I read C. J. Redwine’s first novel, The Shadow Queen, as part of a goal I set for myself for “Tell a Fairy Tale Day.” I was going to read several Snow White retellings and review them. When I read the description, I thought I would hate The Shadow Queen because I’m not fond of Snow White being depicted as a warrior princess. I was completely wrong about this book. Review of The Shadow Queen.
I was so impressed by The Shadow Queen that I bought the next book in the Ravenspire series, The Wish Granter. Weeks later looking at it on my “to read” pile, I regretted it. I didn’t want to read another retelling, and I thought the novel would be a disappointment after the fabulous first entry in the series. I was wrong again. Review of The Wish Granter.
So after I finished The Wish Granter, I bought the third in the series, The Traitor Prince. Again, I regretted it. Why? Actually, I was eyeing the Cinderella-retelling fourth novel in the series but felt compelled to read the books in order. I wasn’t sure what Prince was retelling, and the premise didn’t hook me at first. Basically, I was reading it simply because I trusted the author. I probably wouldn’t like it. Guess what?
Three for three.
The Traitor Prince is a book that sucks you in from the beginning and doesn’t let go until the very end. Basically, a devious distant relative (Rahim) takes the place of returning son, Javan Samad Najafai who has been away at school for a decade. Rahim and Javan have a scuffle, and duplicitous affairs in the castle end up making Javan look guilty. He’s thrown into the infamous prison Maqbara and left to rot or die, more likely to die.
By helping another inmate, Javan gains the appreciation of the warden’s slave, Sajda. She’s one tough girl after being raised in Maqbara. Sajda has a secret, one that could end her life if revealed. Trusting this boy is the last thing Sajda wants to do, but slowly he begins to earn her respect.
Dangerous inmates, battles, political intrigue, and a winning (and complex) romance make up this third novel in the Ravenspire series. I enjoyed several changes. The first is having a male main character. So many retellings focus on the ladies, it’s nice to see a gentleman take center stage every once in a while. The second is Sajda’s character. The relationship between her and Javan comes across as authentic—each starting off each having a different agendas. The battles in the arena were also full of action and adventure. The battles are a great example of spectacular high fantasy for lovers of that genre.
Is there a downside? I’ll start with another strength of the book and that is how Redwine continues to defy my expectations at the end. Redwine’s done this with all three books, and The Traitor Prince is no different. When I think I know how it will end, the author throws a twist that I didn’t see coming. After the exciting and rewarding climax, the denouement, and last chapter, provides the reader with another surprise. But it felt right, and I went with it. But the epilogue is another story. I felt like an entire second novel should have been written between the final chapter and the epilogue. Maybe Redwine will write this one day.
Excellent pacing; gripping, complex characters; and wonderful plot twists describe The Traitor Prince. C. J. Redwine’s world is richly envisioned, her writing is prosaic, and her stories make you want to read late into the night. I was wrong three times in a row but never happier about it.