FICTION

Froi of the Exiles

by Melina MARCHETTA
Bk. 2. 594p. (The Lumatere Chronicles). Candlewick. 2012. RTE $18.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-4759-9; ebook $18.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5966-0.
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Gr 9 Up—In this engrossing continuation of the series, Froi, a former thief, has earned his place in the Queen of Lumatere's guard. He's a fierce warrior with an aptitude for languages. This makes him the perfect person to infiltrate the kingdom of Charyn to assassinate the brutal and corrupt king. Charyn is under a curse—no children have been born there in 18 years. The king's daughter, Quintana, the last female born in that time, is prophesied to be the one to break the curse and bear the newborn king. It's said that only the last-born son of one of Charyn's provinces can impregnate her but none have succeeded. Froi's mission is only to kill the king, but as he impersonates a last-born son, he falls for Quintana, reputed to be insane due to the sexual abuse she's experienced. Froi is drawn into the lives of those in the Charyn palace, including the king's wife, imprisoned for years in the palace for attempted murder, and a priestling said to be gods' touched and his crippled, brilliant twin brother. This book is complex, with rich and flawed characters and a plot that is completely addictive because it's so unpredictable and multilayered. It can stand alone, although plot details from Finnikin of the Rock (Candlewick, 2010) are mentioned, making it more rewarding to read the two in order. Fans of the intricate fantasies of Megan Whalen Turner or George R. R. Martin will love this powerful book and wait impatiently for the next installment.—Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton
Froi was only a secondary character in Finnikin of the Rock but takes center stage in this sequel. How he goes from loyal subject to unwilling spy and assassin to major figure in the future of this crumbling imagined world makes for feverish page-turning. Though a cliffhanger, the ending will leave readers basking in the satisfaction of a gripping story gloriously told.
The best audience for this sequel is the many fans of Finnikin of the Rock (rev. 5/10), who will hungrily devour the book, despite its length. Though Froi was only a secondary character in Finnikin, there were signs that there was more to him than his street thug past and his attempted rape of Evanjalin, now Queen Isaboe of Lumatere. How Froi -- three years later, now a passionately devoted follower of Isaboe and her consort Finnikin -- goes from loyal subject to unwilling spy and assassin to major figure in the future of this crumbling imagined world makes for feverish page-turning. The story’s tortured romances and beyond-dysfunctional families are achingly memorable, and the complicated, continually surprising plot will keep readers on their toes, even as they juggle the numerous characters, who are vividly portrayed (although a list would help). The book’s length steeps readers in the history and the physical and cultural characteristics of the land of Skuldenore, and while the war-devastated countries and the machinations of the power-hungry are soberly delineated, flashes of humor, especially from our heroes, Froi and Princess Quintana (both appealingly rough around the edges), offer hope amid the darkness. Although readers may throw conniptions over the cliffhanger ending (and a projected year-long wait for the third and final book), they will, ultimately, bask in the deep satisfaction of a gripping story gloriously told. jennifer m. brabander
Reviewed by Sharon Rawlins , May 01, 2012

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