The Foxglove King: The Sunday Times bestselling romantasy phenomenon (The Nightshade Crown)

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Sometimes Lore thought that if you peeled off her skin and turned it inside out, there’d be a map on the slick underside, pressed into the meat of her. I do think it is worth it, however, since as the book continued and I felt more comfortable with the concepts, this magical conceit opened up a lot of interesting story lines and theories.

The dark threads of Mortem under Pierre’s skin twisted against Lore’s grip, stirred to waking by the poison in his system. He is level-headed and kind enough that you can see why Lore might be attracted to him while also acting as a good foil to “good guy” Gabe. Set in a glittering world of twisted magic and fallen gods, The Foxglove Kingboasts an intoxicating combination of mystery, magic and romance, twined with impeccable tension and characters I instantly became obsessed with.I was also thrown off by some of the prose decisions where the language felt a bit too modern, which also detracted from that dark and gothic vibe.

He turned, lips pressed together, clearly considering what other things she might blackmail him with. 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. She could feel Mortem everywhere—the cloth of Michal’s shirt, the stones in the street outside, the chipped ceramic of the mug on the windowsill.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. I wasn’t going to go, but rumor has it there might be an orgy afterward, and I can’t very well turn that down.

I will say, however, that it took me a bit to truly understand how this magic works, not only Lore’s abilities but also Mortem itself as used by others in the form of consuming poisonous substances. Her depth and complexity as a protagonist bode well for future entries in the Nightshade Crown series, with Whitten skillfully tying Lore’s background into the reveals about the broader universe and its unique, dangerous and more than a little creepy magic system.The Presque Mort and the bloodcoats have all been busy getting ready for the Sun Prince’s Consecration tomorrow, and everyone is taking advantage of them having their proverbial backs turned. 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. In addition to its romantic subplots and magic, “The Foxglove King” also provides excellent social commentary relevant to today’s world. Despite her story, which is filled with tragedy, pain, and betrayal, her wit keeps the reader laughing.