The Wolf of Oren-Yaro (Chronicles of the Bitch Queen, #1) in SpecFic Buddy Reads

Feb 28, 2020 Lata rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: auth-f, bipoc-author, sf-f-h, x2020-read, bipoc-actor

An epic fantasy influenced heavily by the author's heritage, that melds action and political intrigue with an interesting character study of its main character, Queen Talyien, a feared monarch of a country part of a larger empire.
Talyien has a fearsome reputation, more due to her deceased Dragonlord father Yeshin, who started a civil war, than to irrational, frightening behaviour on her part. That's not to say that she isn't violent and quite capable in a fight (as she demonstrates several time An epic fantasy influenced heavily by the author's heritage, that melds action and political intrigue with an interesting character study of its main character, Queen Talyien, a feared monarch of a country part of a larger empire.
Talyien has a fearsome reputation, more due to her deceased Dragonlord father Yeshin, who started a civil war, than to irrational, frightening behaviour on her part. That's not to say that she isn't violent and quite capable in a fight (as she demonstrates several times over the course of this tale) but what we see instead in this first person narrative is a woman yearning for her five-year absent husband, deeply lonely and distrustful of people around her, and fiercely loving of her son.
Her husband is the last of a rival clan, which was united with hers, the Oren-Yaro, by her father when he betrothed her to Rayyal when she was an infant. After several years of acquaintance, the two were married, and when, a few years later at their coronation, Rayyal left her, with nary a word and a five-year silence ensuing.
When she receives a letter from Rayyal asking her to travel from Jin-Sayeng to Anzhao City, she sees this as an opportunity to reunite with him and bring him home. Notwithstanding her intentions to bring her family back together despite any obstacles, everything becomes muddy and deeply complicated almost immediately, and culminates in an assassination attempt, which sets Talyien off to get help.
Talyien is an interesting mix of traits; I admit I went in thinking she'd be constantly, totally fierce because of what she's referred to and reputed to be. Of course, a one-note character like that would have been pretty boring. Instead, we see someone who has been doing her best for years to keep multiple Dragonlords from going to war, while ruling her own people while fiercely wanting to hold her family in one piece. None of the Dragonlords respects or likes her; she's isolated in more ways than one, has no one she trusts, and has been deeply unhappy and missing her husband. She's also staggeringly naïve in her dealings with others, preferring to ascribe better behaviour and motives to others than they deserve or display.
The highpoints of the novel for me are her characterization, as well as her developing friendship with Khine, the thief/con man she encounters when lost in Anzhao City. He's a fascinating character, oddly honourable despite his illegal activities, who treats Talyien respectfully, but never kowtows to her, which actually does more to earn her trust than anyone else in her life.
The story ends with multiple, surprising revelations, and Talyien at a low point, with war impending. Things did not go as she had hoped and planned; so what else could go possibly wrong now?
I'm now really curious about the land K.S. Villoso has created, with its complicated politics, fractious nobles, but also hints of mages and dragons and other terrifying creatures, and neighbouring countries, all of which are introduced here. I'm looking forward to reading more of Talyien's story, and checking out other books by this author. ...more

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May 02, 2022 Helen rated it it was ok

I liked the story within this but the MC did grate.

Prior to their marriage, she finds him mid-sex, runs off and ends up in bed with a long-time friend. When confronted about this action at no point does she mention his misdemeanour. One he is unaware that she knows about. One of many!!

If the library gets book 2, then I might carry on.

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