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Fantasy. Fiction. Literature. LGBTQIA+ (Fiction.) HTML:�??This entrancing mix of feminism, queerness, magic and power-hungry villains makes for an intoxicating reading experience.�?� �??Nerd Daily In the second installment of Juno Dawson's "irresistible" fantasy trilogy (Lana Harper), a group of childhood friends and witches must choose between what is right and what is easy if they have any hope of keeping their coven�??and their world�??from tearing apart forever. Niamh Kelly is dead. Her troubled twin, Ciara, now masquerades as the benevolent witch as Her Majesty's Royal Coven prepares to crown her High Preistess. Suffering from amnesia, Ciara can't remember what she's done�??but if she wants to survive, she must fool Niamh's adopted family and friends; the coven; and the murky Shadow Cabinet�??a secret group of mundane civil servants who are already suspicious of witches. While she tries to rebuild her past, she realizes none of her past has forgotten her, including her former lover, renegade warlock Dabney Hale. On the other end of the continent, Leonie Jackman is in search of Hale, rumored to be seeking a dark object of ultimate power somehow connected to the upper echelons of the British government. If the witches can't figure out Hale's machinations, and fast, all of witchkind will be in grave danger�??along with the fate of all (wo)mankind. Sharp, funny, provocative, and joyous, Juno Dawson's sequel reimagines everything you think you knew about her coven and her witches in a story that spans continents and dives deep into the roots of England and its witchcraft. Ciara, Leonie, Elle, and Theo are fierce, angry, sexy, warm�??and absolutely unapologetic as they fight for what they believe in, all… (more)
User reviews
Those who enjoyed the first book in the series, Her Majesty’s Royal Coven.
In a nutshell:
Taking place immediately after the end of the first book, we find a witch who has taken over her sister’s body and a lot of men who want to cause a lot of harm to women.
Worth quoting:
N/A
Why I chose
I enjoyed the first in the series.
Review:
Without spoiling the book, I appreciate that the first one had a theme that was related to trans women, and this one was focused more on how men treat women. Obviously this is a world that has magic in it so it’s fantastical (though it takes place in current day UK and not some imaginary world), but the issues around the fear men have of powerful women, and their desire to exert dominance over women are extremely relevant.
(While reading it I was reminded of the discussion taking place on TikTok right now about whether women would rather be trapped in the woods with a man or a bear.)
I rated it a bit lower than the previous book because there is a LOT going on, and at times was a bit challenging to follow exactly what was happening. There are also some great unexpected twists, but that’s a separate issue. I think author Dawson knows the story she wants to tell, and has a lot of ideas that will probably all come together, but with so many different storylines and perspectives I’m still not entirely sure exactly what happened in a couple of areas. I suppose that’s not surprising for a book in the middle of a series - lots of place setting for what is to come next.
Overall, I think this is the type of fantasy book I can get into - there’s some world building but not so much that I have to draw my own map and create a glossary to understand what it happening. It’s largely based in a world I understand and know, so I can focus on the plot and the stories. I know some folks prefer fantasy that is set in a wholly fictional realm, so if that’s your preference, this isn’t going to be for you.
To note: I read a physical copy of the first book in the series, and chose the audio book for his one when I learned that it was read by Nicola Coughlan (over Derry Girls and Bridgerton fame). She does a fantastic job of nailing loads of different accents, and in general is a great narrator.
What’s next for this book:
I’ll definitely read the final book in the series when it’s released.
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Waterstones exclusive, signed by the author with pink sprayed page edges.