Queen of Ruin

By: Tracy Banghart

Narrated by: Sarah Mollo-Christensen, Megan Tusing

Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

A fierce sequel full of sisterhood, heart-pounding action, betrayal, and intrigue in the royal court in a series that "breathes new life into the feminist story of oppression and resistance" (Publisher's Weekly).

When the new, brutal Superior banishes Nomi from Bellaqua, she finds herself powerless and headed towards her all-but-certain death. Her only hope is to find her sister, Serina, on the prison island of Mount Ruin. But when Nomi arrives, it is not the island of conquered, broken women that they expected. It is an island in the grip of revolution, and Serina - polite, submissive Serina - is its leader.

Betrayal, grief, and violence have changed both sisters, and the women of Mount Ruin have their sights set on revenge beyond the confines of their island prison. They plan to sweep across the entire kingdom, issuing in a new age of freedom for all. But first, they'll have to get rid of the new Superior, and only Nomi knows how.

Separated once again, this time by choice, Nomi and Serina must forge their own paths as they aim to tear down the world they know, and build something better in its place.

The stakes are higher and the battles bolder in Tracy Banghart's unputdownable sequel to Grace and Fury.

©2019 Tracy Banghart (P)2019 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"The timely YA response to The Handmaid's Tale." (Hypable)

"Two sisters fight for freedom in a fantasy novel with a blisteringly fast pace and a cathartic ending." (Kate Elliott, New York Times best-selling author of the Court of Fives series)

"A cathartic, action-packed read about women taking back power." (Elly Blake, New York Times best-selling author of the Frostblood Saga)

Serina still steals the show!

I enjoyed this second book!

I still loved the feminist agenda and didn’t mind how “in your face” it was. Their country was hella-broken. I still loved the theme of sisterhood and appreciated it’s extension to the women of Mount Ruin via Serina’s sense of obligation and “big sister” type leadership.

To me, Serina still stole the show in this book. I loved getting to see her as a badass leader of a badass group of women. I really liked how she kept to her values even in the face of opposition, even when it would have been the easier route to cave and forsake them. Just like in the first book, she continued to show what she was truly made of, inside and out. I loved that.
Val was just as great and supportive as always; you’ve got to love an Ally. I also enjoyed getting to know some of the backstories to the women of Mount Ruin. These women have been through so many horrors, even before they were shipped off to that dreaded island prison.

With Nomi’s story, like in the first book, I was disappointed. I enjoyed her fire and boldness. I liked seeing her having thoughts of advocacy and protection towards the Graces. I wanted more from her and Malachi’s relationship development and journey together. That dynamic had such potential, but there were so many missed opportunities. Their time together fell flat. I didn’t buy into, nor enjoyed, their love story nearly as much as Serina and Val’s.

I also disliked the ending of the book. I get what Banghart was doing, but it didn’t really make logical sense to me. It didn’t seem like that course of action would realistically work out with the climate of the country. I also don’t think that particular sister is best suited for that role. The ending felt rushed, unrealistic and a bit phoned-in.
The only thing I did like about it was the secret re-definition of Graces. That was pretty badass.

Overall, just like the first one, this book had great moments and characters and some not-so-great moments and characters. I’d be willing to read more of Banghart’s novels in hopes that there are more Serina-esque characters than Nomi-esque ones.

loved it

I wasn't ready for the book to be over! I have gifted the first and going to with the second book also!!

best book yet!!

the ending was perfect, everything I wanted, the suspense was REAL!!! #SerAnika best duo out here!!😀

AMAZING!!

I am in LOVE with the strength of sisterhood that is within this book!! It is such a great story!! Clean, no sexual content. I recommended it to my teenage sister. (14 y.o.) It has some of the best components of The Selection, Red Queen, and The Hunger Games rolled into one story! Love it!!!

enjoyable!

an incredibly fun and heartfelt tale. enjoyable! i'm smitten with these characters. pacing was great. thank you!!!