A captive healer and a mysterious prince are drawn to each other in the midst of war and magic in a beguiling dark fantasy by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.
The kingdom of Cansere is on the brink of war. Young men are conscripted from their homes, and a royal decree from the queen has made healing the only legal form of craftlock. Nym, a healer and beekeeper, is the sole provider for her family of seven now that her younger brother has been sent to the war front. But when a letter comes from the queen, summoning Nym to the palace to heal Prince Renn, the kingdom’s ailing shut-in, Nym finds herself making the tumultuous journey from her family’s apiary to the capital city. Nym is determined to fail the queen’s mission and return to her younger siblings as soon as she can.
But escaping the castle’s hold isn’t as easy as failing a simple test. Prince Renn is cold and distant, and his illness is like nothing Nym has ever seen before, nothing she could ever imagine treating. In a moment of connection with Prince Renn, Nym manages to remedy the faintest symptom of his ailment—only to discover that no healer before has made such progress. Forced to become the prince’s official healer and a ward of the castle, and with her only hope of returning to her family hinging on the prince’s recovery, Nym must navigate the castle’s cruel and twisted court and uncover the haunting truth behind Prince Renn’s illness—even as she finds herself irrevocably drawn to him.
MY REVIEW
A captive healer and a mysterious prince are drawn to each other in the midst of war and magic in a beguiling dark fantasy by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.
Overall, I thought this book was a solid read. The plot and world-building really stood out to me, and I found the magic system and darker elements unique and intriguing. Nym and Prince Renn were compelling characters, and I enjoyed the slow-burn aspect of their romance.
That said, let’s talk about pacing. At first, I was pleasantly surprised. The beginning moved along well, especially for a fantasy novel where slower pacing is often expected. However, as the story continued, the pacing started to drag. The more I read, the harder it became to stay focused, which left me feeling a little disappointed.
That being said, I still found this book to be an enjoyable read. The magical elements were fascinating, the mystery surrounding the prince’s illness kept me on my toes, and the twists near the end definitely left me curious as to where the story will go next.
While The Shattered King wasn’t a perfect fit for me, I’m glad I picked it up and would be open to reading more from this author in the future.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book via the publisher & NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*
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