The Vanished Queen was a complex story full of political intrigue and revolution. While I had a good time reading it, though, I never quite felt connected to the characters or what was happening.

It was only after looking at this book's Goodreads profile, just before writing this review, that I realised how many pages it is. That's the thing with e-ARCs; there are no page numbers if you're less than lucky. Which I was. My Kindle told me I would finish this book in 7 hours and while it did take me that long, I thought, "Oh god, what if this book completely sucks and I waste my Sunday on it?"

Thankfully, this book turned out to be a little gem. It was nothing special or life-changing, but it did give me a little break from reality, something I cherished.

The world here is not super developed but I felt it held enough intrigue to keep me hooked. There were some aspects that I felt could definitely have been explored more - and it wouldn't even have taken much, just a couple of lines of dialogue - but other than these two, the author has a pretty good foundation to expand on, if that is going to happen.

The characters were really fleshed out and while I couldn't connect with them like I have with other characters in the past, I was able to sympathise with them and want them to win. I think Esvar was my favourite, but just because I'm a sucker for tall, mysterious, emotionally damaged (fictional) men. We all have our flaws.

I think what stopped this book from being really good was the distance of the writing. Other good fantasy books that have wrapped me up are always more personal, more willing to yield information both about the world and about the characters. But in this book, while the writing definitely was really good and captivating, it was not enough for me to form a bond with the characters or with the world.

This book was just plain fun. It reminded me of what I love most about fantasy without asking me to get too invested.

We also have a heroine who has had past relationships with both men and women and a world where such relationships are normal. Goals or what? And as if this isn't tempting enough, we have an abuse victim exacting revenge on their abuser and then getting to live freely and to plan out a future. We have women playing major roles in the political sphere of this world, and people who represent all the flaws and beauties of humanity without compromising on either.

This one was, unfortunately, not for me. I was bored throughout, and felt like the only thing that was getting me through it was the only thing that was getting me through this one. I felt like it may have been building up to this large climax that just never happened. One thing I do like about it is that there is bi-sexual representation with one of the main characters, and there is also the world is queer normalized. I liked the world that the author built.

The characters were okay. The villain felt like he was evil for the sake of being evil. I wish his motivations had been explored a little bit more, because it really felt like he was evil just because he needed to be.

Just because I didn't love this one doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a try! This one was very character-driven, so if you love stories like that, I would definitely recommend it!

I generally enjoy young adult/new adult fantasy, and though this fantasy included popular elements- a villainous monarch, an underground rebel alliance, and a brave heroine that challenges social norms, the story fell a little flat. The characters didn't really inspire emotional investment, and side characters were not the most memorable.
The pacing is slow, and the magical elements are not described in a manner that would intrigue the reader. I think the story has potential, but it was missing elements that would "catch hold" of the reader.

Yet another absolutely stunning cover, and an equally amazing read! I had so much fun reading this book!

A solid fantasy novel, with a slow first half, a slightly confusing cast of characters (at times), and a stellar second half. The only reason this review isn't higher is because I had to struggle to get through the first half. Great representation, great protagonist, just a sold book that readers of the genre will enjoy.

A refreshing non-series fantasy. A country is ruled by a despotic king so cruel he is believed to have killed his own queen. Her sons tread carefully searching for a way to freedom for themselves and the nation without being murdered themselves. Anza finds the disappeared queen's diary, and after her father's execution, joins the resistance led by the woman known as Sparrow. Together they may be enough to turn the tide, and if not.... Very involving, excellent character development, nice world building - sort of eastern European Renaissance feel to it. No magical elements, more mythical or folklore. Highly recommend. My copy was an ARC from NetGalley.

The kingdom of Karegg is ruled by a tyrant king. Under his iron fist, books are banned, any dissent is considered treason, and he is even rumored to have killed his own queen in order to justify a war.
Read the rest at the link.

The Vanished Queen By Lisbeth Campbell

Rating 3 / 5 Stars

Publication Date - 8/11/2020

** Thank you to Netgalley, Saga Press, and of course, Lisbeth Campbell, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So, where to begin. The Vanished Queen is an excellent book for the lover of fantasy, mystery, and royalty. Was it the correct book for me? Well…No. The story was good, and I did enjoy some of the characters, but it just didn’t grab me as much as I thought it would. Maybe in the future, I might pick this up and re-read with a new appreciation for it, but it was just meh for now.
Extra star for Bisexual Representation!!!

Set in a world where a king is pretty much the epitome of evil, several characters work towards revolution. Anza has a decent job after attending college her slightly mysterious father got her in. He also trained her to take care of herself (shooting bow and arrows, fight, etc) even if it was against the rules. But after her father is executed by the king for a non-issue, she joins the resistance against the king. Then we also follow the younger of the two princes, Esvar, who is trying to keep his humanity while still appeasing his despot father. Because to not appease would mean death. Anza and Esvar collide in an unexpected way with the only tie between them being the long ago vanished queen, Mirantha. While this book certainly has its share of cliches, it is a solid book. I appreciated the problems the characters went through and their decision making. I just plained liked several of the characters. Plus, there is a twist that I certainly didn’t see coming, but really ties the book up quite nicely (even if it is a bit cliche). Come in without high expectations and you can enjoy this book, especially if you enjoy good vs. evil and then the human element of the in between.

My interest was piqued when I read the synopsis for The Vanished Queen, but I was genuinely surprised when I enjoyed it as much as I did. The book was such that it could have either become a total bore or quite the adventure and fortunately it landed on the adventurous path. Now admittedly, there’s quite a lot of politicking and talking so if that’s not your cup of tea then you may not enjoy this as much.

The two main (current) POVs in this book are Anza and Prince Esvar. Anza is a talented archer and collegium graduate who has gotten involved with the rebellion against the cruel King Karolje. Her father was highly ranked in the King’s guard but was executed just prior to the events of the book, spurring Anza’s choice to join the rebels. Prince Esvar is not fond of his father either, after his mother Queen Mirantha was Disappeared so many years before. He supports his elder brother Tevin and they hope to make a play for the throne soon, but they lack support from the lords. Esvar is much less remarkable than Anza, who is by far the more interesting POV. The prince is somewhat frustrating because he bends so easily to his father who is ailing. He could simply stick a sword in him on a few occasions and he just… doesn’t. It’s quite frustrating, really. The reader also gets bits of Queen Mirantha’s POV, but hers is obviously leading up when she is supposedly killed by Karolje. I like that we get her story as well - it makes her disappearance much more impactful and gives the reader more sympathy towards her children Esvar and Tevin.

As I mentioned, there’s a great deal of politicking and dialogue in this book, but there are some intense little bits of action here and there. Typically, I prefer books that lean a little more towards action-packed, but The Vanished Queen worked out surprisingly well for me. The subterfuge, tension, and all that other good stuff makes up for it! Overall, this was a surprisingly engaging read though I can certainly see that it won’t appeal to every fantasy reader.

Unfortunately I won't be giving proper feedback for The Vanished Queen as I DNF (Did Not Finish) it. This book and I turned out to not be a good fit for each other. I found I wasn't able to get into the story, or even be interested in one of the protagonists. I found Esvar’s point of view to be fairly uninteresting, meanwhile the scenes in Anza’s point of view felt disjointed from each other, her motivations (such as going into the library) sometimes unclear.

I won’t be posting this on my blog, nor will I give it a negative rating on Goodreads.

The Vanished Queen by Lisbeth Campbell is beautifully written story. The characters have depth, they grow, and are not perfect even in the end. The plot is interesting and pulled me in (I figured out the twist). Campbell showed that its not always black and white there is gray and even when you are trying to be morally right you can end up doing morally bad things. Sometimes not doing anything can be worse than doing something in the gray area. I am giving four stars because it did run a little long sometimes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC. This is an honest review.

I liked the style of writing and the world building but the story didn't keep my attention and it fell flat.
I will try again because I read a lot of positive reviews and I think it's me not the book.
At the moment it's not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Trigger warning for abuse, torture, thoughts and acts of suicide, and sexual assault.
The Vanished Queen by Lisbeth Campbell
The Vanished Queen by Lisbeth Campbell is a debut political royal fantasy novel released by Gallery/Saga Press.

Lisbeth Campbell - The Vanished QueenVetia is not a country at peace. Instead, King Karolje rules with an iron fist, killing and Disappearing people for even perceived dissent. No one is safe, not even other members of the royal family. Everyone knows that Karolje had his own wife, Mirantha, Disappeared many years ago. Vetia has been buckling for so long, and something is going to give. Anza joined the resistance after she found Mirantha’s lost journal and her father was executed. Through these events, she sees clearly that Vetia can be better than it is now, and that its current state must not be allowed to continue. When she accidentally meets Esvar, Karolje’s second son, Anza gets more involved in the resistance than she ever could have guessed.

Plot Structure and Development
The Vanished Queen tells its story through three close third-person perspectives: Anza’s, Esvar’s, and Queen Mirantha’s (from before she was Disappeared). Anza’s and Esvar’s perspectives are often on top of each other, telling the other’s reactions to an event we’ve just seen. Although this didn’t end up grating on me, I kept wondering what this plot looked like to someone a bit farther from the action.

The plot proceeds at a comfortable and steady pace, even when not depicting comfortable or steady events. Even though the Mirantha chapters are flashback chapters, the tale of Mirantha’s suffering illustrates Karolje’s cruel methods possibly better than any other part of the book. Although Anza finds Mirantha’s words inspiring, the reader is likely to find her experiences utterly harrowing.

Conclusion – The Vanished Queen Vanquishes Tyranny From a Near Vantage Point
Even though The Vanished Queen clocks in at about 500 pages, I kind of wish there was more of it. In this case, I think what happens next may be even more interesting than what was portrayed on the page. This book appears to be a standalone, and that makes sense, but I find myself wondering what a future in this world might look like. I’m not sure whether this lack of clarity is a good or bad sign.

I would not recommend this title if you want a particularly happy book. A lot of it is pretty dark, as you may have gleaned from the trigger warnings above. On the other hand, I would classify this book as hopepunk. Although Vetia is not a healthy and safe place for a person to live freely, people work together to try to make it better. The Vanished Queen is dark, not hopeless. In a time that feels hopeless, that seems like an important distinction to make.

I received this title from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Are you going to pick up The Vanished Queen? Catch up with us on social media and talk about it!

⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Gallerybooks #Sagapress for the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Descriptions are done very well. Like Goldilocks... Not too much, not too little, just enough. With all of the description given to the story, I felt like I had no idea where or when this was taking place. All I knew was that it was in a fictional country run by a king. And they rode horse and used arrows and swords for weapons. That is as far as the setting was described.

The 3 main characters are a soldier's daughter, a prince and The Vanished Queen we learn about through her own journals. We then learn of a few more major characters as the book progresses. Sparrow (leader of resistance), the other prince (the heir) as well as friends and guards.

For some reason the story just was just not grabbing me in the beginning. I felt like it was just missing something. But I could not figure out what. It may have been lack of world building for the first half of the book. To be honest, if I wasn't reviewing this book, it probably would have been a DNF fo me. But I am glad that I stuck with it. I would be willing to try another book by this author.

A deeply moving look at the damage a tyrant causes, the grief, anger and acceptance that his victims experience and the dangerous and perilous road to overthrowing his regime. Through it all, despite the consequences threatening them, love, companionships, understanding, and acceptance grows. The queen vanishes from her marriage, leaving her sons in the care of a narcissistic villain whose calumny seems unbounded. Resistance, hers and theirs, grows changing the path of their nation. #TheVanishedQueen #NetGalley

The Vanished Queen is a complex story that spans past and present and takes an in-depth, more personal look at a revolt against a despot king.

What I Like

Queen Mirantha's story, found in the chapters with her name, is a beautiful, heart-rending tale of the events leading up to her disappearance. These chapters, located intermittently among the current day storyline, are my favorite part of this novel. It is told with such heart and empathy that it is easy to fall instantly in love with this character. The language is fluid and natural with a good pace that made the story compelling and fascinating. Mirantha is strong and determined even in a situation that brings out her fear and desperation as she lives in a constant state of terror for her life and the well-being of her sons.

The world-building, though, focuses on the aggressive aspect of life under a tyrannical ruler that is detailed and complex. It is not a world I want to live in, nor does it make my list of fantasy lands I wish I could visit, but you feel the weight and darkness of this world as though you were there.

What I Wish

I wish the current day storyline read like Mirantha's story does. I found Anza and Mirantha's sons' story difficult to read. It felt cumbersome and dry – vastly different from Mirantha's storyline. The dryness of the story impacted the pace and flow of the words. There were many opportunities to pull at the heartstrings in this story, but with the way it was told, my heartstrings stayed frozen.

To Read or Not to Read

The Vanished Queen is a well-developed fantasy story with complexities and intricacies that a reader will marvel at. Though I had a hard time with the main storyline, I still appreciated the juxtaposition of the two storylines - past and present - and how they were reflective of the state of mind of a character that dominated both periods.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't like this more! The premise is fantastic. However, I just didn't really feel anything while reading it. I think the main reason why I wasn't super invested was because I couldn't connect with the characters much. Anza had some promise, but she ultimately fell a bit flat. Esvar, I could somewhat understand his motivations, but I guess I just wanted more. Generally speaking, I think this was a case of more telling than showing. We're told how evil the king is, but I needed more actions to fully believe this. Many of the side characters were also pretty unremarkable.

I did really enjoy the parts where we read the missing queen's diary. I felt like this was a much more interesting story that had more showing than telling. The writing itself was quite nice and easy to read. The pacing seemed decent overall, though there were slower sections. I did like the darker aspects touched on here, like the Truth Finders and the interrogations in general. This had a lot of potential to be really interesting, though we didn't get to fully explore this.

Overall, The Vanished Queen was decent, but I did want more from it. There are some darker themes here, such as rape, abuse, murder, and suicidal thoughts.

I received a copy of this for review from the publisher via NetGalley - thank you! All opinions are my own.

My video review can be seen on my channel (around minutes 3:04-5:54 of this video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5fzUIsFj-8

Queen Mirantha vanished in what King Karolje claimed was an assassination. The people know he Disappeared her himself, and that he's a tyrant. Anza finds the queen's diary, and a chance encounter with Prince Esvar might be the way that they both can work with the resistance. Together they might be able to fight against the king. But if they fail, restrictions would last for generations to come.

Anza's father had been claimed a traitor and executed, though it wasn't actual treachery on his part but failure to live up to the cruel and demeaning standards that Karolje had set. He has his sons, who he also expects to rule in the way that he does, and his coterie of unscrupulous men jockeying for power in his court. This has grown worse with his illness, and the people suffer for it. Anza works with the resistance, but there's a coldness in their leader that she doesn't have. They can calculate what would affect the nobility without placing blame on the already degraded foreigners living in the kingdom, but Anza isn't aware of all those variables.

Esvar also walks a very tight rope, trying to remain just while upholding the letter of his father's laws. It doesn't matter that he's a prince, he is still punished if he can't kill or order the destruction of enemies as Karolje would; punishments could be anywhere from isolation to severe whippings. In time, he realizes that he has to make a real stand, or everything he ever wanted is forfeit. The same goes for his older brother, the Crown Prince. Karolje cares only about solidifying his own power and assumes that everyone around him is scheming against him. Because of this, he thinks nothing of pitting people against each other, staging public executions, blaming the minority citizens for the rebel actions, and threatening everyone unless they cave.

I found the plot threads fascinating, as we have the current day story interwoven with the lost queen's point of view. They come together in the final third of the book, which ends with even more action. It's not a happily ever after where Karolje gives up; to the last breath, he is a vile human being content to terrorize others. There is hope for the future, and there is a lot of work to be done to rebuild the kingdom. All of the characters at the end are willing to put in that work.