Book Review: The Queen's Poisoner by Jeff Wheeler

The Queen's Poisoner: The Kingfountain Series, Book 1

UNABRIDGED

• by Jeff Wheeler
• Narrated by Kate Rudd
Reviewed: 4/21/16

"Good story, fun premise, only one minor complaint."

Overall

Performance

Story

Would you consider the audio edition of The Queen's Poisoner to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version, so I can't comment on this.

What other book might you compare The Queen's Poisoner to and why?

I can't think of any other titles off-hand to compare it to. I liked the setting in a castle, intrigue between nations, family conflicts, magical twists and turns. A protagonist who doesn't understand his powers... it's similar to other books, but with a unique view of magic through a "fountain" and the whole concept of being "fountain-blessed" was interesting.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

She did a really good job on interpreting various characters. I especially liked her interpretation of the protagonist's best friend, who was a chatty girl with a wonderful personality. My only complaint is that the voice she used for the main character was a bit whiny, which didn't seem to fit how I would have imagined him to sound if I were just reading it. Also, the way she did the voice of the Queen's Poisoner was a little overdone when she was being "sweet" to the little boy. I did like how she showed that the woman was ill through her voice. Overall, well done.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The one thing that constantly drove me crazy was how all of the adults around the young protagonist tell him about things way beyond the level that you would normally explain to an 8-year-old. They give so many details of intrigue, facts about the history of the realm, and personality conflicts, that it was hard for even me, as an adult, to follow along and keep up with everything. It would have been way above the head of a young child. I realize that this is a "special" child, but still, would you talk to any child about members of the royal family killing and poisoning each other, women being "forced", and abstract concepts that are not even physically processed by young minds until adolescence? It was just a bit too much. I feel that if the protagonist had been at least 10 or 11, it would have been more believable.

Any additional comments?

I liked this book quite well, it was interesting and compelling enough to keep me listening. The premise with fountain-blessed magic is unique, and I enjoyed the various characters and their diverse personalities. By simply ignoring the age issue, I was able to really enjoy the story line. I am looking forward to reading the next installment, to see what happens next in the lives of these characters. :)