Review: Queen of Ruin

Queen of Ruin by Tracy Banghart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Viridia, women are objects, not people. Beautiful, demure, obedient objects. Those who disobey are killed or sent to the island prison of Mount Ruin, forced to fight and kill for the guards' amusement. Serina has successfully led an uprising against them, but they are now trapped on the island, pinning all their hopes on the next supply ship. Serina's thoughts are with Nomi, though, left behind in the palace at the mercy of the cruel Superior. Together, these girls can destroy a country. If they can find their power.

This was a brilliant follow up to Grace and Fury. There was enough recapping for me to remember what happened in the last book, but not so much that it seemed out of place. Serina and Nomi continued to grow as characters, facing awful situations head on. The rest of the characters are distinct enough for it to really matter when they start fighting. The ending was clever and about the only way things could really have worked out. I'm glad the story wasn't dragged out longer; this felt like the right length.

I received an ARC of this title and chose to review it honestly.


Serina couldn’t mistake the naked misery in her sister’s voice. “He . . . he must care for you, to let you go.” Nomi’s face crumpled. Understanding dawned. “But you cared for Asa.”

Nomi’s voice hardened. “I thought I did. I trusted him, and he used me. He used my affection for him, my love for you, for his own ends. He killed his father and tried to kill his brother, and he shipped me off to prison . . . but before all of that he kissed me and told me he wanted me to be queen, and I believed him.”

Serina put her arms around Nomi, aching for her sister. She sat in silence, holding Nomi as she cried, just as she’d done when they were children. The moment was bittersweet; Serina hated that Nomi was hurting, but she was also grateful to be able to comfort her. Not long ago, she’d been certain she’d never get this chance again.

After a while, she murmured, “Asa will pay for what he’s done. I am certain.”

Nomi cleaned her face on the edge of her shirt. “I hope so.”

They curled into each other’s arms and listened to the surf and let the wind whip through their hair, and soon enough, dawn found them.

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