“This war is far from over, and my job is far from done. A collection of Red Queen stories and artifacts. An unseated king searches for meaning in a world altered by war. Enemy brothers clash one final time. A doomed queen pens words of hope to her future son. In the chaos of an unknown land trapped between warring nations, survival reigns supreme. And a hero whose spark started a revolution discovers where she belongs in peace. Delve into the dark and dangerous world of Red Queen with this must-have companion, which includes tree brand new short stories, as well as extra scenes, maps, family trees, flags, and much more. This masterful collection offers an entirely new look into the beloved characters of the iconic Red Queen series, where no one is as they appear, and the only certainty is betrayal.”
What is the book about?
A book filled wish magical new glimpses into the world of Red Queen with incredible new characters and marvellous new stories with the loved characters from the series. Learn more about Norta’s history and the Silvers and their complicated family trees. Discover what it was like for Coriane Jacos and was tormented her mind in the moments before her death. Learn about the start of the Scarlet Guard and how they got tangled up with the little lightning girl. Look at maps of the world and discover new information about the other countries. Dive back into Mare’s world and see what choice she makes. And catch a small picture of what the future has in store. A book full of historical information and magical new discoveries around every corner offering a new perspective on the loved characters from the series and how even after the war has been won the only thing you can be certain of is betrayal and the beliefs in your heart.
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
Of course, the second that I put War Storm back on my shelf I was already prepared to dive back into more adventures with Mare and the other characters from the Red Queen series. Once I had finished the last book of the series, I felt like a piece of me was missing and I knew that the only way to fill it would be to start another book about the magical world that felt like home, even if it was just a collection of short stories. I was not that excited to start reading but I was intrigued to see what I would learn and if there would be any glimpse into Mare and Cal’s future. The blurb did little to convince me that I would enjoy the book, but I did feel reassured that I would at least read some things about Mare and Cal, who I sorely missed. When I finally started to read I was rather disappointed and a little bored. The first few pages weren’t very interesting and I felt as if I was reading a history textbook from school, however I kept reading and once I got past the part at the beginning and into the Calore family tree I started to see how amazing the book really was. The start might have been a bit of a let-down but the further I got and the more I learnt, the more I started to remember why this was my favourite book series.
Who was your favourite character and why?
My favourite character would probably have to be either Mare or Evangeline. Evangeline, despite her rude and annoying personality, proved to be a really good person, especially once she officially abdicated her throne. She showed everyone in Norta, and in the other countries, that a Silver with an obsession for power could lead a simple, free life, if only they chose to let go of their power, strength and their views of being the superior race. I loved how she sacrificed everything for the person she loved and that, even though everyone thought it was wrong, she didn’t let anyone change who she was. I also really liked Mare because she never stopped fighting. She gave up so much for the war, so much for the rebellion, but even after all that she kept going until Maven was finally defeated. Although in the book she had fled for some time, staying in a cabin with her family, she knew she had to return and that the war was far from over. The reason why I don’t think I could choose between Mare and Evangeline is because they helped each other become the best version of themselves. They hated each other for most of the series but in Broken Throne I began to see how their rivalry changed into a rather strange friendship and I know that they are never going to stop challenging each other making sure they never let down their guard.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
Seeing as the book is a collection of short stories, instead of picking a favourite part, I decided to pick a favourite story. This proved to be rather difficult since I really loved 2 of the stories and I just cannot choose between them. The first was Queen Song, the story about Cal’s mother Coriane Jacos. I was very interested in learning more about her and the moments that ked up to her death. She married Tiberias VI at a young age and the stress of being the one to marry the crown prince was too much for her to handle. She felt a constant threat from all the other girls who never got a chance to show their worth in the Queenstrial. It was very sad to learn about how she was tormented in her dreams and how all that lead to 3 miscarriages before she finally had Cal. I loved this story because, even though it was extremely sad, Cal didn’t mention much of his mother throughout the series and had left me with many questions that I was desperate to answer. I am still rather curious about the doomed queen but I loved learning about her and seeing how much of her Cal has inside of him, even if he can’t really see it. The other story that I really loved was Fire Light, a story about Cal and Mare a few months after the end of War Storm. I really enjoyed reading this one because the ending of the last book had left me with a need to know more. I wanted desperately for a happy ending for Cal and Mare because after everything they went through they deserved to be happy together. The story didn’t give me exactly what I wanted but I got to see them together and how they were ready to be together after the time they spent apart waiting until they were ready. I think that the only reason this story is competing with Queen Song is because it is a continuation of the series that I have grown to love and I did not want it to end but in the end all good stories have to come to a close.
What was your overall impression of the book?
Overall the book was absolutely perfect filled with many different stories and much needed information and there is nothing I would change. One thing that I enjoyed about the book was all the information about the past kings and queens of Norta. I loved learning about who had previously ruled and about the Calore family tree, no matter how complicated it was. Another thing I enjoyed about the historical artifacts in the book was all the information about the other countries on the map. I knew a lot about Norta and some about Montfort and the Lakelands but it was interesting to see how all the countries differed and how there were so many different ways to rule, even in a fictional world. The 2 short stories about the past were also something that I really liked. I enjoyed learning about Cal’s mother a character that, even though she was dead before the start of Red Queen, was mentioned constantly by Cal, but mainly his uncle Julian, brother to the dead queen. Learning more about the Scarlet Guard was also something that I enjoyed thoroughly especially as I got to see how Farley and Shade met and how their story twisted into Mare’s. I was glad to learn a bit more about how the rebels started and what happened to make Farley such an important part of the rebellion. The best thing about Broken Throne was the much needed stories about Mare, Cal and Evangeline. I was glad to hear from them all and see how they felt leading their new lives. Although I had only just finished War Storm I still really missed them and I was very happy to be able to see that they were finally all leading free and happy lives without the weight of a crown hanging in the balance. Even though there is nothing in Broken Throne that I want to change, there are a few thing I really wished I had been able to read about, for example Julian and Sara’s wedding, Mare and Cal’s wedding (if they ever got married) and some things about Mare and Cal’s children (to be honest I just wish the books had never ended). This book was just perfect and I am so sad to see that I will never read more about Mare, Cal, or any of the characters that made up such an incredible book series. I now know without a doubt in my mind that this is my favourite book series and that I will never forget this magical story that I wish had never ended.
Would you recommend this book?
I 100% recommend this book for anyone who has read the Red Queen series and is in need of answers or just more time with the amazing characters. If you have not read them yet, I definitely think that you should, particularly if you are 13 or older and enjoy action, adventure and romance.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
A beautiful Red Queen collection that offers more intriguing information about Mare, Cal and Evangeline, and other beloved characters, as well as new people with just as interesting stories to tell.
Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego
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