The cover of Traitor to the Throne (its original title – you can see the cover at the end of this review) isn´t as warm and beautiful as the one the first book has. At least when it comes to the German edition. But with all the dark blue, black, and sparkling gold, it kind of looks nice. Yes, after reading Rebel of the Sands, I had to read this second one as well. And though it took me some days to read it, I enjoyed the plot and how Amani fought her way through all the intrigues and cruel happenings.
AMANI-Verräterin Des Throns*
by Alwyn HamiltonRebel Of The Sands Series #2
Translation Ursula Höfker
Original Title Traitor To The Throne
Publisher cbt on September 11, 2017
Genre Children 14+
Pages 535
Format Hardcover
Source Publisher
✶✶✶✶
Amani, rebel, and daughter of a Djinni, has been fighting alongside the rebel prince for months when she is being betrayed to her worst enemy – the Sultan of Miraji. Although Amani is deprived of her magical powers, she risks her life smuggling crucial information to the insurgents outside the palace – because the rebellion must win at all cost. But the more time Amani spends as the prisoner of the Sultan, the greater her doubts become. Is she really on the right side? Or is she just a traitor? (personal translation ©Vi at Inkvotary)
Story
Amani gets betrayed and finds herself without her magical power in the hands of the enemy. The Sultan of Miraji. Inside the palace, she must learn how to survive and whom to trust. Not easy when you are in a place where a woman´s life isn´t worth a dime. And with all the women disappearing and many kept secrets, life isn´t as beautiful as the outside world believes.
Style
I missed the diverse action book one had. Oh yes, the start of this novel was quite an action-filled and showed the Amani I knew from the other book. But then the story changed. Still entertaining and still wonderful to read, but not as haunting and thrilling as before. The author´s language is ironic, sometimes very sarcastic and her figures go through hell to achieve what they want. Nothing is as it seems and the colorful life behind the palace walls can´t hide the fact that the harem is a prison. One with lots of luxury things, but still.
Characters
I am not sure how to describe it, but the figures have changed, and I am not sure if for the better. Amani is determined to free her people from the Sultan and to do everything necessary to achieve that goal. But the more of her friends die while fighting the Sultans´ huge powers, she is asking herself if those sacrifices are worth everything. No doubt, the author brings in a side of power that isn´t all flowers and butterflies, and how the Sultan is seeing the world inside and outside the palace is nothing you can argue with. And yet I was sometimes wondering if and how Amani will answer him and his plans.
Conclusion
Well, the end wasn´t really my thing. Don´t ask why because I can´t find words. It is more a feeling I had when I closed the book. For some reason, I always thought that this would be a two-book thing. Now it turns out to be a trilogy. Not that I mind, no. It explains why some things in this book were told in the way they were. For those readers who want a book filled with blood, action, and lots and lots of cruel things, this might not be the right choice.
Happy reading
*This book was kindly provided to me by cbt in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.
*The original book was published Traitor to the Throne by Viking Books for Young Readers on March 7, 2017
Alwyn Hamilton
Alwyn Hamilton was born in Toronto and spent her childhood bouncing between Europe and Canada until her parents settled in France. She grew up in a small town there, which might have compelled her to burst randomly into the opening song from Beauty and the Beast were it not for her total tone-deafness. She instead attempted to read and write her way to new places and developed a weakness for fantasy and cross-dressing heroines. She left France for Cambridge University to study History of Art at King´s College, and then to London where she became indentured to an auction house. She has a bad habit of acquiring more hardcovers than is smart for someone who moves house quite so often.
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