In February of 2017, Rhiannon Thomas released a book called Long May She Reign. The book shows the thrilling fantasy standalone about one girl’s unexpected rise to power.
Summary
Freya is a young girl who is twenty-third in line to succession. However, she has no desire to become queen. She dedicates herself to a life of science and logic, not of leadership and diplomacy. Freya attends a banquet to celebrate the King’s Birthday and become a part of the court. Before the cake ceremony, Naomi and Freya leave to make adjustments to Freya’s latest chemistry project. Hours after the cake ceremony both girls walk back to the banquet and realize something horrible happened. Everyone was poisoned by the cake including the king and the majority of the court.
This only meant one thing, that Freya must step up and become Queen. Freya, being so young, is put into a pile of danger. With no respect from nobles and people trying to overtake her position. Freya must learn to balance how to control a kingdom and solve a mystery. She must conquer her fear, and decipher friend from the enemy if she has any hope of leading her people. She must take control of the kingdom and be very careful with all the decisions she makes. One mistake may cost her the kingdom and her own life. Freya becomes determined to do anything to uncover the truth of the mystery.
Critiques
Freya’s story is inspiring. She learns her strengths and embraces her responsibility as a leader. The author showcases Freya’s strengths by embracing themes of justice, self-acceptance, and kindness. Unlike other stories, Rhiannon Thomas focuses on Freya taking charge and being her own person. In my opinion, the plot drags a bit in the middle which confuses the reader a bit and a few plot twists may be foreseeable, but the book still adds up to an engaging read.
On a review from common sense media, one person states, there is no hint of actual magic in the plot of this historical fantasy. Its emphasis on logic, reason, and science distinguishes the novel from the usual Middle Ages. Long May She Reign features a main character who wants to help people while staying true to their own beliefs. People have very mixed opinions about the book.
Some positive reviews say, “It has a fabulous main character and the whole murder mystery plot is really cool.” Another positive review states, “I love that she is into making things in her science lab. I love her friend Naomi and her cat.” On the other hand, other reviews are more negative saying, “So right off the bat, let me just say that this is nothing like the other books written by the author. Aside from the fact that these two women have to come to terms with their new reality of becoming a queen in a corrupt kingdom.”All in all, the book is interesting if one likes to read fantasy fiction. There are several negatives about the book and several positives. However if an individual show love for science and royalty, I am sure they will love this book.
