This book really suffered from my own high expectations. The first in the trilogy was incredible and I expected to be even more enthralled with this one...but it was just "pretty good".

This novel covers the ascension to the throne through to the beginnings of the Revolution. It is well written for the most part but the pace feels off. In some areas it is excruciatingly slow while other events are barely mentioned. Her pregnancy and the birth of her last child feel barely more than a footnote.

Im of mixed feelings of if I will read the last one. Probably--just to finish it off--but considering that I almost stopped reading this one several times, I might pass.