal is worth any suffering, crime deserves appropriate punishment & deterrent. Where and how do you draw the line? This is the kind of book that lingers, rubs you raw long after closing.

I do not like this book, it hurts. So what draws a reader on? I also may reconsider #1 & 2 together because unlikable boy Gen becomes so different. Caused by dramatic trauma?

"The Queen of Attolia" (Thief 2) is a superbly beautiful cold harsh fierce defender of her kingdom against even the Eddis Queen's Thief who leaves matching ruby earrings beside her valuable necklace. Megan Turner shocks me to the core with such deep pain within the first 33 pages, worst supposedly for love by the end. I am uneasy with the Young rating. (Countries have child soldiers; existence doesn't guarantee rightness.) Tedious segues into the political intrigue of balancing three kingdoms (2 queendoms?) and omitting explicit vocabulary does not protect an innocent reader. Blood is a smear on a forehead; a kiss is a brush of lips. Deep physical and emotional cuts hide behind a sword-blade stroke (p33) and impassive faces. But screams loud and long echo from the deepest dungeon into nightmares, for characters and readers.

Cameo of Sounis' magus, royal advisor, does show how Gen has grown since Book 1. A tale of a goddess who interferes with mortal marriage doesn't seem to connect with the whole, except to escalate our diety-crossed couple to unreality. Youngsters grow up to marry. Could this be YA to prepare naive children for the vissicitudes of adult life? Gods as unreasonable fate?

The deep forest green dress illustrated on the front cover makes sense on p33. The silvery curved part on same color velvet pipe-shape that she holds stayed a mystery to me until p75. There I caught on to what the object was. Why it matched her dress finally was clear at the END of the whole book. (less)

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Mar 26, 2010 Lightreads rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: disability, fantasy, historical, young-adult

Well well! So our pleasant, feather-brained little fantasy romp grew a bigger, bitchiner sequel. Turner made the very good choice of switching from first person to roaming third, and tossed us straight in to political intrigue and war and post trauma.

So – and, frankly, this is one of those spoilers that has to be revealed because talking about the book without it is like talking about Harry Potter without talking about magic . . . this sentence was going somewhere. Since when is drunk reviewing...more Well well! So our pleasant, feather-brained little fantasy romp grew a bigger, bitchiner sequel. Turner made the very good choice of switching from first person to roaming third, and tossed us straight in to political intrigue and war and post trauma.

So – and, frankly, this is one of those spoilers that has to be revealed because talking about the book without it is like talking about Harry Potter without talking about magic . . . this sentence was going somewhere. Since when is drunk reviewing this hard?

Anyway this book! Which I liked very much, this book is about acquired disability, and identity changed by trauma, and all of that stuff. I reflexively withdraw from books with sudden acquired disability plotlines. I am predisposed for dislike from two directions: I have the lifelong disabled person’s disdain for badly done flailing and trauma and howling and “how will I ever survive I’d rather be dead” (um, you may have heard me demurely mention this on a previous occasion), and at least in the past four years I’ve also had the periodic raw-nerved sensitivity of sudden loss that can’t tolerate acquired disability actually done well. So it’s not that my standards are high so much as that they are . . . complicated.

So reading this book and watching myself respond to it was actually really instructive in pinpointing what works in acquired disability stories and what doesn’t. What I liked about this book was that the acquired disability and the post-violence trauma were different processes. People almost never get that right, but they really are. Even when they spring from the same event, and even though they are both fundamentally a kind of violence done to identity, they . . . operate in different keys. They are different necessities to reconcile the old identity with the new circumscribed reality, with what you can’t do now and with what everyone else thinks you can’t do (also two different things).

The other thing I liked was that the disability in this book was not about fetishizing pain or woobiness, but instead about fetishizing the person who came out the other side. The former is far more frequently creepy than the latter. And here the process is nicely drawn, with some beautiful moments in Gen’s long, quiet winter in his room, feeling out the new boundaries of his body one tiny increment at a time. And, “I thought I was doing so well.” Oh, yes.

Here’s what I didn’t like. I think it is cheap and it is easy for author’s to shorthand their character’s post-disability trauma entirely into their discomfort with the injury being seen. It does make sense – the gazes of others are of course self-definitive, and this is a thing that people go through. But when you channel so much of the aftermath trauma into body discomfort you’re playing with fire. Because disability is not biological. It is not somatoform. Disability is a sociological condition rooted in the embedded culture’s incapacity to, I don’t know, embrace universal fucking design, and the resultant discord it projects back at the disabled person. I realize I’m being all modern social theory at a little young adult fantasy book, but you know what? You do have to deal with the physical pragmatics, but when you get bound up in this idea of body-based disability shame, you’re permanently stuck in the physical and you can’t get anywhere else. Anywhere a lot more interesting, frankly. Also, modern theory is just how I roll when I’m tipsy.

So anyway. It’s a book about a smart-mouthed kid who gets hurt, and how he gets up again after, and how it hurts the people around him, and how it hurt the person who hurt him. Big stuff, for a silly little young adult fantasy.
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Apr 05, 2010 Peep (Pop! Pop!) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010, so-not-impressed, clean-enough, character-id-punch, addicted-to-ya

I really wanted to like this book. I really did. I loved the first one, you know. I thought Gen was hilarious and really someone I'd like to have around with - even if he was annoying.

The Queen of Attolia started out really good. I really was not expecting anything like that to happen. It was very surprising and I almost thought it was a dream. Where the first book had twists that had me smiling and gaping, this one had few. It was just ok. Eugenides had grown and changed so much that the only r...more

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Jan 24, 2011 Tatiana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Tatiana by: Kristin Cashore

Shelves: 2010, fantasy, ya, favorites, series-in-progress-still-like, mythopoeic

If I were ever to write a book, this is the one I would want to see my name on. I am not very good at writing positive reviews, so this will probably sound cheesy, but I totally loved every word, every sentence of this story!

"The Queen of Attolia" is a second book in Megan Whalen Turner's series about the Thief of Eddis Eugenides. I moderately liked the first book, especially for its conciseness and intricate world-building rooted in Greek history and mythology, but this second book exceeded any...more If I were ever to write a book, this is the one I would want to see my name on. I am not very good at writing positive reviews, so this will probably sound cheesy, but I totally loved every word, every sentence of this story!

"The Queen of Attolia" is a second book in Megan Whalen Turner's series about the Thief of Eddis Eugenides. I moderately liked the first book, especially for its conciseness and intricate world-building rooted in Greek history and mythology, but this second book exceeded any kind of expectations I had had. It is just so much better than "The Thief" written from Eugenide's 1st person POV. "The Queen of Attolia" is written in 3rd person which allows us to understand the workings of minds of all major players - King of Sounis, Queens of Attolia and Eddis, magus, etc.

The story starts when Eugenides is caught by Attolian guard. The Queen of Attolia executes her revenge on the Thief, and in a way that almost breaks Gen. Queen of Eddis, enraged by her Thief's plight, embarks on a war with Attolia, and Sounis starts his attack on both neighboring countries in an attempt to unite the territory against the outside threat of Mede. What follows is a complex story of politics, diplomacy, military strategies and intrigue.

I am not lying when I say I loved every word of this book. Because every word of it is important, there is no fluff or filler, every sentence matters. That is probably why it took me 3 days to finish this 300-page book, I simply didn't want to miss anything!

But there is more. I really loved the character developments in this book. Just like in "The Thief," we never fully know the narrators. In many ways, they remain anonymous to us, but whatever is revealed, is layered and complex. I enjoyed following Eugenides' transformation from a snarky selfish boy into a strong man. And let me tell you, the romance in this book totally catches you off-guard and certainly pushes boundaries.

I can't wait to read the next book - "The King of Attolia" and see where Turner takes her characters next. Why, of why does it take her on average 5 years to write each book?(less)

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Oct 18, 2010 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-endings, best-characters, fab-writing, writing-to-which-i-aspire, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, heroes-i-love-and-respect, ultimate-favorites, swoon-worthy-book-crushes, wish-i-could-write-a-book-like-this, wowed-me, will-love-it-until-i-die, i-am-not-worthy, very-nearly-heartbreaking, 2010-reads, reviewed

I was underwhelmed by the first book in this series, The Thief, so I kept my expectations low when I began The Queen of Attolia. However. . .I loved it. The plot gripped me, the characters enamored me, and the whole experience rang true with a winning adventure filled with breathless expectations, heart-pounding moments, and stunning turnarounds. Turner really hits her stride here, getting to the heart of her story, world, and characters all together. It's a thrilling ride, and I can't wait to d...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Celine rated it 5 of 5 stars

<3 <3 <3 Politics, espionage, war. Two equally determined queens glowering at each other across the borders of the countries they will do anything to protect, as enemies move in on all sides. COMPLETE AWESOME IN OTHER WORDS <3 <3 <3 <3

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Oct 27, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya-fantasy

This is listed as a YA book, but I think most fantasy fans will find it mature enough to enjoy. The book is openly a romance, which is a genre I don't care for at all, yet here the romance does not overpower the rest of the plot nor suffocate the reader This is in a very real way a "coming of age story", again something I usually steer clear of, but here it retains my interest.

In other words, I like the book. I liked the first book of the series The Thief. I've gotten the next from the library...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Mags~CVAddikt~Chaos defies imagination! rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, 5-stars-2012, amazing-worldbuilding, epic-fantasy, mythology, oceans-eleven, surprise, you-fooled-me, mind-player

Megan Whalen Turner ...

Ok maybe I'm overreacting ... but this book was pretty good.

As with the previous book, the world building and mythology were amazing, I love the stories about the gods. The plot was entertaining and not predictable, the characters were strong and lovable (Except for the Mede Ambassador ... I hate him and his oily beard).

And Gen ... wow this guy has always something ready hidden inside his sleeve ... clever little thief!!!

The Romance in the story ... I was like

And then...more

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May 05, 2013 Jaina rated it 4 of 5 stars

I didn't like the Thief very much. It was kinda boring, not very original, etc. This book came as a very pleasant surprise, and I agree with all the people who say the Thief was just an introduction for the real books.
This book has it all. Humour. High stakes. War. A strong female protagonist (or two). Friendship. Romance, with a few scenes that made me bury my head in my pillow, but still well-managed and very satisfactory.
Definitely read this, everyone. And if you really can't stand The Thie...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Kerry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

WOW! I love it when I enjoy the second book in a series more than the first. I rated THE QUEEN OF ATTOLIA 4.5 out of 5 stars. It was so much better than its predecessor THE THIEF.

Megan Whalen Turner didn't hesitate to get straight to the action this time around. She also wasn't afraid to shock her readers TO THE CORE. Three chapters into the book I was stunned beyond belief. I can't remember the last time a book held so much power over my emotions.

One of the main themes of the book was Gen's str...more WOW! I love it when I enjoy the second book in a series more than the first. I rated THE QUEEN OF ATTOLIA 4.5 out of 5 stars. It was so much better than its predecessor THE THIEF.

Megan Whalen Turner didn't hesitate to get straight to the action this time around. She also wasn't afraid to shock her readers TO THE CORE. Three chapters into the book I was stunned beyond belief. I can't remember the last time a book held so much power over my emotions.

One of the main themes of the book was Gen's struggle with identity. He went through such incredible physical and emotional pain but was somehow able to find a new purpose for his life. It is a testament to Whalen Turner's abilities as a writer that I felt that I was beside him for every step of his excruciating journey. Many tears were shed along the way.

Gen wasn't the only character who had a gripping story. I was also fascinated by the complexities of the beautiful, ruthless Attolia. The author subtly suggests that she was secretly agonizing over her actions. As I read about her life, I began to understand many of her decisions EXCEPT FOR THE ONE BRUTALLY DEVASTATING DECISION which had such tragic consequences. Yes, she was manipulated by the Mede, but unlike Gen, I could not find a way to move past that scarring event.

I loved how the author used Eddis as a contrast to Attolia. Both of these women were never meant to be Queen. What made them so different as women and rulers was the circumstances of their childhoods. I needed more of Gen's father in this book. Still waters run deep.

Political intrigue and war played a huge part in this novel. I felt like I was observing an intricate game of chess in which a Queen would be captured. Therefore it was difficult for me to fully enjoy as there was NO MAP (I know, broken record!) Minus half a star.

Every word mattered in THE QUEEN OF ATTOLIA. Whalen Turner is a gifted storyteller and gave many subtle hints and clues in looks and gestures. And the dialogue? Don't get me started! Clever and witty, I found that there were endless quoteworthy moments. I had forgotten how funny the bantering between Gen and the magus could be until the chapter where Gen stole him to take back to Eddis.

  "I had to send someone else to light the fuses," Eugenides said 
behind him.
 "Fuses?" asked the magus, with a sick feeling.
 "In the powder magazines of your warships," Eugenides explained.
 "Powder magazines?"
 "You sound like the chorus in a play," said Eugenides.
 "And the play is a tragedy, I suppose?"
 "A farce," Eugenides suggested, and the magus winced.

Needless to say, I have already started reading THE KING OF ATTOLIA. Although the series had a bit of a shaky beginning, I am now totally hooked.

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Sep 14, 2012 Virag rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Now 5 stars, a huge favorite of mine, and I freaking cannot wait to get my hands on the next book!
I really should begin re-reading books that I remember liking, because I just get so much more my second time through. I related to and stayed with the story more, and I'm just amazed at the world the author created. It's fantastic. Oh, and even though I still think it's a bit twisted, I also liked the romance a lot better.

Original review:

Hats off to you, Megan Whalen Turner. You're a very talented...more Now 5 stars, a huge favorite of mine, and I freaking cannot wait to get my hands on the next book!
I really should begin re-reading books that I remember liking, because I just get so much more my second time through. I related to and stayed with the story more, and I'm just amazed at the world the author created. It's fantastic. Oh, and even though I still think it's a bit twisted, I also liked the romance a lot better.

Original review:

Hats off to you, Megan Whalen Turner. You're a very talented writer. Her characters, plot, and world-building are fantastic. Not to mention the dialogue that made me laugh a lot, such as: "He lies to himself. If Eugenides talked in his sleep, he'd lie then too." I find that hilarious!

The plot is really well thought-out and does't allow you to zone out while reading, or else you'd be lost. It's also a lot more intense than the first book was, so I didn't get the slightly bored feeling that I did there.
Eugenides and Attolia have great character developments; I was blown away. Eugenides changed and matured most of all, but Attolia was fascinating to read about as well. She has one of the most unique personalities that I've read about as of yet, and even though she was detestable at times her story is relatable and does give the reader an image of why she is who she is. I definitely wouldn't want to be friends with her like I would with Eddis, but I also definitely want more Attollia action in the next book. She's just too interesting not to read more about.

(view spoiler)
But I don't have to love the romantic aspect to be insanely interested in the continuation of the story, which is exactly the case. (less)

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Aug 29, 2011 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-kinds-of-fantasy, harper-collins, series-books, ya-kids-teen, favorite-books, own, 2011, best-characters-ever, mc-guy

The gist of the story is easy to figure out. Eugenides is an infamous thief wanted in three separate countries. Luckily for him, his status as a cousin to the Queen has been enough to keep him safe, until a botched mission early in the novel results in a shocking and devastating punishment. The rest of the story, in large part, deals with Eugenides picking up the pieces of his life and attempting to recover from that event. Against the strong character-driven emotionality of the story is an elab...more The gist of the story is easy to figure out. Eugenides is an infamous thief wanted in three separate countries. Luckily for him, his status as a cousin to the Queen has been enough to keep him safe, until a botched mission early in the novel results in a shocking and devastating punishment. The rest of the story, in large part, deals with Eugenides picking up the pieces of his life and attempting to recover from that event. Against the strong character-driven emotionality of the story is an elaborate backdrop of political intrigue, treacherous double-crossers, and war.

Megan Whalen Turner's fantasy geography is stunning and equally intricate. She creates a world reminiscent of Greek city-states (the fictional kingdoms of Sounis, Attolia, and Eddis supposedly based on the geography of ancient Greece), with a more Byzantine-era style, and featuring such early-modern technology as gunpowder, clockwork objects, and printed books. I have to admit that some of Turner's storylines didn't make a whole lot of sense. Most of the events in the novel revolve around this three-party war, which started out easy to understand, but soon seemed to delve into murky political motives with a lot of loose ends. I love military tactics, perhaps more than the average reader, but I was thoroughly confused by a lot of the goings-on. And I think that all the attention given to the politics of the countries detracted from the most enjoyable part of the story, the characters.

Honestly, I think the thief Eugenides is now one of my all-time favorite characters. This is what I consider a successful, lovable, cheer-worthy character: someone who is both highly intelligent and extremely witty, physically capable (without being the brawniest dude in the room), and someone who undergoes some sort of emotional maturity over the course of the story. I definitely noticed a different character at the novel's end than at the beginning, and I like that. And I liked that Eugenides had to pull himself out of a depressing and practically insurmountable ordeal. It's okay for characters to get into a funk, but they need to be able to pull themselves out of it. :) The two rival queens of Eddis and Attolia are the other characters of great importance, and I liked how Turner portrayed the familial interactions between Eugenides and his cousin, Eddis. But since the Queen of Attolia is also the title character, I expected her to be a little more rounded and to play a bigger role in the story. But we don't see her except occasionally, until the last 100 or so pages. In that time, I didn't buy into the character transformation that Turner says she went through.

And really, the main reason this book is 4 stars instead of 5 is because of Megan's writing style. On one hand, I love her creativity and I love how brilliant she obviously is. She had a seemless ability to make three fictional countries come alive with extensive histories and geographic elements. But I feel like most of the book was told to me, not shown. Her characters are obviously meant to be highly rounded and with a lot of depth, but because of the fact that her narrative was more of a "telling narrative," I didn't feel much of a connection to what was going on. Even a 3rd person narrative can have some emotional exploration and insight, and I found that lacking here. I wish she would have just kept the 1st person narrative that she started in The Thief...

But I'm saying all this as a 20something reader. I have no doubt that kids/teens will be fascinated by the detail of this series and the literal nonstop action (I'm serious. This is one of those books that is just flat EXCITING to read). And it's definitely a series that I wholeheartedly recommend.(less)

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Apr 05, 2010 Janette added it

I read this book to see what happens to the Thief (from the first book in the series). I have to say I was impressed by the character growth.

The main character seemed really fleshed out, realistic, and really likable. I routed for him the whole book. I also liked Edis a lot and thought the dialogue was first rate. My only complaint (Spoiler alert!)was that without any real foreshadowing on about page 250 the thief tells Attolia that he's been in love with her for years. Really? The cruel, ruthle...more

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Feb 26, 2009 Holly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Sometimes a book just blows you away and you're left speechless - so here are my starstruck (or would it be bookstruck?), random thoughts about QofA. And to think I wasn't sure if I'd ever get around to reading this (!).

I liked the Thief, but wasn't amazed by it (I know, I know, I'm in the minority here). Yes, the huge, come-out-of-nowhere plot twist ending was superb, and I loved the rich world she has created based on ancient Greece and the Mediterranean. But I have to admit that when Gen was...more

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Jan 14, 2008 Cheryl Klein rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Cheryl by: Martha, Monica

I liked THE THIEF; I *loved* this, as I don't mind third-person narrators keeping information back from me until the appropriate time, and this is so well-constructed and character-driven . . . As I read it, I felt like Megan Whalen Turner was accomplishing the fictional equivalent of playing a perfect chess game or composing a Mozartian sonata, so carefully is each piece of information provided to the reader at precisely the right time and in precisely the right order. This incredible intellige...more

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Sep 22, 2007 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, sff, 2007, given-away

Hmm... I still haven't made up my mind about this one. I read Thief a while ago, and hadn't realized how much of the plot was important to reading this one, so there were parts I knew I wasn't understanding because I'd forgotten the earlier plot. The world, modeled on the ancient Mediterranean empires, is really intriguing, and I'm surprised this series is classified as YA because there's a lot of strategy and adult subtlety that seems like it would go over the heads of most teens. The character...more

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Jul 20, 2009 Lucy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who love brilliant books

Shelves: 2009, fantasy, books-that-deserve-six-stars, favorites

There is a thing that happens in this book that is among my most traumatic literary moments. It makes me cringe every time I think about it. Every time it is referred to in The King of Attolia I cringe too.

I love this book beyond words. But I will have to gird myself for a reread because I mentally twitch away from the cringeworthy thing.

Reread, 7/19/09:
This is the first time I'm rereading Queen of Attolia, and wow. The first time I read it I was so furious at Attolia for--what happens at the be...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Elaney rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013, favorites, fantasy, owned-books

I can see why everyone thought this was a better book than The Thief. I mean, I was in agony for at least half of the book but it was still good. My favorite part about this book is that even though it's written in third person I feel like I learned more about Eugenides than I did in The Thief. Also, in the end I started to feel sorry for the Queen of Attolia even after what she did to Eugenides. Turner knows which parts to spend more time on and when to give you the bare skeleton of what's goi...more

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Aug 20, 2008 Arwen rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fantasy Lovers

Shelves: five-star

I love this unusual book. It had one of the most unlikely and beautiful love stories I've ever read as well as adventure, political intrigue and war. This is a sequel to The Thief, so read that first.

The Queen of Attolia is set in the three countries of Attolia, Eddis and Sounis, loosely based on Greece. The time period is the late middle ages.

Eugenides, the hero from The Thief, is back for more adventures. Gen changes the most in this book, going from a light-hearted thief to a serious tacticia...more

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Sep 20, 2008 Valerie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

I liked The Queen of Attolia, but not as much as the first installment in the series, The Thief. All of the characters were still really interesting, especially Gen, who's a little older and wiser in this tale, and the Queen of Attolia is definitely complex and captivating enough to deserve to be the title character of the book. But with the countries of Eddis, Attolia and Sounis constantly on the brink (or at) war, there was a lot of discussion of war - strategies, alliances, projections - and...more

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Dec 07, 2009 Beanbag Love rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: frequent-re-reads

Just a quick review since I left a gushing one for The Thief which is the book that begins this outrageously wonderful YA series by Megan Whalen Turner.

This book could easily be spoiled, so I won't say much. It's darker than its predecessor, but the payoff is excellent. Exciting, suspenseful and emotional, it's the first book I literally walked around the house reading while continuing to try to do my chores. I could not put it down.

While The Thief is told in the first person, this one is told...more

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Dec 28, 2011 Laura (Kyahgirl) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: gods-and-their-ilk, part-of-a-series, political-intrigue, romance, set-during-a-war, the-human-condition, young-adult, action-adventure, favorites, fantasy-alternate-history, absolutely-beloved-character

4/5; 4 stars; A-

I enjoyed this book a lot. The characterization was beautifully done. I am editing my original review here because I failed to mention a very important aspect of this book. While the The Thief, Eugenides, is a main character, the story is by no means all about him. The two queens, Eddis and Attolia were interesting and truly kick-ass, each in her own way.

I'm a little surprised that this book and in fact the series is considered YA or juvenile literature because it is very subtle...more

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Mar 01, 2009 Angie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: belovedbookshelf, ya

Wow. I just...wow. Talk about a sequel. In fact, I'm pretty sure that as sequels go The Queen of Attolia should be the standard textbook in a class entirely devoted to how to write a killer sequel. The kind of sequel that will leave your readers completely unable to contain their glee at how it was just as good as they weren't daring to hope it would be. The kind that makes them keep their husbands up at night expounding upon the splendor that is such a sequel.

A note on the cover: I truly love...more Wow. I just...wow. Talk about a sequel. In fact, I'm pretty sure that as sequels go The Queen of Attolia should be the standard textbook in a class entirely devoted to how to write a killer sequel. The kind of sequel that will leave your readers completely unable to contain their glee at how it was just as good as they weren't daring to hope it would be. The kind that makes them keep their husbands up at night expounding upon the splendor that is such a sequel.

A note on the cover: I truly love the "new" covers. I do. But this one kind of makes me want to run and hide under the covers. And I'm glad I didn't see it until after I read the book. Rather, I went in blissfully unaware of what awaited me.

A note on a spoiler: I generally try to avoid them. This review, however, may have to be an exception as there is one key plot element early on that is, well, integral to everything that happens thereafter. I can't find a way to dance around it, so consider yourself forewarned.

The Thief of Eddis is on a secret mission for his queen in the heart of enemy territory. As he slips away into the night, something goes massively, horribly wrong and he is run down and captured by Attolian guards. For his audacity, Attolia takes his right hand and sends him back to his queen broken and on the brink of death. While Eugenides struggles to comes to terms with his drastically altered life, Eddis declares war on Attolia for his sake and the three countries are quickly at each other's throats. As their losses mount, Eugenides realizes there is one more thing he can steal from Attolia that will save his country from destruction. But, given their last encounter, does he have the courage to venture into Attolia again and face her one more time?

Truth? I spent a a fair bit of time holding back sobs while reading this book. You see I fell in love with Eugenides. And he does not have an easy time of it here. The thing is he is so very awesome that you know he'll be okay. He has to be okay. But, still, his anguish and rage are so palpable it's hard to watch. And at the same time, my favorite scenes are the beautifully alternating passages in which Gen tries and fails and tries to piece his life together while, a world away, Attolia sits on her throne, staring blankly out the window, agonizing over what she did. It's so unexpected and had me glued to the page. And Turner's not kidding around with the love story. When it comes it takes your breath away. On top of it all this book's got a perfect ending. It'll make you smile through your tears. (less)

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Nov 20, 2008 Natalie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This exciting sequel to The Thief begins with an exciting chase as Eugenides seeks to elude the guards of the Queen of Attolia and escape from her palace. Things go terribly wrong, and Eugenides is captured. Execution would be the usual sentence, but not wanting to start a war with Eddis, the queen chooses to cut off his hand and send him home as a warning message.

What good is a thief without a hand? Eugenides must choose to recover emotionally as well as physically. Struggle is the theme of th...more This exciting sequel to The Thief begins with an exciting chase as Eugenides seeks to elude the guards of the Queen of Attolia and escape from her palace. Things go terribly wrong, and Eugenides is captured. Execution would be the usual sentence, but not wanting to start a war with Eddis, the queen chooses to cut off his hand and send him home as a warning message.

What good is a thief without a hand? Eugenides must choose to recover emotionally as well as physically. Struggle is the theme of this book – the declaration of war between Eddis and its neighbors, Sounis and Attolia, provides an appropriate tone. Looming over all is the threat of invasion by the Medes empire. Eugenides inner struggle parallels the battles his country faces; he must re-discover his worth and regain his confidence. His country needs him, but the solution to the war may require Eugenides to give himself back to the queen who maimed him.

This book is more complex and more character driven than the first book. We know from The Thief that there is more to Eugenides than one would note at first glance. Now he emerges from his suffering as a deeply intriguing character. He is an unusually good judge of character, he grasps the innuendos of national intrigue, and he accepts the disparity of his own motives. The two queens are multi-dimensional and believable. Just as Eugenides loses his hand – a thief’s best tool, the queens must also be prepared to lose what they prize most for the salvation of their countries. Eddis must give up Eugenides once again. Attolia must be prepared to sacrifice her throne – and choose wisely her alliances. Looking into the minds of each of the characters, the reader finds much to be admired. Dare I suggest that the reader will come to appreciate, even like, the queen who so coldly dismembered the hero-protagonist?

Again, Turner employs conventions of the epic story. The setting is the coastal Mediterranean of the past, the quest is to save the kingdom against overwhelming if not impossible odds, and the epic hero, Eugenides, must follow a code of honor, acting at all times so as not to displease the gods. The gods play an active role in this tale – and one may question whether it is comforting or disconcerting to know that he is simply a tool to further the purposes of the gods. Eugenides loses his hand, as do two Skywalkers. Like them, he is fatherless, but turns to a wise mentor (a true magus) who can advise, inspire, and comfort, but must leave him to face his challenges alone. Tales recounting the exploits of the gods function to mirror the character development and set the stage for the plot to come. The epic motifs in this story add the depth and layers of color and understanding that distinguish this story from other, more superficial tales. The Queen of Attolia is for older young adult readers – a definite step up in maturity from the first book, and while it stands alone as a story, it will be more enjoyable when read after The Thief. (less)

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Apr 30, 2013 Felita rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ada-kejutan-di-cerita, young-adult, fantasy-romance

lebih seru daripada buku pertama !

Berhasilnya Eugenides mencuri hadiah hamiates membuat murka ratu attolia yg terkenal dingin dan tegas. kenapa ? karena sang pencuri meloloskan diri dengan mudah di bawah pengawasannya. apalagi waktu itu ada magus dan pewaris tahta sounis bersamanya.

Nah, di awal cerita ini sang pencuri kembali lg ke istana attolia bwt ngumpulin informasi. negara attolia, sounis dan eddis sedang bersitegang nih. ingin menguasai satu sama lain. yg paling kentara terliat a/gerakan n...more

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About Megan Whalen Turner

For those of you who have to write reports for school, I will say that I was born in 1965 and I have siblings, all of them older, which makes me the baby of the family. We had a pet cat when I was growing up. He died a long time ago, but I think he is living his next life with the author of Tithe, Holly Black. I have seen pictures and her White Cat appears too similar for mere coincidence. I moved...more

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Books by Megan Whalen Turner

The King of Attolia (The Queen's Thief, #3)

A Conspiracy of Kings (The Queen's Thief, #4)

Instead of Three Wishes: Magical Short Stories

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Quotes from The Queen of Attolia

“He could tell her he loved her. He ached to shout it out loud for the gods and everyone to hear. Little good it would do. Better to trust in the moon's promises than in the word of the Thief of Eddis. He was famous in three countries for his lies.” — 135 people liked it

“I'll be your minister--"
"Of the exchequer? You'd rob me blind."
"I would never steal from you," he'd said hotly.
"Oh? Where is my tourmaline necklace? Where are my missing earrings?"
"That necklace was hideous. It was the only way to keep you from wearing it."
"My earrings?"
"What earrings?” — 134 people liked it

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The Queen of Attolia (The Queen's Thief #2)

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