Stephanie Jane reviewed Queen's Catacombs by Jordan H. Bartlett
Excellent sequel
5 stars
Queen's Catacombs is the second novel in Jordan H Bartlett's Frean Chronicles series and is the sequel to Contest Of Queens. Jacs won that contest and has now become the Queen, but when Bartlett picks up her story again, some three months after the coronation, Jacs is really struggling with her new role. Despite obviously feeling sympathetic towards her predicament, from a narrative perspective I loved that the Queenship wasn't plain sailing for Jacs. It felt like the fairytale 'happily ever after' ending in Contest Of Queens was suddenly truthfully revealed and it isn't a happy closure after all.
Again, in this fantasy series, Jordan Bartlett provides a wonderfully realistic interpretation of our world, viewed through the lens of her invented Frean. I was reminded of political leaders such as Tony Blair and Barack Obama who swept to important positions on a wave of anticipation for change, yet who then …
Queen's Catacombs is the second novel in Jordan H Bartlett's Frean Chronicles series and is the sequel to Contest Of Queens. Jacs won that contest and has now become the Queen, but when Bartlett picks up her story again, some three months after the coronation, Jacs is really struggling with her new role. Despite obviously feeling sympathetic towards her predicament, from a narrative perspective I loved that the Queenship wasn't plain sailing for Jacs. It felt like the fairytale 'happily ever after' ending in Contest Of Queens was suddenly truthfully revealed and it isn't a happy closure after all.
Again, in this fantasy series, Jordan Bartlett provides a wonderfully realistic interpretation of our world, viewed through the lens of her invented Frean. I was reminded of political leaders such as Tony Blair and Barack Obama who swept to important positions on a wave of anticipation for change, yet who then seemed stymied once the power was theirs. As Jacs discovers in Frean, one cannot blossom as a figurehead if all the pre-existing executive structures are determined to maintain the status quo.
I loved how Jacs and Connor's friendship was tested by this dynamic too. Connor has absolute trust in the Council as his extensive experience of them is of them working loyally and beneficially with his mother. He does not see Jacs as they do - the unwelcome Lowrian upstart - and so cannot begin to countenance the antagonism she is battling. In turn, Jacs feels misunderstood and disappointed in Connor' inability to believe her perceptions. Their failures to successfully communicate are so cleverly portrayed. I was so impressed by these scenes.
I was suitably chilled by the new environment we explore in this novel too. We briefly saw the catacombs in Contest Of Queens, but now we visit their horrible depths which is such an atmospheric adventure. As a vegan I appreciated the Undercourt portrayal too. How can people do that?
Queen's Catacombs is a fabulous sequel and I am so glad to have had this opportunity to read both books in this series. I imagine that Jacs' story still has a way to go in at least one more novel which I am already eagerly anticipating. The Frean Chronicles is such an inventive and exciting series which I recommend to young adult and older readers alike.