Format: ebook
Release Date: March 7th, 2023
Age: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Goodreads
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Lore is a spy and poison-runner, working for her adopted mothers. When a job goes wrong, her secret is exposed, and she finds herself caught by the Presque Mort. Lore has the power to wield Mortem, though unlike the Presque Mort, she’s not sanctioned to do so. She’s dragged away from her home, but instead of death or imprisonment, she’s enlisted to do a job; find out who is responsible for the mass deaths at the country’s border, and discover if the Sainted King’s heir, Bastian, is spying for the enemy. Lore can’t trust anyone at court, but senses something tying her to Bastian, and to the former duke-now-monk Gabriel, the man assigned to guard her.
The Foxglove King had me gripped right from the start. There’s a sort of love triangle between Lore, Bastian and Gabe, but it’s not overdone and Lore remains conscious throughout that she doesn’t fully understand the connection she feels to them. As we move with Lore from the city to the citadel, and down into the catacombs, we learn more about this world, the strange powers of Mortem and Spirtum, and what ties Lore in with the larger plan unfolding around her. Whitten gives us these flawed characters and makes it so you really want to see them come out on top, no matter the cost, and Lore herself is totally compelling.
There are some truly creepy moments here, too, as Lore’s magic involves raising the dead, though even beyond that the way the various people act at court is creepy in itself, from those who poison themselves to extend their lives, to the way certain people deliberately withhold information, or are clearly using Lore and the others for their own gain. It’s hard to guess at the motivations for certain characters, to know when they might be lying or, at least, not telling the whole truth, but there are some truly sweet moments, especially when Lore tries to forge some kind of life for herself, and attempts to find a bit of joy at court, feeling particularly flattered when she feels she might actually have a chance to make some friends.
In some ways, and especially with the character of Bastian, this book kind of reminds me of a more grown-up Holly Black’s Folk of the Air trilogy, with the prince you can never quite get a handle on, the secretive nature the characters surrounding the MC, and the constant sense of unease at court. If you like intrigue, mystery, and a court where you never quite know where you stand, The Foxglove King might just be for you, and I am really excited to read the next book in this series.
Thank you to Orbit for providing a copy of this book via NetGalley.
Reading Challenge
Netflix Movies & TV Shows
Prompt: Bridgerton – Royalty
Progress: 12/24 Completed
Unwrapping Words 