The Queen of Attolia

The Queen of Attolia
By Megan Whalen Turner
Greenwillow Books, 2000. 368 pgs. Young Adult

Eugenides, the thief of Eddis, gets caught in Attolia, and the Attolian queen gets her revenge by cutting off his hand and sending him, feverish and maimed, back to Eddis, where his cousin, the queen, declares war on Attolia while Eugenides wallows in his misery. As Attolia prepares for war, Sounis, the nation on the other side of Eddis, watches, eager to attack Eddis if Attolia's attack goes well. Meanwhile, the Mede ambassador to Attolia is trying to embed himself in the queen's good graces, and all three countries will be at risk if the Medes advance to their land. Despite his handicap, the queen of Eddis needs Eugenides' help more than ever, and it will take all his cunning to keep Sounis at bay, rid the land of the Medes, and bring the queens of Eddis and Attolia together in peace.

Readers will enjoy this second book in the Queen's Thief series, with its dashing protagonist and its many layers of stories. It's as full of twists and turns and stories within stories as the first book, and while I didn't like it quite as much, I'm eager to continue with the series. A great choice for fans of adventure, fantasy, or well-written books.

AE