Review: Throne of Lies by Sara Secora

Frequent visitors to Between The Lines will remember that back in January, I interviewed Sara Secora about her debut novel.  After that interview, she was kind enough to send me a review copy ... and I am ready to share my thoughts on it with you all!

Throne of Lies is the first in a fantasy trilogy, written for Young Adults.  Its heroine, Amethysta, is a princess unhappy with her destiny: to ascend to the throne of her kingdom.  She also posesses a strange ability which has come to light just prior to the beginning of the story, and must keep it a secret from the kingdom for fear of how they might react.   The typical duties of a queen-in-training - studies, social niceties, betrothal - all stretch Amethysta to her breaking point, and she begins to rebel in what small ways she can.  When too many things go wrong in too short a time, she begins to finally seek out answers about her mysterious abilities, and where they came from.  Her questions and troubles all come to a head at the ball where she is  meant to formally assume the role of the heir to the throne, and by the end of the night, the stage is well set for the second book in the series.

Sara Secora's greatest strength as an author is her honest, straightforward portrayal of Amethysta.  As a teen, she is subject to mood swings, a rebellious streak, and the confusion of first love ... and Secora handles them all deftly.   The novel is told from Amethysta's point of view (aside from an attention-grabbing prologue), and her voice is not only convincing, but real.  Some of the other reviews I have read lambaste Amethysta for being "wishy-washy" ... I consider this a great strength which lends to fantastic character development over the course of the trilogy.  We know quite quickly, as readers, that we will be watching her grow up, and I have little doubt that the end of the third book will show her to have grown into a strong, capable woman.

The only complaint I have about the novel is not even a complete problem: the plot contains several standard fantasy cliches.  However, they are each given just enough of a twist or alteration so that they are still enjoyable, even though the reader can make a pretty fair guess as to what will happen.  Reading Throne of Lies was like going on a drive through the town where you grew up: the roads are all still familiar, but so much has changed along the way that there are still plenty of pleasant surprises.  

Also of note is the amount of detail and work put into creating Amethysta's world.  Her history lessons with her professor, the somewhat suspicious and memorable Gethin, showcase details of a richly layered history which hints at possible directions for the current plot.  Secora's prose is in turns both simple and elaborate, flowing like the best of the high fantasy novels I grew up with: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's countless Dragonlance trilogies and the work of Brian Jacques especially come to mind.   If you know a teen who loves fantasy, or is struggling with anxiety issues, this book would make a wonderful gift.  You can find it here on Amazon.  For more information about Sara Secora, please feel free to visit her website!

Thanks for joining me this week, and I'll see you all back here next Wednesday!
Until then, let your imagination lift you into the light,

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