Nameless Queen
Crown Books for Young Readers
January 7, 2020
352
One girl must make a name for herself--or die trying--in this royal fantasy where an unknown peasant becomes the ultimate ruler. But how long can she keep the crown if everyone wants her dead? Perfect for fans of Furyborn, Red Queen, and Everless.
Everyone expected the king's daughter would inherit the throne. No one expected me.
It shouldn't be possible. I'm Nameless, a class of citizens so disrespected, we don't even get names. Dozens of us have been going missing for months and no one seems to care.
But there's no denying the tattoo emblazoned on my arm. I am queen. In a palace where the corridors are more dangerous than the streets, though, how could I possibly rule? And what will become of the Nameless if I don't?
The new Queen is stronger and wiser than anyone expected from a nameless street orphan.
Nameless Queen by Rebecca McLaughlin is the telling of a society strictly divided by social class. All people of Seriden are kept within the class of which their born. Royals at the top, loyals as middle-class, and the nameless who are left to the streets with zero rights.
Some of the best people are nameless
This story has a strong foundation. The leading character is nameless and has chosen to call herself Coin. Throughout the story she is surprising in her strength, and how much of what she’s learned living on the streets set her up to be a great queen. She excels at reading people’s non-verbal cues, and she does not cower to those who think they’re better than her simply because of how they were born.
Nameless Queen has a lot of good elements. There’s a solid premise, and the characters we follow appear to be the kind of people we want to read about. The story just lacked enough details. The conflicts were resolved a little too quickly and without enough challenge. In particular, Coin and Esther don’t spend enough time learning about each other. There are conflicts in this story that could have been developed over the course of one to two chapters and instead resolved within one to two paragraphs.
Nameless Queen was an entertaining read
I was intrigued by Nameless Queen from start to finish. Rebecca McLaughlin imagined a unique world that is woven with magic. Having the magic so strictly bound to the upper class is not unlike the social classes we deal with in our society. I enjoyed Coin’s story and that it wasn’t tied to her falling in love with someone. The story was all her own and I appreciated that focus.
Kristin lives in the PNW with her husband, and three kids. She loves to read YA fiction, fantasy, and romance. She enjoys a few side-hustles, including creating bookreels/booktoks for authors. The only shows she watches are re-runs, and if she’s not reading a book, she’s listening to one.
