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Fractured Kingdom #1
Prophecy
A girl who yearns for freedom, a handsome thief . . . and the start of an epic romantic adventure that will change the course of history, combining the romance and adventure of The Princess Bride with the political intrigue of Game of Thrones. For fans of Stephanie Garber, Leigh Bardugo, Shelby Mahurin and Jennifer L. Armentrout.
The only life Persephone has ever known has been one of servitude, and she dreams of freedom, buoyed by a spirit and sense of humor that have never wavered. When a chance encounter with a handsome thief offers her a chance to leave, she grabs it with both hands . . . and the thief, Azriel, will just have to keep up.
But Azriel is not everything he seems, and he believes Persephone holds the key to a greater freedom for himself and his people, who have been hunted for years by the king's regent, an evil and sadistic man who will stop at nothing in his quest for power. Azriel has a plan to defeat him, and he needs Persephone — but does Persephone need him?
As her journey brings her deeper and deeper into a cruel and dangerous world, Persephone must quickly learn who to trust . . . and whether an impossibly broad-shouldered thief holds the key to her future, or her ruin.
Once Upon a Broken Heart meets The Queen's Thief in Prophecy, the first book in The Fractured Kingdom trilogy — filled with heart-pounding romance and epic adventure.
The only life Persephone has ever known has been one of servitude, and she dreams of freedom, buoyed by a spirit and sense of humor that have never wavered. When a chance encounter with a handsome thief offers her a chance to leave, she grabs it with both hands . . . and the thief, Azriel, will just have to keep up.
But Azriel is not everything he seems, and he believes Persephone holds the key to a greater freedom for himself and his people, who have been hunted for years by the king's regent, an evil and sadistic man who will stop at nothing in his quest for power. Azriel has a plan to defeat him, and he needs Persephone — but does Persephone need him?
As her journey brings her deeper and deeper into a cruel and dangerous world, Persephone must quickly learn who to trust . . . and whether an impossibly broad-shouldered thief holds the key to her future, or her ruin.
Once Upon a Broken Heart meets The Queen's Thief in Prophecy, the first book in The Fractured Kingdom trilogy — filled with heart-pounding romance and epic adventure.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 22, 2013
45 people are currently reading
9250 people want to read
About the author
M.L. Fergus
4 books44 followersAuthor also writes as Maureen Fergus
M.L Fergus also writes illustrated kids books under the name Maureen Fergus. Her many books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, optioned for television, adapted for stage and won or been shortlisted for numerous prestigious awards. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada with her family.
M.L Fergus also writes illustrated kids books under the name Maureen Fergus. Her many books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, optioned for television, adapted for stage and won or been shortlisted for numerous prestigious awards. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
January 17, 2013
So I just wrote a shorter version of this review for reasons I will reveal later. And while I was writing that, I remembered just how much I love this novel. I think I may love this one as much as I loved Seraphina. And you know what that means? I’m going to have to buy a hardcover copy and get Maureen Fergus to sign it for me. Now, I don’t even know whether she’ll be making any appearances in Vancouver but if she is, I’m going.
Anyway, let’s talk about this book because it is the reason I am holding on to your attention. If you like strong heroines who are flawed and behave in flawed ways sometimes, then you will like Persephone. Persephone is nothing like the Greek goddess (of Spring) she shares a name with. She is a slave and her thoughts are naturally preoccupied with a desire for freedom in the true sense of the word. I cannot pretend to know what it means to not own one’s own person but I can empathize with her feelings. Fergus creates a vibrant world where Gypsies are hunted and killed simply because of who they are. This genocide is a contemporary issue and Fergus does not dress it up prettily or try to excuse it. She portrays the horror of a people who are being eradicated through no fault of their own. Azriel is a gypsy who, with all his charm, buys Persephone from her owner. Not that she thanks him for it, of course.
Their relationship is engaging, fun and complex. The romance is present but it doesn’t take over the narrative. In fact, Persephone’s feelings are deliciously ambiguous and I get the feeling that if she had to choose between Azriel and her freedom, she would choose the latter. There is a prophecy (that Persephone snorts rudely at) and there are animals who are blindly devoted to Persephone. Her eccentricities and flaws make her into a likeable character despite some of her more dubious decisions. (Keep in mind, these decisions are not stupid and nothing damning.)
All the characters present in the novel are individuated and have their own personalities. The courtly intrigues and the young king who is very interested in Persephone spice of the narrative significantly. The villain of the piece is a most intriguing character. He is deformed but for he has a beautiful face and it is his desire to be whole again that motivates his actions. He is one of the creepiest and yet saddest villains I have come across in literature recently. He is dangerous because he doesn’t seem to have a conscience that separates good and bad, and his greed for power at any cost, but at the same time, he is completely vulnerable due to his deformity. I have a feeling that he may not be the villain in the end because he is a bit too easily deceived. No, I think it is the captain of the guards who will become most dangerous for the protagonists of the piece.
The novel is gorgeous written, the pacing is quick and keeps the reader’s interest and the plot turns and twists in the most unpredictable ways. I was literally shocked at the end because I did not expect the novel to go where it did. And it went there in a good way. It takes all expectations and shakes it around and presents to you in a shape you didn’t think it came in. There is friendship between girls, a sisterhood of sorts, and a positive portrayal of women. Themes of identity, physical beauty and perhaps even love are present in the novel. Fergus has created a complex world peopled with complex characters that battle both inner demons and physical enemies in their attempt to right so many wrongs. Questions of duty versus desire will have to be answered. What is freedom? Can a person ever be totally free? I don’t know but I am looking forward to finding out how Persephone’s story unfolds. Do I recommend this? Really, I have to spell it out?
Okay fine. I recommend this strong. Go read it.
Anyway, let’s talk about this book because it is the reason I am holding on to your attention. If you like strong heroines who are flawed and behave in flawed ways sometimes, then you will like Persephone. Persephone is nothing like the Greek goddess (of Spring) she shares a name with. She is a slave and her thoughts are naturally preoccupied with a desire for freedom in the true sense of the word. I cannot pretend to know what it means to not own one’s own person but I can empathize with her feelings. Fergus creates a vibrant world where Gypsies are hunted and killed simply because of who they are. This genocide is a contemporary issue and Fergus does not dress it up prettily or try to excuse it. She portrays the horror of a people who are being eradicated through no fault of their own. Azriel is a gypsy who, with all his charm, buys Persephone from her owner. Not that she thanks him for it, of course.
Their relationship is engaging, fun and complex. The romance is present but it doesn’t take over the narrative. In fact, Persephone’s feelings are deliciously ambiguous and I get the feeling that if she had to choose between Azriel and her freedom, she would choose the latter. There is a prophecy (that Persephone snorts rudely at) and there are animals who are blindly devoted to Persephone. Her eccentricities and flaws make her into a likeable character despite some of her more dubious decisions. (Keep in mind, these decisions are not stupid and nothing damning.)
All the characters present in the novel are individuated and have their own personalities. The courtly intrigues and the young king who is very interested in Persephone spice of the narrative significantly. The villain of the piece is a most intriguing character. He is deformed but for he has a beautiful face and it is his desire to be whole again that motivates his actions. He is one of the creepiest and yet saddest villains I have come across in literature recently. He is dangerous because he doesn’t seem to have a conscience that separates good and bad, and his greed for power at any cost, but at the same time, he is completely vulnerable due to his deformity. I have a feeling that he may not be the villain in the end because he is a bit too easily deceived. No, I think it is the captain of the guards who will become most dangerous for the protagonists of the piece.
The novel is gorgeous written, the pacing is quick and keeps the reader’s interest and the plot turns and twists in the most unpredictable ways. I was literally shocked at the end because I did not expect the novel to go where it did. And it went there in a good way. It takes all expectations and shakes it around and presents to you in a shape you didn’t think it came in. There is friendship between girls, a sisterhood of sorts, and a positive portrayal of women. Themes of identity, physical beauty and perhaps even love are present in the novel. Fergus has created a complex world peopled with complex characters that battle both inner demons and physical enemies in their attempt to right so many wrongs. Questions of duty versus desire will have to be answered. What is freedom? Can a person ever be totally free? I don’t know but I am looking forward to finding out how Persephone’s story unfolds. Do I recommend this? Really, I have to spell it out?
Okay fine. I recommend this strong. Go read it.
January 30, 2013
I LOVED this book. The relationship between Azriel and Persephone is so fun to watch unfold! The dialogue between the two made me giggle out loud at times as I voraciously devoured this book. When I wasn't being entertained by Azriel and Persephone, I was reeling in horror at the pure evilness of the Regent Mordecai! He is one of the few YA villains I've seen in a long time that is actually seriously dark and twisted. I never knew how far he was going to sink; how evil and rotten he was going to be at his core. I don't think we even know yet the depths of his malice! I can't wait for the second installment coming out Fall 2013!
- Amy Smith, Marketing Associate
- Amy Smith, Marketing Associate
January 6, 2025
Well written YA fantasy that had my attention so much I finished in a day. Sometimes these stories can feel a bit too familiar - or similar to other books in the same genre.. however, Prophecy was phenomenal.
I don’t know that there is an emotion I didn’t feel reading it and found myself excited for more of the story and sad for the ending of it all.
This book is one of my first few reads of 2025 and will probably be a re-read for me as well. With some questions I need answered — I am excited for additional books to follow!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this phenomenal arc in exchange for my honest review!
I don’t know that there is an emotion I didn’t feel reading it and found myself excited for more of the story and sad for the ending of it all.
This book is one of my first few reads of 2025 and will probably be a re-read for me as well. With some questions I need answered — I am excited for additional books to follow!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this phenomenal arc in exchange for my honest review!
December 29, 2013
A slave girl, Persephone, is sold to a gypsy who pulls her into the intrigue of a prophecy made 15 years earlier. The book was exciting, full of funny characters, but melodramatic and a tad juvenile at spots.
This novel is a bit of a brick and I was a bit put off when i realized it was so long. I soon found that getting started was the best thing to do. It is actually a pretty quick read and always entertaining. It was quite adventurous and amusing. "The Gypsy King" had a lot of bulk, but was never dull.
The two main characters, Persephone and Azriel, dominate the plot. They exchange many quirks and are rather amusing and charming. The antagonist gets the plot moving, but is ridiculously evil and power hungry. He is bloodthirsty and twisted, and not a very believable character, but the readers are not meant to sympathize or think of him as anything other than an adversary. The other supporting characters are less interesting. The two protagonists and one antagonist are well-developed and set the story up for a fine melodrama.
There will occasionally come a time when I'm reading a young adult novel when I can barely tell it is a young adult novel. It will be well written and deal with a variety of themes maturely and believably. Mostly YA novels just remind of what they are in really cringe-worthy ways. "The Gypsy King" was somewhere in the middle and I'm going say upfront I'm a bit nitpicky on these points so feel free to disagree. It is melodramatic and with a writing style that is a bit unnecessary. The author frequently and unnecessarily used italicized words and explanation points! Another issue: in a class I had once that talked about how the slave narratives were a precursory to the Blues, the woman started the class by reading a sort of anecdote in which a quaker asked a man if he was fishing for himself or for business. The man replied, "Ain't got no self." That's the nature of slavery. Persephone was strong, willful and never lost sight of her desired freedom, which was good and believable. Fergus does not make a goal of showing the reality of slavery so it is not surprising to see a very minimal amount shown in this book. Persephone's past hardships are used to make her tougher, which is a nice thing in YA novels.
"The Gypsy King" is an exciting and melodramatic read centred on two humorous characters. Though I did find the writing style tiresome at points it was an enjoyable book.
This novel is a bit of a brick and I was a bit put off when i realized it was so long. I soon found that getting started was the best thing to do. It is actually a pretty quick read and always entertaining. It was quite adventurous and amusing. "The Gypsy King" had a lot of bulk, but was never dull.
The two main characters, Persephone and Azriel, dominate the plot. They exchange many quirks and are rather amusing and charming. The antagonist gets the plot moving, but is ridiculously evil and power hungry. He is bloodthirsty and twisted, and not a very believable character, but the readers are not meant to sympathize or think of him as anything other than an adversary. The other supporting characters are less interesting. The two protagonists and one antagonist are well-developed and set the story up for a fine melodrama.
There will occasionally come a time when I'm reading a young adult novel when I can barely tell it is a young adult novel. It will be well written and deal with a variety of themes maturely and believably. Mostly YA novels just remind of what they are in really cringe-worthy ways. "The Gypsy King" was somewhere in the middle and I'm going say upfront I'm a bit nitpicky on these points so feel free to disagree. It is melodramatic and with a writing style that is a bit unnecessary. The author frequently and unnecessarily used italicized words and explanation points! Another issue: in a class I had once that talked about how the slave narratives were a precursory to the Blues, the woman started the class by reading a sort of anecdote in which a quaker asked a man if he was fishing for himself or for business. The man replied, "Ain't got no self." That's the nature of slavery. Persephone was strong, willful and never lost sight of her desired freedom, which was good and believable. Fergus does not make a goal of showing the reality of slavery so it is not surprising to see a very minimal amount shown in this book. Persephone's past hardships are used to make her tougher, which is a nice thing in YA novels.
"The Gypsy King" is an exciting and melodramatic read centred on two humorous characters. Though I did find the writing style tiresome at points it was an enjoyable book.
December 21, 2024
EDIT: I feel like to really enjoy this series, you gotta read the books back to back. I upped my rating to 4 stars because the issues I had in this book were smoothed out in book two.
I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this solid fantasy entry.
The villain is absolutely, 100% disgusting. His chapters were so GOOD / well done for being disgusting.
I can see where the comps to Princess Bride comes from. It has that quirky humor where male and female banter at one another, secretly they like one another and or are falling in love, and they're amassing a coterie of people and animals.
The reason I knocked it down two stars is that something about the kingdoms and how underdeveloped they were hindered to the overall plot and the prophecy. At the very end we see people from two other persecuted groups was a relief but came too late.
As soon as the group gets to the castle / keep and she has to pretend to be a noble it gets absolutely CRAZY and the villain and his henchman were worrying me.
I liked this book enough to seek out / keep an eye out for the second. If that one is as good then I think I'll push my rating up a star. (EDIT: And it was, so I pushed it up a star.)
I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this solid fantasy entry.
The villain is absolutely, 100% disgusting. His chapters were so GOOD / well done for being disgusting.
I can see where the comps to Princess Bride comes from. It has that quirky humor where male and female banter at one another, secretly they like one another and or are falling in love, and they're amassing a coterie of people and animals.
The reason I knocked it down two stars is that something about the kingdoms and how underdeveloped they were hindered to the overall plot and the prophecy. At the very end we see people from two other persecuted groups was a relief but came too late.
As soon as the group gets to the castle / keep and she has to pretend to be a noble it gets absolutely CRAZY and the villain and his henchman were worrying me.
I liked this book enough to seek out / keep an eye out for the second. If that one is as good then I think I'll push my rating up a star. (EDIT: And it was, so I pushed it up a star.)
May 24, 2014
I really enjoyed this book!! I seriously loved it! And I was pleasantly surprised to find that Maureen Fergus was born in my meager "city" of Regina. How refreshing to find that one of my favorite books was written by someone who was born in my hometown! Anyway, I must confess that I am in love with Azriel and admire Persephone. I eagerly await A Fool's Errand. :) Though I'm not really sure when the book will arrive in Regina...
February 16, 2025
[🎧] everyone say it with me: JUST BECAUSE IT’S YA DOESN’T MEAN IT HAS TO BE STUPID
November 16, 2025
wow, this was bad.
this book tells the story of Persephone, an orphan that doesn’t know where she came from and has lived as an enslaved person since she can remember. we open with Persephone attempting to stop a chicken thief at the farm she is currently enslaved at. the next morning, the thief is at her master’s door, pretending to be a Lord and buys Persephone - but not to free her, but because Persephone is part of a prophecy given to his people, the Methusians, by a seer a long time ago and she will be responsible to bringing to the throne the first Methusian king in history. the seer gave two parchments with the prophecy for a girl to protect when their village was being ransacked by royal soldiers. one of the parchments had a drawing of Persephone, whilst the other can only be opened once she has been found.
Persephone, however, doesn’t believe this prophecy - she is not a Methusian and doesn’t believe there can ever be a Methusian king, considering how the current King, Finneus, and his regent, Mordesius, hunt down the Methusians “for sport”. it is not just for sport, but for their blood. it is believed that the Methusians used to live next to a lake whose waters were able to heal anything. but once someone dropped one drop of blood on that lake, it vanished. ever since, the Methusians have been a group of people wandering the countryside of the continent whilst Mordesius, in particular, hunts them down to discover the current location of this lake. you see, Mordesius, as a good old fashioned villain, is disabled. he suffered from burns in almost his entire body as a child and his movements are hindered by the scar tissue that has formed over his limbs. he wants to find the lake to cure himself and will stop at nothing to find it. in the meantime, it’s believed Methusian children’s blood is able to cure small open wounds, so he is trying to experiment on them and see if he can enhance this power to cure bigger things.
this is actually a revised and republished romantasy, originally published in 2013 with the name “the gypsy king”. i think you can garner why it was revised and republished - though i must admit i find it abhorent that it was published nonetheless in 2013 with that name and those stereotypes.
i am just wondering why, then, the book was published as it was.
first of all: this has no target audience.
the writing is middle-grade, filled with people falling funnily on *every single chapter*, people speaking “bad words” such as “give you a spanking”, our main character being saved constantly by one of the three different animals that are obsessed with her (a horse, a dog and a hawk) — or, god forbid, all those three things happening in the same breath! this is not for a YA audience.
but this book is also *not* for middle-graders because it has *several* scenes of explicit violence, from the very first page. and the worst part: unnecessary violence, to paint a “darker” picture of who our heroes are up against in this world. for example, on the first page of the book, we see the massacre that killed the Methusian seer - and we see a pregnant woman’s womb be slashed open by a royal soldier. or, another example, Mordesius collects the scalps of Methusians he kills. not to mention the numerous mentions and allusions to sexual violence. and how the romance between Azriel, the thief, and Persephone, is based solely off of sexual innuendos they make at each other constantly - even when they don’t have much chemistry.
second of all: both the fantasy plot and the romance is lackluster. which begs the question: why revist a 2013 romantasy? if you wanted to capitalize on the surge of romantasy books currently, then you need to make sure this particular romantasy is up to current standards. and considering you’re not just re-releasing it, like some are being done, but you are revising it, then update it for a more current standard.
the fantasy plot is very middle-grade, again, in the sense that it hinders on coincidences, Persephone’s embarrassment and a very very lose idea of what it’s actually doing because it is more focused on working with the characters “winning” over evil than it is with plotting how this win will happen.
meanwhile the romance is inexistent. whilst we have several romantic scenes of Persephone and Azriel, they are all thanks to their banter than any actual touch. which makes no sense considering the book isn’t afraid of alluding to sexual violence so why would it be afraid of sex?
so… yeah. overall, i really disliked this and i think it should have been killed back in 2013 when it first dropped with the g-slur.
this book tells the story of Persephone, an orphan that doesn’t know where she came from and has lived as an enslaved person since she can remember. we open with Persephone attempting to stop a chicken thief at the farm she is currently enslaved at. the next morning, the thief is at her master’s door, pretending to be a Lord and buys Persephone - but not to free her, but because Persephone is part of a prophecy given to his people, the Methusians, by a seer a long time ago and she will be responsible to bringing to the throne the first Methusian king in history. the seer gave two parchments with the prophecy for a girl to protect when their village was being ransacked by royal soldiers. one of the parchments had a drawing of Persephone, whilst the other can only be opened once she has been found.
Persephone, however, doesn’t believe this prophecy - she is not a Methusian and doesn’t believe there can ever be a Methusian king, considering how the current King, Finneus, and his regent, Mordesius, hunt down the Methusians “for sport”. it is not just for sport, but for their blood. it is believed that the Methusians used to live next to a lake whose waters were able to heal anything. but once someone dropped one drop of blood on that lake, it vanished. ever since, the Methusians have been a group of people wandering the countryside of the continent whilst Mordesius, in particular, hunts them down to discover the current location of this lake. you see, Mordesius, as a good old fashioned villain, is disabled. he suffered from burns in almost his entire body as a child and his movements are hindered by the scar tissue that has formed over his limbs. he wants to find the lake to cure himself and will stop at nothing to find it. in the meantime, it’s believed Methusian children’s blood is able to cure small open wounds, so he is trying to experiment on them and see if he can enhance this power to cure bigger things.
this is actually a revised and republished romantasy, originally published in 2013 with the name “the gypsy king”. i think you can garner why it was revised and republished - though i must admit i find it abhorent that it was published nonetheless in 2013 with that name and those stereotypes.
i am just wondering why, then, the book was published as it was.
first of all: this has no target audience.
the writing is middle-grade, filled with people falling funnily on *every single chapter*, people speaking “bad words” such as “give you a spanking”, our main character being saved constantly by one of the three different animals that are obsessed with her (a horse, a dog and a hawk) — or, god forbid, all those three things happening in the same breath! this is not for a YA audience.
but this book is also *not* for middle-graders because it has *several* scenes of explicit violence, from the very first page. and the worst part: unnecessary violence, to paint a “darker” picture of who our heroes are up against in this world. for example, on the first page of the book, we see the massacre that killed the Methusian seer - and we see a pregnant woman’s womb be slashed open by a royal soldier. or, another example, Mordesius collects the scalps of Methusians he kills. not to mention the numerous mentions and allusions to sexual violence. and how the romance between Azriel, the thief, and Persephone, is based solely off of sexual innuendos they make at each other constantly - even when they don’t have much chemistry.
second of all: both the fantasy plot and the romance is lackluster. which begs the question: why revist a 2013 romantasy? if you wanted to capitalize on the surge of romantasy books currently, then you need to make sure this particular romantasy is up to current standards. and considering you’re not just re-releasing it, like some are being done, but you are revising it, then update it for a more current standard.
the fantasy plot is very middle-grade, again, in the sense that it hinders on coincidences, Persephone’s embarrassment and a very very lose idea of what it’s actually doing because it is more focused on working with the characters “winning” over evil than it is with plotting how this win will happen.
meanwhile the romance is inexistent. whilst we have several romantic scenes of Persephone and Azriel, they are all thanks to their banter than any actual touch. which makes no sense considering the book isn’t afraid of alluding to sexual violence so why would it be afraid of sex?
so… yeah. overall, i really disliked this and i think it should have been killed back in 2013 when it first dropped with the g-slur.
September 1, 2024
⋆₊ ⊹✉️ Thank you to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for the arc!
4.5 ☆ | violence | ♥︎♡♡♡♡
↳ 13 +
I can see the similarities between the Once Upon A Broken Heart series, and this one since they both have a prophecy aspect. As for the other authors that this book is being compared to, I have not read any of their books so I cannot say for them. I also see a similarity between Stephanie Garber's writing style and this one. Still, it almost reminded me of Lauren Roberts’ writing style or even Holly Black's.
The characters reminded me of the ones in The Cruel Prince, especially the MMC. He reminded me a lot of Cardan, which I quite enjoyed. But it was almost like I didn’t know the characters which I understand because this is the first book in a series that I did not realize before today, looking at it on Goodreads. Another book, this reminds me of is The Stolen Heir; the sort of adventurous feel of it, and also Dance of Thieves where I remember a lot of similarities there as well. Those two, I feel should've been mentioned in the list of books Prochecy is similar to.
I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to finish this book because I’m not in a fantasy mood right now but I flew through it. It was quite fast-paced. It kept me entertained the whole time. The dialogue was fantastic! Almost up there with Holly Blacks and Lauren Roberts! I will definitely be purchasing this book when it comes out in January and am very glad that I read it, and discovered a new series for me to obsess over!
The lore/world-building in this book was very well flushed out for the most part. I still do feel like I have some questions at the end, which is completely okay because again this is the first book in a series. Normally that happens in the first books. There was one particular character that drove me insane the whole entire time. He just kept failing and failing and not accepting it, and I was quite annoyed with him. I will not say his name to avoid spoilers.
I’m trying to avoid spoilers this entire time because I would feel so bad if I were the one who spoiled it when this book comes out next year! Overall, I did like the two main characters, especially the MMC. I enjoyed him very much because of his dialogue and his banter with the FMC. I loved that! Now I am a bit upset that I have to wait until not next year, but possibly the previous year to find out what happens. I'm on a cliff here and I don’t like it!
Anyway, if you enjoyed Dance of Thieves, Once Upon a Broken Heart, Powerless, or any book in the Folk of the Air universe you would enjoy this. What a great true young adult book!!
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4.5 ☆ | violence | ♥︎♡♡♡♡
↳ 13 +
I can see the similarities between the Once Upon A Broken Heart series, and this one since they both have a prophecy aspect. As for the other authors that this book is being compared to, I have not read any of their books so I cannot say for them. I also see a similarity between Stephanie Garber's writing style and this one. Still, it almost reminded me of Lauren Roberts’ writing style or even Holly Black's.
The characters reminded me of the ones in The Cruel Prince, especially the MMC. He reminded me a lot of Cardan, which I quite enjoyed. But it was almost like I didn’t know the characters which I understand because this is the first book in a series that I did not realize before today, looking at it on Goodreads. Another book, this reminds me of is The Stolen Heir; the sort of adventurous feel of it, and also Dance of Thieves where I remember a lot of similarities there as well. Those two, I feel should've been mentioned in the list of books Prochecy is similar to.
I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to finish this book because I’m not in a fantasy mood right now but I flew through it. It was quite fast-paced. It kept me entertained the whole time. The dialogue was fantastic! Almost up there with Holly Blacks and Lauren Roberts! I will definitely be purchasing this book when it comes out in January and am very glad that I read it, and discovered a new series for me to obsess over!
The lore/world-building in this book was very well flushed out for the most part. I still do feel like I have some questions at the end, which is completely okay because again this is the first book in a series. Normally that happens in the first books. There was one particular character that drove me insane the whole entire time. He just kept failing and failing and not accepting it, and I was quite annoyed with him. I will not say his name to avoid spoilers.
I’m trying to avoid spoilers this entire time because I would feel so bad if I were the one who spoiled it when this book comes out next year! Overall, I did like the two main characters, especially the MMC. I enjoyed him very much because of his dialogue and his banter with the FMC. I loved that! Now I am a bit upset that I have to wait until not next year, but possibly the previous year to find out what happens. I'm on a cliff here and I don’t like it!
Anyway, if you enjoyed Dance of Thieves, Once Upon a Broken Heart, Powerless, or any book in the Folk of the Air universe you would enjoy this. What a great true young adult book!!
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June 9, 2013
**WARNING**
This is my first review EVER!!! I may not be as eloquent with my wording as some other people on here are but I hope that you will bear with me as I try to convey my deep like of this book.
A Spoiler Free Review:
First off Maureen Fergus's writing style grabbed my attention (and held it) from the very first page. I was captivated by the world she created which was extremely harsh. The rich and privileged were hard and cruel while the poor and low borns were considered to be nothing more than 'furniture', something that could easily be replaced. And although at times I thought this book might be hard to read, I couldn't stop cause it made me feel.....that's it. Whether good or bad, happy or tragic, any book that makes you feel something is worth reading as long as what your feeling is not boredom. And I definitely was not bored.
Secondly, I loved, I mean LOVED the main character Persephone. She was unbelievably strong and resourceful and whether she recognized it or not, she was fiercely loyal. She wasn't simpering and constantly confused as many of the female MC's in YA books are these days. Don't get me wrong there is personal struggle and growth in this book but the way Maureen Fergus writes it, I understood where it came from and that Persephone had and still has to go through it, to become the woman she is destined to be. And of course the male MC, Azriel, was nothing but yummy sounding. Strong, funny, defiant and yes he was handsome too. Both MC's in this book were a lot alike actually and I didn't mind that the whole "opposites attract" thing didn't apply here because it was still sweet and had me waiting with anticipation for the moment they would finally declare how they feel about each other.
And lastly Mordecai, the evil cripple with the handsome face. The contradiction is not lost on me but what might shock people is that it wasn't his crippled body that made him ugly, it was his black heart and his corrupted soul. This character just reinforced what we all know to be true, beauty is only skin deep. He thought he was ugly cause of his body but really his callous treatment of others was what truly made him dreadful. And even though he had it rough because of his deformity, I could find no compassion for him. Making him a great villain for this story.
So, now that I've said all that, all I can say now is that I can't wait for book 2 'A Fool's Errand' which comes out October 2013. Yay!!
Come on October!!!!! I'm waiting for you.
This is my first review EVER!!! I may not be as eloquent with my wording as some other people on here are but I hope that you will bear with me as I try to convey my deep like of this book.
A Spoiler Free Review:
First off Maureen Fergus's writing style grabbed my attention (and held it) from the very first page. I was captivated by the world she created which was extremely harsh. The rich and privileged were hard and cruel while the poor and low borns were considered to be nothing more than 'furniture', something that could easily be replaced. And although at times I thought this book might be hard to read, I couldn't stop cause it made me feel.....that's it. Whether good or bad, happy or tragic, any book that makes you feel something is worth reading as long as what your feeling is not boredom. And I definitely was not bored.
Secondly, I loved, I mean LOVED the main character Persephone. She was unbelievably strong and resourceful and whether she recognized it or not, she was fiercely loyal. She wasn't simpering and constantly confused as many of the female MC's in YA books are these days. Don't get me wrong there is personal struggle and growth in this book but the way Maureen Fergus writes it, I understood where it came from and that Persephone had and still has to go through it, to become the woman she is destined to be. And of course the male MC, Azriel, was nothing but yummy sounding. Strong, funny, defiant and yes he was handsome too. Both MC's in this book were a lot alike actually and I didn't mind that the whole "opposites attract" thing didn't apply here because it was still sweet and had me waiting with anticipation for the moment they would finally declare how they feel about each other.
And lastly Mordecai, the evil cripple with the handsome face. The contradiction is not lost on me but what might shock people is that it wasn't his crippled body that made him ugly, it was his black heart and his corrupted soul. This character just reinforced what we all know to be true, beauty is only skin deep. He thought he was ugly cause of his body but really his callous treatment of others was what truly made him dreadful. And even though he had it rough because of his deformity, I could find no compassion for him. Making him a great villain for this story.
So, now that I've said all that, all I can say now is that I can't wait for book 2 'A Fool's Errand' which comes out October 2013. Yay!!
Come on October!!!!! I'm waiting for you.
December 31, 2024
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Prophecy by M.L. Fergus is a third person dual-POV YA fantasy. Persephone was sold into slavery as an infant and is trying to survive her latest owner. Azriel is a member of a people persecuted by the king of their kingdom and is searching for a young woman to help save the young king of his people. Azriel believes that Persephone is that young woman and Persephone sees this as a chance to escape, but she’s going to get caught up in a plan that leads her to her destiny.
There is something very 80’s/90’s about this and I love that. The opening chapters have a The Princess Bride kind of vibe and Mordesius is kind of a Prince Humperdink-ish character. He’s just so vile for the sake of being vile and I would like more villains who are villains just because. He did have a traumatic incident in his early life but it doesn’t not explain his personality or his political scheming and I’m fine with that. I don’t need every villain to have a redemption arc or some grand traumatic reason why they want things to go their way; they can just be jerks who want political power because, in real life, there are jerks who just want political power.
Azriel and Persephone’s romance has plenty of banter early on and some pining as a lot goes unsaid between them but they both also know there is a spark there. Azriel is a pirate robber who meets Persephone by trying to steal one of her chickens and proceeds to be playful when she fights back. It’s not the dramatic high stakes YA fantasy that I’ve become used to and I’ve found that I really miss this set-up of an adventure-style fantasy with banter between the main characters that leads into a romance.
In this book, there isn’t really a magic system beyond seers and the world might be our world but set in a fictional kingdom as there is a mention of Latin, much like The Princess Bride could have been set in our world. Again, it goes back to that 80’s/90’s-style of ‘is it our world? Is it not? Is there magic? Is it science?’ and that could make this a great gateway for readers looking to try out epic or political fantasy but don’t want a ton of worldbuilding or a lot of rules to learn.
Content warning for mentions and depictions of attempted sexual assault
I would recommend this to fans of The Princess Bride and other 80’s and 80’s fantasy films, readers looking to dip their toes into fantasy, and those looking for a YA fantasy with banter and pining but also some adventure and political intrigue
Prophecy by M.L. Fergus is a third person dual-POV YA fantasy. Persephone was sold into slavery as an infant and is trying to survive her latest owner. Azriel is a member of a people persecuted by the king of their kingdom and is searching for a young woman to help save the young king of his people. Azriel believes that Persephone is that young woman and Persephone sees this as a chance to escape, but she’s going to get caught up in a plan that leads her to her destiny.
There is something very 80’s/90’s about this and I love that. The opening chapters have a The Princess Bride kind of vibe and Mordesius is kind of a Prince Humperdink-ish character. He’s just so vile for the sake of being vile and I would like more villains who are villains just because. He did have a traumatic incident in his early life but it doesn’t not explain his personality or his political scheming and I’m fine with that. I don’t need every villain to have a redemption arc or some grand traumatic reason why they want things to go their way; they can just be jerks who want political power because, in real life, there are jerks who just want political power.
Azriel and Persephone’s romance has plenty of banter early on and some pining as a lot goes unsaid between them but they both also know there is a spark there. Azriel is a pirate robber who meets Persephone by trying to steal one of her chickens and proceeds to be playful when she fights back. It’s not the dramatic high stakes YA fantasy that I’ve become used to and I’ve found that I really miss this set-up of an adventure-style fantasy with banter between the main characters that leads into a romance.
In this book, there isn’t really a magic system beyond seers and the world might be our world but set in a fictional kingdom as there is a mention of Latin, much like The Princess Bride could have been set in our world. Again, it goes back to that 80’s/90’s-style of ‘is it our world? Is it not? Is there magic? Is it science?’ and that could make this a great gateway for readers looking to try out epic or political fantasy but don’t want a ton of worldbuilding or a lot of rules to learn.
Content warning for mentions and depictions of attempted sexual assault
I would recommend this to fans of The Princess Bride and other 80’s and 80’s fantasy films, readers looking to dip their toes into fantasy, and those looking for a YA fantasy with banter and pining but also some adventure and political intrigue
May 28, 2013
The Gypsy King started off with an event from the past, where an old gypsy women said that there would be a gypsy kind who will make peace between two places. We are then taken to the present, where we meet Persephone. Persephone is a 16 year old runaway slave, who just adores animals and has them as her only friends. When she meets this certain thief one day, that's when her world starts to change. The next day, that certain thief comes over and "buys" Persephone from her owner. Persephone then embarks on a long journey with Azriel, and along the way, she starts learning more about the world around her.
Persephone was an amazing character to read about! She was so kind, but took care of herself very well. I loved that she loved animals, and it was great to see how a big role those animals played in the book. I loved the relationship between Azriel and Persephone, and I liked that they were more innocent than the usual young adult characters. Though I did feel like there was a bit too much detail regarding the government and the historical/political aspects, but maybe it's because I'm usually not very good at understanding them. There were a fair amount of characters that I really enjoyed reading about, and even the evil ones were a joy to read. The world building in "The Gypsy King" is amazing! i think of it as this beautiful magical forest where it's full of nature and animals. Maureen Fergus's writing style is also very enjoyable, and I liked how some chapters were about Azriel and Persephone's journey, while some were chapters about the government issues and events.
Overall, The Gypsy King was a very enjoyable read! I was also glad to have met Maureen Fergus herself! She's a hilarious person! I would totally recommend this to all fantasy, historical fiction readers out there. Though I do recommend it to the younger "young adults." I sometimes forget that it's young adult, and sometimes I think of it as middle grade. Anyhow, I really did enjoy it overall, and I'm glad I already have my hands on the second book of the series!
Persephone was an amazing character to read about! She was so kind, but took care of herself very well. I loved that she loved animals, and it was great to see how a big role those animals played in the book. I loved the relationship between Azriel and Persephone, and I liked that they were more innocent than the usual young adult characters. Though I did feel like there was a bit too much detail regarding the government and the historical/political aspects, but maybe it's because I'm usually not very good at understanding them. There were a fair amount of characters that I really enjoyed reading about, and even the evil ones were a joy to read. The world building in "The Gypsy King" is amazing! i think of it as this beautiful magical forest where it's full of nature and animals. Maureen Fergus's writing style is also very enjoyable, and I liked how some chapters were about Azriel and Persephone's journey, while some were chapters about the government issues and events.
Overall, The Gypsy King was a very enjoyable read! I was also glad to have met Maureen Fergus herself! She's a hilarious person! I would totally recommend this to all fantasy, historical fiction readers out there. Though I do recommend it to the younger "young adults." I sometimes forget that it's young adult, and sometimes I think of it as middle grade. Anyhow, I really did enjoy it overall, and I'm glad I already have my hands on the second book of the series!
dnf
February 8, 2025Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
DNF @50%
The writing in this book was a bit too young for me, and I just could not connect with the characters. While I don't think that the content is necessarily on the younger side of YA, the writing style felt very simplistic and I couldn't get into it. I do think that if I read this maybe seven or eight years ago I would have likely enjoyed it, though, and the premise is very interesting! The story was moving pretty quickly, and I would recommend it if you don't mind a younger writing style.
DNF @50%
The writing in this book was a bit too young for me, and I just could not connect with the characters. While I don't think that the content is necessarily on the younger side of YA, the writing style felt very simplistic and I couldn't get into it. I do think that if I read this maybe seven or eight years ago I would have likely enjoyed it, though, and the premise is very interesting! The story was moving pretty quickly, and I would recommend it if you don't mind a younger writing style.
August 25, 2020
Not a fan of the overt racism and stereotypes against my people, the Rromani. I DNF'd halfway through.
November 7, 2017
Reading The Gypsy King is like jumping wholeheartedly into an unknown world replete with characters and conflicts that refuse to relinquish their hold on your heart even long after you’ve turned the last page. (And I’m sure I’m not the only one who flipped through the four blank pages at the end of the book, desperately trying to find an epilogue or notes from the author or just something to make the journey last a little longer.) Fergus’ story revolves around a 16-year-old slave named Persephone who, despite her many attempts to achieve freedom, finds herself entangled with Azriel, a thief who is as witty as he is handsome. Together they embark on a noble but ambitious rescue adventure that will find them dancing with danger and running for their lives. Persephone must choose between her freedom and her feelings for Azriel, but is she prepared for the repercussions of either choice? Fergus takes you on an edge-of-your-seat adventure that will have you re-reading some delicious parts and hastily gulping down others to find out what happens next.
Quotable Quips
“Walk if you wish—for now, Persephone—and when you begin to falter, I’ll show myself to be a true and noble gentleman by giving you the choice between riding up here with me—or being dragged behind my horse.” (72)
“To be a true ruling king, His Majesty will need to settle upon a fertile wife and get down to the business of getting down to business.” (145)
“There is no humiliation in being fairly beaten … How are you ever to prove yourself a great ruler if you never have to fight for any victory you achieve?” (360)
Story & Pacing: 10
The plot of this book is unique and fantastic. Each conflict adds layer upon layer to the story as a whole, so rather than having to deal with situations in a linear fashion, Fergus’ characters encounter problems that pile up before each can be solved. There wasn’t a part in the book where I was bored or where I felt that a certain character’s troubles could be skipped over. The chapters alternate between the (omniscient) point of view of Persephone and Mordecai who, at first, have absolutely no connection to one another. This format choice lends a very thick air of foreshadowing, which enhances the pace of the novel, especially once the two characters meet. The ending of this story is so wonderful—a great payoff! The crisis and climax are intense and occur so late in the final chapters that I had to make sure I knew exactly how many pages were left so as not to leave myself unwittingly gasping in disbelief at the sudden conclusion. Nevertheless, I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when I discovered that there will be not just one, but two more books to complete this story. Phew!
Characters: 10
Fergus’ characters are endearing, complex, and memorable. Persephone is smart, diligent, and very kind. I can feel her sadness when she tries to recall her upbringing, and I understand the decisions she makes throughout the novel. She is a good role model for any young person as she is unwilling to be dominated, especially by men, but she is loyal to those who are loyal to her. She has the great flaw of being too spontaneous to the point that she becomes foolhardy at times. Azriel exudes charm: I can imagine the smirk on his face as he delivers one-liners to match Persephone’s wit. And I can just as easily imagine the way he looks at Persephone when she doesn’t realize he is gazing at her. Their interactions throughout the novel are so tender and romantic—despite Azriel’s bravado and Persephone’s punches and temper tantrums. (But, really, isn’t that just the way girls demonstrate their affections for someone?) There is so much more to explore in their relationship. And Mordecai is so deliciously complex that I waddled back and forth between writing him off as completely evil and feeling sorry for him: He is equal parts ruthless and piteous. Fergus has me completely enamoured with her characters (except maybe Mordecai)!
Setting: 7
There is a lot of description of the various physical settings of this novel, which seems to take place in the late Middle Ages. The different places were very visible in my mind, but I would have liked to have had a map of Parthania and its surroundings to know exactly where each region is located in relation to the others. This would have been helpful considering the various characters in the story hail from a variety of identified places. I especially would have liked the map to help me envision Persephone and Azriel’s journey.
Style & Writing: 9
Fergus’ writing is crisp and each of her characters has a very distinct voice. I particularly liked her knack for writing banter between characters, especially the kind laced with sarcasm (which, of course, is my cup of tea). She makes use of varied syntax, and she doesn’t shy away from descriptions via adverbs, which I really enjoy. The book, as a whole, is free of errors.
Learnability & Teachability: 9
The biggest lesson to be gained from this novel is how to write well. Students who aspire to be novelists can learn from Fergus’ writing style, including her choice of words, her sentence structures, and her chapter and book endings. Anyone who wants an example of how to write well will find Fergus a great model to follow.
Potential Teachables
The Middle Ages; origins and history of gypsies; etymology and use of the word “gypsy”; character development; plot structure; conflict creation; monarchies and associated terms; patriarchal societies; slavery; making difficult choices.
Quotable Quips
“Walk if you wish—for now, Persephone—and when you begin to falter, I’ll show myself to be a true and noble gentleman by giving you the choice between riding up here with me—or being dragged behind my horse.” (72)
“To be a true ruling king, His Majesty will need to settle upon a fertile wife and get down to the business of getting down to business.” (145)
“There is no humiliation in being fairly beaten … How are you ever to prove yourself a great ruler if you never have to fight for any victory you achieve?” (360)
Story & Pacing: 10
The plot of this book is unique and fantastic. Each conflict adds layer upon layer to the story as a whole, so rather than having to deal with situations in a linear fashion, Fergus’ characters encounter problems that pile up before each can be solved. There wasn’t a part in the book where I was bored or where I felt that a certain character’s troubles could be skipped over. The chapters alternate between the (omniscient) point of view of Persephone and Mordecai who, at first, have absolutely no connection to one another. This format choice lends a very thick air of foreshadowing, which enhances the pace of the novel, especially once the two characters meet. The ending of this story is so wonderful—a great payoff! The crisis and climax are intense and occur so late in the final chapters that I had to make sure I knew exactly how many pages were left so as not to leave myself unwittingly gasping in disbelief at the sudden conclusion. Nevertheless, I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when I discovered that there will be not just one, but two more books to complete this story. Phew!
Characters: 10
Fergus’ characters are endearing, complex, and memorable. Persephone is smart, diligent, and very kind. I can feel her sadness when she tries to recall her upbringing, and I understand the decisions she makes throughout the novel. She is a good role model for any young person as she is unwilling to be dominated, especially by men, but she is loyal to those who are loyal to her. She has the great flaw of being too spontaneous to the point that she becomes foolhardy at times. Azriel exudes charm: I can imagine the smirk on his face as he delivers one-liners to match Persephone’s wit. And I can just as easily imagine the way he looks at Persephone when she doesn’t realize he is gazing at her. Their interactions throughout the novel are so tender and romantic—despite Azriel’s bravado and Persephone’s punches and temper tantrums. (But, really, isn’t that just the way girls demonstrate their affections for someone?) There is so much more to explore in their relationship. And Mordecai is so deliciously complex that I waddled back and forth between writing him off as completely evil and feeling sorry for him: He is equal parts ruthless and piteous. Fergus has me completely enamoured with her characters (except maybe Mordecai)!
Setting: 7
There is a lot of description of the various physical settings of this novel, which seems to take place in the late Middle Ages. The different places were very visible in my mind, but I would have liked to have had a map of Parthania and its surroundings to know exactly where each region is located in relation to the others. This would have been helpful considering the various characters in the story hail from a variety of identified places. I especially would have liked the map to help me envision Persephone and Azriel’s journey.
Style & Writing: 9
Fergus’ writing is crisp and each of her characters has a very distinct voice. I particularly liked her knack for writing banter between characters, especially the kind laced with sarcasm (which, of course, is my cup of tea). She makes use of varied syntax, and she doesn’t shy away from descriptions via adverbs, which I really enjoy. The book, as a whole, is free of errors.
Learnability & Teachability: 9
The biggest lesson to be gained from this novel is how to write well. Students who aspire to be novelists can learn from Fergus’ writing style, including her choice of words, her sentence structures, and her chapter and book endings. Anyone who wants an example of how to write well will find Fergus a great model to follow.
Potential Teachables
The Middle Ages; origins and history of gypsies; etymology and use of the word “gypsy”; character development; plot structure; conflict creation; monarchies and associated terms; patriarchal societies; slavery; making difficult choices.
November 22, 2014
I won this book from the Goodreads First Reads program in exchange for an unbiased review.
The premise was certainly enticing. Persephone, a slave girl with a bit of an attitude is bought by the mysterious Azriel, whom she first met as we was trying to steal one of the chickens from her farm. Persephone is a great character and lots of fun. And Azriel of course is handsome and dashing. And don't forget the prophecy of the Gypsy King, leaving you wondering who this king will turn out to be.
But I had a few reservations while reading this book.
There were a few too many silly coincidences. They were funny, but unrealistic. One example is when Persephone tries to escape from Azriel. It's rainy, it's muddy. And just as she thinks she got away, she slips down an embankment and gets submerged in a massive mud puddle. But that's ok, because conveniently just a few feet from the dirty puddle is a nice warm and clean hot spring (I wandered in the woods before, never found a hotspring before, let alone when desperately in need of one...) So she strips and relaxes in one of her first hot baths ever. Then Azriel conveniently appeared while she was still in the pool, and he has that nice, handsome, well muscled chest...I mean sequence of events just don't happen like that. I know this is a YA book, but it felt more middle school.
Also, I found the characters to either be really good, or really bad. There wasn't a single redeeming feature in Mordecai, and we are constantly reminded of how his mind was even more twisted than his body. He couldn't look at anyone and not have an evil or lecherous thought. For example my favorite character in Harry Potter was Snape, because you were left guessing whose side he was on nearly the whole way through. On the other hand, brownie points for putting a handsome face on the broken body, I thought that was very unique and original.
Finally, what's with the ending??? Ack! You can't leave the story hanging like that. Every series I've ever read, each book is pretty well stand-alone, meaning the ending kind of wraps things up while not finalizing the storyline. But this book ended with such a cliffhanger than the characters might as well been hanging by their fingertips from a cliff. I've even read a book where the main character dies at the end (then comes back in the next). But even there, you're not left wondering will he die or not, you know he's dead, so it's wrapped up, however shocking it was. As another reviewer mentioned, you can do that in a TV series where it will continue in a week, but we'll presumably be waiting a year to find out what happens in the next book. I felt that was cruel to the reader.
So while I enjoyed the book and had fun reading it, those three elements took away from what could have been a four or five star rating.
The premise was certainly enticing. Persephone, a slave girl with a bit of an attitude is bought by the mysterious Azriel, whom she first met as we was trying to steal one of the chickens from her farm. Persephone is a great character and lots of fun. And Azriel of course is handsome and dashing. And don't forget the prophecy of the Gypsy King, leaving you wondering who this king will turn out to be.
But I had a few reservations while reading this book.
There were a few too many silly coincidences. They were funny, but unrealistic. One example is when Persephone tries to escape from Azriel. It's rainy, it's muddy. And just as she thinks she got away, she slips down an embankment and gets submerged in a massive mud puddle. But that's ok, because conveniently just a few feet from the dirty puddle is a nice warm and clean hot spring (I wandered in the woods before, never found a hotspring before, let alone when desperately in need of one...) So she strips and relaxes in one of her first hot baths ever. Then Azriel conveniently appeared while she was still in the pool, and he has that nice, handsome, well muscled chest...I mean sequence of events just don't happen like that. I know this is a YA book, but it felt more middle school.
Also, I found the characters to either be really good, or really bad. There wasn't a single redeeming feature in Mordecai, and we are constantly reminded of how his mind was even more twisted than his body. He couldn't look at anyone and not have an evil or lecherous thought. For example my favorite character in Harry Potter was Snape, because you were left guessing whose side he was on nearly the whole way through. On the other hand, brownie points for putting a handsome face on the broken body, I thought that was very unique and original.
Finally, what's with the ending??? Ack! You can't leave the story hanging like that. Every series I've ever read, each book is pretty well stand-alone, meaning the ending kind of wraps things up while not finalizing the storyline. But this book ended with such a cliffhanger than the characters might as well been hanging by their fingertips from a cliff. I've even read a book where the main character dies at the end (then comes back in the next). But even there, you're not left wondering will he die or not, you know he's dead, so it's wrapped up, however shocking it was. As another reviewer mentioned, you can do that in a TV series where it will continue in a week, but we'll presumably be waiting a year to find out what happens in the next book. I felt that was cruel to the reader.
So while I enjoyed the book and had fun reading it, those three elements took away from what could have been a four or five star rating.
September 4, 2013
"The Gypsy King" by Maureen Fergus is a fast-paced fantasy that grabs the reader's interest from the first to the last page. Set in a realm scarred by class distinction, corruption, death and murder the story opens with a young runaway slave Persephone, struggling to survive the taunts and abuse of a master who keeps her chained in irons as she works. A chance encounter with a handsome young chicken thief Azriel and the revelation of a Gypsy prophecy will unlock Persephone's destiny as the two go on a journey that will lead them not only into the world of the rich nobility but into perilous danger that could cost them their lives. This is a story of hidden identities, of adventure, of friendship and young love in a chaotic world split apart by the autocratic control of a bloodthirsty Regent.
I loved the characters, each with a distinctive personality that unveils many of their strengths and weaknesses. Sixteen year old Persephone having grown up knowing only pain and suffering is apprehensive and confrontational with people, but has an affinity for animals who are constant in their love for her. She can be belligerent and obstinate, but is brave and determined when challenged. Good-natured and witty Azriel tends to be headstrong and stubborn, but is also loyal and trustworthy. Rachel, at first is soft-spoken, timid and anxious but begins to show courage and resolve under Persephone's friendship and care. King Finnius, the kind and considerate heir apparent has been easily duped by the machinations of his treacherous Regent, but as the story progresses he begins to develop tenacity and strength of will.
Even the minor characters are notable like Moira King Finnius's loyal and shrewd protector, Meeka Persephone's perceptive and trustworthy servant and Fayla, the jealous but brave young gypsy girl. Yet, it is the antagonists that are unforgettable and bring mounting tension to the plot with all their evil and bloodthirsty scheming; Mordecai, the severely crippled Regent who's cruel, bloodthirsty and power-hungry, his weapon the unscrupulous General Murdock and Lord Bartok the devious, smooth-talking nobleman. Although just as crafty but not quite in the same league as the three Machiavellian villains above add Lord Atticus the amoral drunkard, son of Lord Bartok and his sister, the conniving and deadly Lady Aurelia.
Reminiscent of Jennifer A. Nielsen's "False Prince" with its setting in a turbulent and unstable kingdom, its people divided, this adventure is also filled with danger and action, hidden identities and intrigue. It is well-written, and the plot captivating as Persephone and Azriel confront one challenge after another on their journey of discovery. I highly recommend it and look forward to reading "A Fool's Errand", the next in this magnetic series.
I loved the characters, each with a distinctive personality that unveils many of their strengths and weaknesses. Sixteen year old Persephone having grown up knowing only pain and suffering is apprehensive and confrontational with people, but has an affinity for animals who are constant in their love for her. She can be belligerent and obstinate, but is brave and determined when challenged. Good-natured and witty Azriel tends to be headstrong and stubborn, but is also loyal and trustworthy. Rachel, at first is soft-spoken, timid and anxious but begins to show courage and resolve under Persephone's friendship and care. King Finnius, the kind and considerate heir apparent has been easily duped by the machinations of his treacherous Regent, but as the story progresses he begins to develop tenacity and strength of will.
Even the minor characters are notable like Moira King Finnius's loyal and shrewd protector, Meeka Persephone's perceptive and trustworthy servant and Fayla, the jealous but brave young gypsy girl. Yet, it is the antagonists that are unforgettable and bring mounting tension to the plot with all their evil and bloodthirsty scheming; Mordecai, the severely crippled Regent who's cruel, bloodthirsty and power-hungry, his weapon the unscrupulous General Murdock and Lord Bartok the devious, smooth-talking nobleman. Although just as crafty but not quite in the same league as the three Machiavellian villains above add Lord Atticus the amoral drunkard, son of Lord Bartok and his sister, the conniving and deadly Lady Aurelia.
Reminiscent of Jennifer A. Nielsen's "False Prince" with its setting in a turbulent and unstable kingdom, its people divided, this adventure is also filled with danger and action, hidden identities and intrigue. It is well-written, and the plot captivating as Persephone and Azriel confront one challenge after another on their journey of discovery. I highly recommend it and look forward to reading "A Fool's Errand", the next in this magnetic series.
February 1, 2013
Sometimes you take a chance on a book you know little about, and you quickly live to regret it. Other times, you thank your luck star you took the risk. With The Gypsy King, it is without a doubt a case of the latter, as I had tremendous fun reading and discovering the first in this new series!
First, I have to say that I found Maureen Fergus' writing to be wonderfully engaging! Her words followed each other so naturally, and even the conversations felt natural. It also felt balanced; without trying too hard to use a language inspired of medieval times and fantasy, it is also not too modern. I really felt I was transposed in another world, in another time, both by the setting and the writing.
Persephone clearly is the star of her story. She is strong but flawed, and her relationship with Azriel was incredibly fun to follow. Their banter had me smiling for a good part of the book, and I loved how her feelings were a bit unclear. She doesn't like him at the beginning (so no love at first sight here!), but she also doesn't hate him. Mainly, it is not that she doesn't appreciate him, but more that she desires her freedom more than anything else.
There were many more characters in the story, and I was amazed to see how rich the cast was. Diversified, complex, mysterious. Azriel, Rachel, Meeta, and many more; they all are worth the time, which isn't something I can always say about secondary characters!
If there is one thing I enjoyed less, it was how the chapters alternated between Persephone's view and the court intrigue. It's sort of weird, because while I absolutely loved the mysterious plot with the king, the throne, the villain and all that, for a long time I didn't like how the story kept changing - even though it was all written in the third person, and even though it all fit well together. Maybe a clearer explanation will come to me later?
All in all though, The Gypsy King took me by surprise and was a great read. I was a bit disappointed, in fact, that I didn't have a nice paper copy to put on my shelf! For sure I'll have to add it to my wishlist!
First, I have to say that I found Maureen Fergus' writing to be wonderfully engaging! Her words followed each other so naturally, and even the conversations felt natural. It also felt balanced; without trying too hard to use a language inspired of medieval times and fantasy, it is also not too modern. I really felt I was transposed in another world, in another time, both by the setting and the writing.
Persephone clearly is the star of her story. She is strong but flawed, and her relationship with Azriel was incredibly fun to follow. Their banter had me smiling for a good part of the book, and I loved how her feelings were a bit unclear. She doesn't like him at the beginning (so no love at first sight here!), but she also doesn't hate him. Mainly, it is not that she doesn't appreciate him, but more that she desires her freedom more than anything else.
There were many more characters in the story, and I was amazed to see how rich the cast was. Diversified, complex, mysterious. Azriel, Rachel, Meeta, and many more; they all are worth the time, which isn't something I can always say about secondary characters!
If there is one thing I enjoyed less, it was how the chapters alternated between Persephone's view and the court intrigue. It's sort of weird, because while I absolutely loved the mysterious plot with the king, the throne, the villain and all that, for a long time I didn't like how the story kept changing - even though it was all written in the third person, and even though it all fit well together. Maybe a clearer explanation will come to me later?
All in all though, The Gypsy King took me by surprise and was a great read. I was a bit disappointed, in fact, that I didn't have a nice paper copy to put on my shelf! For sure I'll have to add it to my wishlist!
September 28, 2025
Crazy trash. Every time this girl gets in trouble, either her dog (Cur), her horse (Fleet) or her annoying ahh falcon (Ivan) saves her. It's getting TOO PREDICTABLEEE
December 23, 2024
Prophecy follows a young slave named Persephone as she encounters a thief skulking around her current owner’s home. The thief, Azriel, concocts a plan and offers Persephone an escape which she accepts with the intention to run from Azriel the first chance she gets. When their journey takes a vicious turn and they encounter unrest in the land, Persephone helps save Azriel’s life only to fall deep into his people’s plot. The king’s regent has been hunting his people for years. Persephone must figure out who to trust and how important her freedom is as her resolve wavers, and she finds herself wanting to help Azriel and his people.
This was a really solid first book in a series. There’s a lot of setup and world building. I found the world itself to be very interesting and the dynamics between the groups described very well. It’s a good pace with some slower moments while still having a lot of action and intrigue. I struggled a little with the writing style, but did get used to it and enjoyed it by the end. The twist at the end didn’t really surprise me, but I liked what it has setup for the next book. The villain having a perspective was a big highlight for me. He was very much a terrifying man and being in his head was so alarming and so well done.
Persephone was a good main character. I liked all her interactions with her animals and found that very cute. She’s quite the spitfire and I always find that makes fun mcs. She had great banter with Azriel and their budding romance was cute. Her scenes with the regent were so anxiety-inducing. He’s truly a vile man and I was worried about what might happen. Azriel was a great love interest. It was sweet how much he cared for Persephone and their scenes together were always amusing.
Overall, this is a good first book in a new fantasy series and if you really like banter and adventure, then I’d definitely recommend checking this book out.
Thank you to Penguin Teen CA and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
This was a really solid first book in a series. There’s a lot of setup and world building. I found the world itself to be very interesting and the dynamics between the groups described very well. It’s a good pace with some slower moments while still having a lot of action and intrigue. I struggled a little with the writing style, but did get used to it and enjoyed it by the end. The twist at the end didn’t really surprise me, but I liked what it has setup for the next book. The villain having a perspective was a big highlight for me. He was very much a terrifying man and being in his head was so alarming and so well done.
Persephone was a good main character. I liked all her interactions with her animals and found that very cute. She’s quite the spitfire and I always find that makes fun mcs. She had great banter with Azriel and their budding romance was cute. Her scenes with the regent were so anxiety-inducing. He’s truly a vile man and I was worried about what might happen. Azriel was a great love interest. It was sweet how much he cared for Persephone and their scenes together were always amusing.
Overall, this is a good first book in a new fantasy series and if you really like banter and adventure, then I’d definitely recommend checking this book out.
Thank you to Penguin Teen CA and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
January 11, 2025
Utterly boring. And then it ended and I was completely surprised (I listened to the audiobook) it was over.
December 7, 2025
This book was a very enjoyable read right from the very beginning. The opening sequence and banter throughout was top tier.
Persephone is fierce and does not waver from her true nature. She plays all sides, but also stays true to herself. Azriel is a swoony and just plain fun potential book boyfriend. The only thing missing was his point of view - I would have loved to see even more of him and some snippet of what was going on in his head. The interactions between him and Persephone were a pure delight.
This story includes a conniving villain that I had absolutely no sympathy for, but was I supposed to? I feel like there has to be even more to his story, no one is that evil, right? The political scheming is also a strong point to the storyline - it is well executed.
This book also explored the concept of freedom. Persephone has lived her entire life as a slave and remains entrapped throughout the book, even when freedom is offered. She becomes the possible accessory to the fulfillment of a prophecy and bears the responsibility of helping to see it through. Will Persephone get the freedom that she desires or did she just walk into an even larger cage? That ending!!!
I highly recommend this story to lovers of fantasy, those who long for freedom, and also those that just love some great banter.
Many thanks to Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra Books, and NetGalley for a digital copy of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.
Persephone is fierce and does not waver from her true nature. She plays all sides, but also stays true to herself. Azriel is a swoony and just plain fun potential book boyfriend. The only thing missing was his point of view - I would have loved to see even more of him and some snippet of what was going on in his head. The interactions between him and Persephone were a pure delight.
This story includes a conniving villain that I had absolutely no sympathy for, but was I supposed to? I feel like there has to be even more to his story, no one is that evil, right? The political scheming is also a strong point to the storyline - it is well executed.
This book also explored the concept of freedom. Persephone has lived her entire life as a slave and remains entrapped throughout the book, even when freedom is offered. She becomes the possible accessory to the fulfillment of a prophecy and bears the responsibility of helping to see it through. Will Persephone get the freedom that she desires or did she just walk into an even larger cage? That ending!!!
I highly recommend this story to lovers of fantasy, those who long for freedom, and also those that just love some great banter.
Many thanks to Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra Books, and NetGalley for a digital copy of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.
September 2, 2013
This was an exciting story featuring a strong heroine. There was always something happening, and yet nothing felt forced. The action seemed to move fast in a very natural manner.
Persephone is a strong girl. She has endured much, and yet has grown from the experiences, not letting them defeat or kill her spirit. Her interactions with Azriel were delightful to read. The tension between them is entertaining. Their attraction was slow and natural, yet quite forceful to watch.
While I loved the story and the characters, the ending partially ruined it. It was the dreaded nonending. The action just stops after a major announcement. It wasn’t even a cliffhanger, just a sudden stop. I hate those endings. I guess there is nothing to do but wait impatiently for the next book to be released.
Persephone is a strong girl. She has endured much, and yet has grown from the experiences, not letting them defeat or kill her spirit. Her interactions with Azriel were delightful to read. The tension between them is entertaining. Their attraction was slow and natural, yet quite forceful to watch.
While I loved the story and the characters, the ending partially ruined it. It was the dreaded nonending. The action just stops after a major announcement. It wasn’t even a cliffhanger, just a sudden stop. I hate those endings. I guess there is nothing to do but wait impatiently for the next book to be released.
April 11, 2025
The bones of a good story are present, but this novel could have used more development. It made for a quick read, and I never lost the thread of the story, but I also never felt fully engaged with the characters and the world felt superficial. While I appreciated the cliffhanger ending, I'll admit that I'm not intrigued enough to read the sequels.
October 13, 2014
I've been aware of this trilogy for quite awhile, and now that the final book has been out since July 2014, I decided to finally have a look. There's something really nice about having the entire set in your hands, and knowing that when you finish one book, there's not a year long wait until the next publication date.
I had some idea of what to expect out of The Gypsy King. It's fantasy and you tend to expect certain things in this genre. I figured we're have a quest and a prophecy; your standard fantasy fare. What I didn't expect was the humour! This was downright funny at times. The interactions between the heroine, Persephone, and the young man that "rescues" her, Azriel, is hysterical.
Persephone and Azriel did not have a great first meeting, as Persephone catches Azriel red-handed steeling the chicken of her owner (yes, owner, more on this later). Right from the start, Persephone and Azriel have some comical exchanges. Even when threatening the handsome thief at knife point, both can't help but be humorous:
"I'm not afraid to use this, you know!"
"And I'm not afraid to use this, " he replied genially as he reached over her broad shoulder to pull a much larger dagger from the scabbard that was evidently strapped to his back. "In fact," he added, in an almost nostalgic voice, "I've seven corpses to this blade."
"Really?" sniffed Persephone, feigning indifference. "I've ten to this one."
The thief grinned at the lie. "Excellent!" he said. "We'll be well matched then. Come, step out of the shadows. Let us fight to the death. If I win, I get myself a fine, fat chicken dinner and if you win - "
"You will leave Mrs. Busby alone and depart at once!" said Persephone fiercely.
There was a long moment of silence. Then, in a rather mystified voice, the thief asked, "Who is Mrs. Busby?"
Without thinking, Persephone gestured toward the chicken in his arms.
"I...see," said the thief. He looked to one side and then to the other before tilting his head toward her and solemnly inquiring, "Tell me, Mistress, do you name all creatures or just the ones that taste good with gravy and potatoes?" (p. 10-11)
The author excels as including great moments of levity between Persephone and Azriel, and I really liked this unexpected lightness. I thought the strong sense of humour throughout was a great balance to the overall darkness of the book. As a slave and as a woman, Persephone is constantly vulnerable to those around her. The lack of agency that it part of Persephone's identity as a slave, is the element that I was most uncertain about. There was the potential for the use of this characteristic to be used in a gratuitous manner, with the violence that accompanies that. While Fergus never shies away from the harsh realities of slavery, she tempers that with elements of humour and considers the age of those likely reading this book.
I also felt that Persephone's identity as a former slave governed many of her actions throughout The Gypsy King. Persephone has not trusted anyone in a long time and she is understandable mistrustful of even the idea of relying on someone else. At time this was a frustrating quality, as Persephone lies to those helping her because she's afraid of being hurt, but it still makes sense. This distrustful personality was not resolved in The Gypsy King, and I think it's something that's going to play a big part of the next two books in the trilogy, especially in the romance department.
Speaking of the romance, I have to admit I thought it was adorable. As I've mentioned, Persephone and Azriel have some comical exchanges. From the beginning it's clear that Azriel likes and cares for Persephone, but Persephone is extremely reluctant to return those feelings and would rather be independent than explore the relationship. Azriel was patient with Persephone, but I think her reluctance to commit is going to be a problem. The only thing I would have liked is to have gotten Azriel's point of view and his thoughts on Persephone. Readers have to rely on Persephone's interpretation of Azriel's "looks" and in cases like that, I'm always left feeling that there's a narrative that's missing.
On to the villain. Regent Mordecai is quite the bad guy. He's out of touch with reality and if he had a mustache, he'd be twirling it. In some ways I found that Mordecai is a bit of a caricature of a villain. Mordecai's behaviour is so outrageous and extreme; he seems very much an exaggerated classic villain, even his physical appearance is over the top:
Many miles away, at the southernmost tip of the kingdom, in a sumptuously appointed room in a splendid seaside castle, a man slouched before a blazing fire.
He didn't slouch because he was tired or lazy or old - he slouched because his cruelly twisted back made it impossible for him to sit straight and tall like other men. It also made it impossible for him to square his thin, uneven shoulders, throw out his wasted chest and hold his head high with ease. Sometimes, if he drew upon every last drop of his formidable willpower, he could temporarily keep from bending his neck and bobbing his head like a turkey vulture, but after only a short while the strain of doing so made him want to scream in agony. This was particularly true if he was trying to walk at the same time, for the legs that protruded from beneath the hem of his luxurious, fur-trimmed robe were crooked and withered. One crumbled foot turned in - the result of a near-fatal childhood illness - and one leg was considerably shorter than the other. Together, these deformities accounted for his awkward, lurching gait, which was so utterly lacking in dignity (p. 31-32).
Mordecai's villany very clearly manifests itself in his physical appearance, and his thought process demonstrates his lack of awareness with reality. I'm curious as to whether or not Mordecai will be given more dimension in the next two books in the series. As it stands, the bad guy is a simplified character and he's easy to dislike. I can't help but think there's usually more behind this kind of behaviour in real life, and I'm curious if the author is going to address this. I can't say I'll be overly disappointed if it's not addressed; at the end of the day I'm reading the trilogy for the heroes not the villains.
Lastly, the ending of this books makes me extremely glad that I have the next two books in my hands. The Gypsy King ended with some pretty significant reveals, which I will not spoil here. I cannot way to dive into book two and see how this impacts Persephone since I don't think she's going to be thrilled about the changes to come or willing to accept her true birthright.
Ultimately, The Gypsy King is a great fantasy read. The heroes are dynamic, and in a world filled with threats, the author consistently shows the ability to include lighthearted and humourous moments to temper the despair. I will be back for book two, and I recommend that everyone else pick this trilogy up post-haste.
Originally published with similar reads at The Book Adventures.
I had some idea of what to expect out of The Gypsy King. It's fantasy and you tend to expect certain things in this genre. I figured we're have a quest and a prophecy; your standard fantasy fare. What I didn't expect was the humour! This was downright funny at times. The interactions between the heroine, Persephone, and the young man that "rescues" her, Azriel, is hysterical.
Persephone and Azriel did not have a great first meeting, as Persephone catches Azriel red-handed steeling the chicken of her owner (yes, owner, more on this later). Right from the start, Persephone and Azriel have some comical exchanges. Even when threatening the handsome thief at knife point, both can't help but be humorous:
"I'm not afraid to use this, you know!"
"And I'm not afraid to use this, " he replied genially as he reached over her broad shoulder to pull a much larger dagger from the scabbard that was evidently strapped to his back. "In fact," he added, in an almost nostalgic voice, "I've seven corpses to this blade."
"Really?" sniffed Persephone, feigning indifference. "I've ten to this one."
The thief grinned at the lie. "Excellent!" he said. "We'll be well matched then. Come, step out of the shadows. Let us fight to the death. If I win, I get myself a fine, fat chicken dinner and if you win - "
"You will leave Mrs. Busby alone and depart at once!" said Persephone fiercely.
There was a long moment of silence. Then, in a rather mystified voice, the thief asked, "Who is Mrs. Busby?"
Without thinking, Persephone gestured toward the chicken in his arms.
"I...see," said the thief. He looked to one side and then to the other before tilting his head toward her and solemnly inquiring, "Tell me, Mistress, do you name all creatures or just the ones that taste good with gravy and potatoes?" (p. 10-11)
The author excels as including great moments of levity between Persephone and Azriel, and I really liked this unexpected lightness. I thought the strong sense of humour throughout was a great balance to the overall darkness of the book. As a slave and as a woman, Persephone is constantly vulnerable to those around her. The lack of agency that it part of Persephone's identity as a slave, is the element that I was most uncertain about. There was the potential for the use of this characteristic to be used in a gratuitous manner, with the violence that accompanies that. While Fergus never shies away from the harsh realities of slavery, she tempers that with elements of humour and considers the age of those likely reading this book.
I also felt that Persephone's identity as a former slave governed many of her actions throughout The Gypsy King. Persephone has not trusted anyone in a long time and she is understandable mistrustful of even the idea of relying on someone else. At time this was a frustrating quality, as Persephone lies to those helping her because she's afraid of being hurt, but it still makes sense. This distrustful personality was not resolved in The Gypsy King, and I think it's something that's going to play a big part of the next two books in the trilogy, especially in the romance department.
Speaking of the romance, I have to admit I thought it was adorable. As I've mentioned, Persephone and Azriel have some comical exchanges. From the beginning it's clear that Azriel likes and cares for Persephone, but Persephone is extremely reluctant to return those feelings and would rather be independent than explore the relationship. Azriel was patient with Persephone, but I think her reluctance to commit is going to be a problem. The only thing I would have liked is to have gotten Azriel's point of view and his thoughts on Persephone. Readers have to rely on Persephone's interpretation of Azriel's "looks" and in cases like that, I'm always left feeling that there's a narrative that's missing.
On to the villain. Regent Mordecai is quite the bad guy. He's out of touch with reality and if he had a mustache, he'd be twirling it. In some ways I found that Mordecai is a bit of a caricature of a villain. Mordecai's behaviour is so outrageous and extreme; he seems very much an exaggerated classic villain, even his physical appearance is over the top:
Many miles away, at the southernmost tip of the kingdom, in a sumptuously appointed room in a splendid seaside castle, a man slouched before a blazing fire.
He didn't slouch because he was tired or lazy or old - he slouched because his cruelly twisted back made it impossible for him to sit straight and tall like other men. It also made it impossible for him to square his thin, uneven shoulders, throw out his wasted chest and hold his head high with ease. Sometimes, if he drew upon every last drop of his formidable willpower, he could temporarily keep from bending his neck and bobbing his head like a turkey vulture, but after only a short while the strain of doing so made him want to scream in agony. This was particularly true if he was trying to walk at the same time, for the legs that protruded from beneath the hem of his luxurious, fur-trimmed robe were crooked and withered. One crumbled foot turned in - the result of a near-fatal childhood illness - and one leg was considerably shorter than the other. Together, these deformities accounted for his awkward, lurching gait, which was so utterly lacking in dignity (p. 31-32).
Mordecai's villany very clearly manifests itself in his physical appearance, and his thought process demonstrates his lack of awareness with reality. I'm curious as to whether or not Mordecai will be given more dimension in the next two books in the series. As it stands, the bad guy is a simplified character and he's easy to dislike. I can't help but think there's usually more behind this kind of behaviour in real life, and I'm curious if the author is going to address this. I can't say I'll be overly disappointed if it's not addressed; at the end of the day I'm reading the trilogy for the heroes not the villains.
Lastly, the ending of this books makes me extremely glad that I have the next two books in my hands. The Gypsy King ended with some pretty significant reveals, which I will not spoil here. I cannot way to dive into book two and see how this impacts Persephone since I don't think she's going to be thrilled about the changes to come or willing to accept her true birthright.
Ultimately, The Gypsy King is a great fantasy read. The heroes are dynamic, and in a world filled with threats, the author consistently shows the ability to include lighthearted and humourous moments to temper the despair. I will be back for book two, and I recommend that everyone else pick this trilogy up post-haste.
Originally published with similar reads at The Book Adventures.
March 17, 2025
A slapdash romp about a slave girl caught up in the plights and plots of a persecuted people and the sinister warlords with low self-esteem looking to squash dissent for good. Persephone has always been a slave, and when a bizarre turn of events sees her riding off into the sunset in the company of an insistent chicken thief, she's not sure what to make of her purchaser (rescuer?), the enemies he is so desperate to avoid, or the refugees of which he is a part, who hang their hopes on a prophesied savior and true king who will overturn the current tyranny. In other words, it has all of the makings of a classic YA trilogy, complete with secret identities, animal companions to the rescue, and villains we love to hate.
I was reminded of Juliet Marillier's Shadowfell, but painted larger and louder, with a melodramatic audacity that had me laughing and also concerned for Persephone's sense of self-preservation (there might be none?). She and Azriel tend to make their plans on the fly. Bluffing and chaos ensue. Gotta admire the spunk, although in later scenes, I felt it lessened the sense of danger when all that stood between them and disaster was an easily disproven cover story.
From their first meeting, Persephone and Azriel have great banter, and the opening chapters nicely balance humor and tension as they have lots of time to sharpen their tongues. However, when their journey developed into more delicate situations, I had trouble understanding the comedic line. Bluster and sass risk coming across as blunders and stumbles when there's lives on the line. But, I'll admit that I often struggle with comedy, and readers who enjoy a larger-than-life, sometimes cheeky or irreverent approach to problem solving will enjoy the various scenarios and how our protagonists must extricate themselves.
So strap on your knives and hang on to your chickens. It's going to be a wild ride.
**Thanks to LibraryThing and Tundra Books for the ARC**
I was reminded of Juliet Marillier's Shadowfell, but painted larger and louder, with a melodramatic audacity that had me laughing and also concerned for Persephone's sense of self-preservation (there might be none?). She and Azriel tend to make their plans on the fly. Bluffing and chaos ensue. Gotta admire the spunk, although in later scenes, I felt it lessened the sense of danger when all that stood between them and disaster was an easily disproven cover story.
From their first meeting, Persephone and Azriel have great banter, and the opening chapters nicely balance humor and tension as they have lots of time to sharpen their tongues. However, when their journey developed into more delicate situations, I had trouble understanding the comedic line. Bluster and sass risk coming across as blunders and stumbles when there's lives on the line. But, I'll admit that I often struggle with comedy, and readers who enjoy a larger-than-life, sometimes cheeky or irreverent approach to problem solving will enjoy the various scenarios and how our protagonists must extricate themselves.
So strap on your knives and hang on to your chickens. It's going to be a wild ride.
**Thanks to LibraryThing and Tundra Books for the ARC**
December 28, 2025
I thought this was a decent read overall, but I didn’t connect with it enough to continue the series. A big part of my disappointment came from the way the book was marketed - I found it shelved in fantasy romance, and the cover strongly resembles an adult fantasy-romance title. In reality, it’s firmly young adult, which isn’t necessarily a bad - but it meant my expectations for the tone and content were quite different going in.
The main characters are named Persephone and Azriel, which also led me to believe this would be some form of Hades-and-Persephone retelling. It isn’t, and that mismatch added to the sense of disconnect for me.
I didn’t mind the chapters from the Regent’s perspective, but I found it unusual to have a dual POV that includes an openly irredeemable villain. Because of the YA framing, the romance also felt underdeveloped and a bit nonsensical - particularly when Azriel suddenly declares his love for Persephone at the end despite very little emotional groundwork to support it.
By the end of the first book, I also still didn’t understand Persephone’s near-magical affinity with animals, which left that element feeling unresolved rather than intriguing.
It’s also worth noting that although this is categorized as YA, the themes skew heavier than expected - including slavery and references to abuse of women (none shown on page), which contributes to a tonal mismatch with the romantic and coming-of-age elements.
Overall, there are interesting concepts here, but the marketing, tonal inconsistencies, and underdeveloped romance kept it from fully landing for me.
The main characters are named Persephone and Azriel, which also led me to believe this would be some form of Hades-and-Persephone retelling. It isn’t, and that mismatch added to the sense of disconnect for me.
I didn’t mind the chapters from the Regent’s perspective, but I found it unusual to have a dual POV that includes an openly irredeemable villain. Because of the YA framing, the romance also felt underdeveloped and a bit nonsensical - particularly when Azriel suddenly declares his love for Persephone at the end despite very little emotional groundwork to support it.
By the end of the first book, I also still didn’t understand Persephone’s near-magical affinity with animals, which left that element feeling unresolved rather than intriguing.
It’s also worth noting that although this is categorized as YA, the themes skew heavier than expected - including slavery and references to abuse of women (none shown on page), which contributes to a tonal mismatch with the romantic and coming-of-age elements.
Overall, there are interesting concepts here, but the marketing, tonal inconsistencies, and underdeveloped romance kept it from fully landing for me.
September 29, 2025
This is a 3.5 star rounded up for me. This is a YA book which was a fun read with lots of action. Sometimes I found the characters a little superficial and the world a bit simple but YA so 🤷♀️ I also found some parts of the story a bit immature or naive which was a little jarring alongside the casual violence mentioned. The super villain Mordesius was definitely giving Shrek Lord Farquaad vibes but I did like Persephone and Azriel’s banter and relationship so I’m interested to see what happens next after the big reveal at the end.
January 15, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Loved the plot and the ending (omg what was that) but felt like the characters were def YA driven but their language and some of the topics were a little graphic which made the characters weird
But all in all it was a decent read 😗✌️
Loved the plot and the ending (omg what was that) but felt like the characters were def YA driven but their language and some of the topics were a little graphic which made the characters weird
But all in all it was a decent read 😗✌️
January 25, 2025
What a non-stop action-packed exciting adventure! Romance, tragedy, humour, and intrigue, Fergus has delivered it all! The end of the book had me sayin 'what-the-wha?!' I love me a bad ass cliff hanger. Can't wait for May and the release of the second in the series 🙌 🎉💜
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