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If you are looking for a fun read to give you a breather from heavier works, or if you are a hardcore fantasy reader looking to try out some non-spicy romance, you could do a lot worse than The Foxglove King. As much as it is a heavily flawed novel, I absolutely do not regret reading it. It was that perfect fast-paced read that I needed, and so keep this one in mind if you ever need that book that is just kind of a mindless breather. First, let’s talk about worldbuilding, particularly with regards to the magic and gods of this world. I think it’s interesting that this is now the second series that Whitten has written where her magic system involves magical forces directly interacting with the body, often resulting in mildly horrifying temporary changes to one’s physical self. I mean, I guess if you know what you like in a magic system, just go for it? I just found that interesting. Darkly sumptuous and beautifully dangerous, The Foxglove King wraps you up in a velvet gown and then holds a knife to your throat’Ava Reid, Sunday Times-bestselling author of The Wolf and the Woodsman Darkly sumptuous and beautifully dangerous, The Foxglove King wraps you up in a velvet gown and then holds a knife to your throat' Ava Reid, Sunday Times-bestselling author of The Wolf and the Woodsman Michal should be dealing with this. It was his damn row house. But the drop he’d made for Gilbert last night had been all the way in the Northwest Ward, so Lore let him sleep.
Lore stood there a moment, the light of the slow-rising sun gleaming on her hair, the worn silk of her gown. Then she dressed in a flowing shirt and tight breeches, made her own way down the stairs. She had a meeting with Val to attend. Thrust into a lavish court where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted, Lore must navigate an intricate web of politics, religion, and forbidden romance and solve the King’s mystery. A mystery more dangerous and twisted than Lore can even imagine.Those born to darkness will carry it in their nature; they will carry sin in their very selves, body and mind and soul.
I feel this book is considered Adult because the characters are closer to mid 20s and some of the necromancy is descriptive + there’s a bit of language. I’d 100% recommend for fans of NA fantasy that don’t need spice.
Set in a glittering world of twisted magic and fallen gods, The Foxglove King boasts an intoxicating combination of mystery, magic and romance, twined with impeccable tension and characters I instantly became obsessed with. I could not put it down." - H M Long
As the sun rose higher, the Harbor District slowly woke up—bundles of cloth stirred in dark corners, drunks coaxed awake by light and sea breeze. In the row house across the street, Lore heard the telltale sighs of Madam Brochfort’s girls starting their daily squabbles over who got the washtub first, and any minute now at least two straggling patrons would be politely but firmly escorted outside. The novel’s protagonist, 23-year-old Lore, is wonderfully sarcastic and powerful — yet her mindset and reactions are still relatable. Lore is forced to hide her Mortem abilities, or death magic, by being a poison runner and spy. But she soon finds herself in trouble as her magic is exposed and she is forced to do the bidding of the king and his powerful religious force. Despite her story, which is filled with tragedy, pain, and betrayal, her wit keeps the reader laughing. Lore’s entertaining internal dialogue keeps the story lighthearted even in its darkest moments. In this lush, romantic epic fantasy series from a New York Times bestselling author, a young woman’s secret power to raise the dead plunges her into the dangerous and glamorous world of the Sainted King’s royal court. When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think some aspects of the world-building were a bit confusing, on one hand, and overly familiar, on another. But it’s also clearly the start to a series, so both of these questions could be resolved in follow-up books. I do think the story lives and dies on the strength of its central three characters, and I, for one, was completely sold on them all. If you enjoy character-centric stories and want a more complex look at a love triangle, this is the fantasy novel for you!I have another drop today,” he said as he got dressed. “So I’ll probably be gone until the evening.” Lore raised a hand in greeting. Val took hold of her fingers and pulled her into a hug instead. “You keeping out of trouble, mouse?” Lore is thrust into the Sainted King’s glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted. Guarded by Gabriel, a duke-turned-monk, and continually running up against Bastian, August’s ne'er-do-well heir, Lore tangles in politics, religion, and forbidden romance as she attempts to navigate a debauched and opulent society. Lore is thrust into the Sainted King’s glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted. Guarded by Gabriel, a duke-turned-monk, and continually running up against Bastian, August’s ne’er-do-well heir, Lore tangles in politics, religion, and forbidden romance as she attempts to navigate a debauched and opulent society. I’m going to forego my usual summary chapter, and instead talk a bit about the fact that I think the official book’s summary is a bit misleading. It’s not truly important, but I think Lore’s connection to the catacombs is much more complex than “she escaped a cult and is in hiding.” I also think there are simply bits of the few sentences about this aspect of the book in the summary that are just factually wrong. I’m always mildly fascinated when there are discrepancies like these in book summaries. Was there some purpose behind this choice? Did the summary writer only skim the book and this was an accident? Who knows? Beyond this, the rest of the summary seems clear enough.
The Foxglove King is beautifully written, lushly cinematic, unsettling, mysterious – an unputdownable story’ Ali Hazelwood, New York Times-bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis It is clear that Whitten has thought about how her magic system would impact people’s behaviors and actions. I don’t want to get too deep into here (because, spoilers), but the magic system is deftly integrated into the court intrigue politics in a natural and organic way. The magic system doesn’t feel ham-fisted into the book just to have magic, but is central to the overall plot and class structure of the society. Elle rolled her eyes so hard Lore was surprised she didn’t strain a muscle. “There is something deeply off about you.” The romance in “The Foxglove King” is more than just a simple love story — it’s a complicated affair that adds a layer of tension to the plot. Lore finds herself caught in a love triangle, or perhaps even a love square, that will make readers eagerly await its resolution. The forbidden nature of the romance adds another layer of complexity to the story, making it all the more compelling. When a job goes wrong and Lore is captured by the Sainted King’s warrior-monks, she expects death. But King August has a different plan. Entire villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. Lore can either use her magic to find out what’s happening – or face the pyre.
The Foxglove King is a delicious fantasy. Sinister, deadly, and so seductive you won't be able to tear yourself away from this dark gem of a book." - Stephanie Garber Lore gave him a winning smile. Standing, she yanked up the shoulder of her dressing gown. “He better.” She couldn’t miss either of them for long. People came and went; her only constants were her mothers—Val and Mari—and the streets of Dellaire she could never leave.
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