*The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

In The King of Attolia, Gen must bring all his grit, cleverness, and convictions to bear as he works to earn the right to be king.

*The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner. Greenwillow Books, 2017 (originally 2006). 432 pages.

• Reading Level: Teen, ages 12-15

• Recommended For: Ages 14 and up

Eugenides, the Queen’s Thief, has stolen Hamiathes’s gift. Then, he stole a queen. Now, he must steal a kingdom.

Eugenides has married the queen of Attolia, but most people think it was purely a political move, destined to bring Attolia under the control of Eugenides’s former country and queen, Eddis. Only those in the very inner circle know that Eugenides and Attolia are actually madly in love. But, true to their character, both are committed to serving in their political roles, serving their country before serving themselves.

A new character joins the fray in this volume, Costis—chosen by Eugenides to be his personal attendant. Readers will come to understand Gen better through the eyes of Costis even as Costis realizes what the reader already knows: never underestimate Eugenides. Never.

True to form, by the end of the book, Gen’s behind-the-scenes political maneuverings come to light and he has stolen a kingdom. The Attolians might not universally love him, but they respect him and his right to sit on their throne alongside his queen.

As in the first two books of the Queen’s Thief series, one of the most striking notes in this volume is Gen’s relationship with his god. Indeed, the parallels to a Christian understanding of God’s sovereignty are downright breathtaking; Gen’s god, much like our own, actually deigns to communicate with him. The surrounding pagan culture is aghast at Gen’s boldness and the corresponding divine response. May we trust the Lord even half so much as Gen demonstrates his trust while on the roof of the palace.

Considerations:

• Religion: One of the most distinctive parts of this series is the panoply of gods that Turner creates for her mythical world; Gen’s relationship with his god is one of the most profound pictures of a human relating to a god that we know of in contemporary literature. Characters are often talking about the “gods” or swearing by the “gods,” but only Eugenides has a real relationship with his god.
• Language: (profanity: around a dozen instances of “damn” plus a few “by the gods”; several “bastard” references)
• Sexuality: In a refreshing twist for young adult literature, The King of Attolia is all about a married couple who are deeply in love. Occasionally, people in the book realize that the king’s and queen’s chambers are connected by secret passageway and that the couple has spent the night together, presumably intimately.

Bottom Line: The series matures right along with Eugenides; fans won’t want to miss this third installment.

*indicates starred review. A best of the best in its field.

Related Reading at Redeemed Reader:

• More Queen’s Thief Reviews: We like books 1-3 best of the series (read our review of book 1 here and book 2 here); we recommend reading our thoughts on the final volume, The Return of the Thief, for insight into how the series ends up.
• A Review: Sky of Seven Colors by Rachelle Nelson is another intriguing fantasy that includes political maneuvering and a bit of true love.
• Reviews: 3 More YA fantasies that might appeal to those who enjoy the Queen’s Thief books.

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