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The Foxglove King (The Nightshade Crown, #1)

Hannah F. Whitten

Start date: April 1, 2023

Finish date: April 30, 2023

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What Members Thought

Jun 16, 2023 Emma rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, re-read, fantasy, historical-fantasy

Brilliant! This was a pretty wild ride! I loved the complex and profound bond between the three main characters. The story is saturated in political and religious manoeuvring and the plot is twisty and hard to predict. The end of the arc was quite surprising and I look forward to seeing how it develops over the series. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

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Apr 24, 2023 Aly rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, adult, netgalley, audiobook, romance, 2023

4.5 stars

This book is full of magic, necromancy, political drama, and maybe a love triangle to round it all out and I loved it!

The main character Lore is so interesting, on the run from a cult that wants to either sacrifice her or keep her in a gilded cage, she's become a poison runner who can manipulate death. How awesome is that? The two potential love interests are the heir to the throne and the son of the head priest, very different personalities and both have their merits. I'm excited to s ...more

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Apr 15, 2024 Sibil rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, readtoreview

Thanks to NetGalley and to the Editor. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I am mildly disappointed in this book, to be completely honest. It is not that it is bad, because we have some good things going on in there. I loved the magic, Mortem is such an interesting concept, and the world is interesting. The author managed to make it real for us, and I felt like I was walking for the city of the castle, and this was so neat!
And let's not forget about the characters. Lor Thanks to NetGalley and to the Editor. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I am mildly disappointed in this book, to be completely honest. It is not that it is bad, because we have some good things going on in there. I loved the magic, Mortem is such an interesting concept, and the world is interesting. The author managed to make it real for us, and I felt like I was walking for the city of the castle, and this was so neat!
And let's not forget about the characters. Lore is a good MC, she is not in the best place ever, and she is trying her best, not only to stay alive but to also do some good while she is at it. Sure, doing good is not what moves her, but still it's there. Gabe and Bastian are interesting, too, I enjoyed spending time with them, and I appreciated that each one of them has is unique voice and personality. And up to this point sounds all good, right?
But then you really need to suspend your disbelief, strongly, because the king is the most stupid king ever, and I can't for the life of me understand how it is possible that he stayed king for so long. The best example of that? Well, the fact that he wants Lore, who is as far as a noble as you can find and still remains inside the city, to pretend to be a noble and start spying on his son. And without context, it may seem maybe not the best idea but still doable. Sure, but the transformation from gut-rat to noble is done in a day, or was it from morning to evening? they basically took her from the streets and said to her "Here, now you are Gabe's cousin, go and play pretend". It is simply not done. You can't in a day transform a criminal into a noble, especially if said criminal is not used to being amongst the noble. You can excuse some things saying that she is provincial sure but... come on! From the gutter to the castle without any sort of preparation. And it went all extremely well. So yeah, the king is stupid, and the author pretends that the readers are stupid too. Not so nice! And what's more, Lore is a spy, and pretty good at that, but did the king listen to her? No! She said "This may not be a great idea" and the king is "Well, I am the king, you do as I say" and again, nothing bad happens and all goes as planned. And it is not believable. At all. The king is a fool, and the author took us as fools, too.
And yeah, I may be holding a grudge here.
Basically, if you just want a decent book with good relationship development, actions, and twists and you are ready to suspend your disbelief, you can enjoy this one immensely.
But if you are attracted by the "poor masquerading as a noble who infiltrates the court" then I recommend you go with "The Mask of Mirrors"(The Mask of Mirrors) and if you are more interested in the magical system of this kind, I'd suggest "City of Dusk" (The City of Dusk
So all in all I think that it is a decent book, but nothing more, and I won't continue the series.
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May 02, 2023 Ashlyn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Rating: 3.5 stars

This was a good book. The beginning was a little slow and I felt like the world-building could have been a little better. I was pretty confused with what was going on at first, but as I continued the story, I started enjoying it more and more. Even though this was almost 500 pages, I don't feel like it took me that long to read. It was pretty creepy at times, and I liked the main characters. The mystery kept me reading to find out what was really going on, who Lore could really ...more

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Jul 11, 2023 Kelsey rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, fantasy

The Foxglove King, penned by talented author Hannah Whitten, is an engaging and immersive fantasy novel that captivates readers from the very beginning. Set in a unique world of magic and deception, The Foxglove King is an intriguing adventure that keeps the reader hooked until the very last page.

The story revolves around Lore, a poison runner who fled her birthplace in the catacombs and has spent ten years living outside. Bound to her city through her death magic, she struggles to stay hidden f The Foxglove King, penned by talented author Hannah Whitten, is an engaging and immersive fantasy novel that captivates readers from the very beginning. Set in a unique world of magic and deception, The Foxglove King is an intriguing adventure that keeps the reader hooked until the very last page.

The story revolves around Lore, a poison runner who fled her birthplace in the catacombs and has spent ten years living outside. Bound to her city through her death magic, she struggles to stay hidden from her enemies. Lore reluctantly works with the Sainted King and the head Priest when a mission goes awry. She investigates harmful consequences amidst a complex and supernatural storyline. Unbeknownst to her, she is a pawn in a complex and dangerous game involving the church, the crown, and the Gods.

Whitten develops an intricate web of relationships throughout the novel, particularly between Lore, Bastian, and Gabe – each character playing a significant part in the story's progression. Their dynamic relationships, however, do contain one unfortunate fallback — without sharing spoilers — certain outcomes may leave readers frustrated with specific character developments. Despite this minor setback, Whitten's skillful development of characters remains a highlight of the story.

One of the striking features of The Foxglove King is its pacing, gracefully oscillating between moments of swift, heart-pounding action and introspective, character-driven contemplation. The writing style is descriptive and atmospheric, painting vivid pictures of these characters' worlds, compelling readers to dive deeper into the narrative.

Whitten's mastery of themes and motifs is apparent throughout the novel, employing symbolism and parallelism to expertly entice the reader into considering more profound implications masked beneath the surface. The story explores themes of identity─an individual's struggle to define themselves on their terms amidst expectations and manipulations of the world around them.

The Foxglove King is a thrilling and engrossing fantasy read. Its well-crafted plot, intriguing characters, and immersive world-building would capture any reader's imagination intrigued by the genre. Though certain character arcs may prove disappointing, the strengths of Whitten's storytelling far outshine these minor setbacks. I would highly recommend this book to fans of fantasy fiction – particularly those who enjoy a good "will they or won't they" dynamic that isn't overly romance-centric. Hannah Whitten's The Foxglove King is an unforgettable journey, and I eagerly await the next installment.
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May 18, 2024 Elizabeth rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This was so hyped up. It’s good, and the poison take is interesting but it kinda just gets weird in the end and nothing is really answered. Unsure if I’ll do book 2.

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