The Crown’s Gamed by Evelyn Skye
Pages: 416
Publish date: May 17th 2016
Publisher: Harper Collins Australia (Balzer + Bray)
ISBN: 0062560603
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – Dymocks
Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.
And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.
Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?
For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.
And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love… or be killed himself.
As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear… the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.
The Crown’s Game:
I received a free copy of The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye from Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review, this has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.
I wasn’t 100% sure that I was going to pick up The Crown’s Game, from the early reviews there were some problems that I normally don’t like in books, but then I was hearing great things about it, so I decided why not.
I am glad that I did, though it’s not my favourite book in the world, but I overall enjoyed it and would read other books in the series.
The Crown’s Game follows protagonists Vika and Nikolai, the only two enchanters left in Russia, as a war is brewing they are both put the test in the ancient magic duel of the Crown’s Game where one lives and the other dies.
I have very mixed feeling about The Crown’s Game. I am not too sure how I feel about it, but I cannot decide if I dislike it more than I like it.
Vika, has lived on a small island her whole life, taught by her father and eager to show her powers off. I enjoyed Vika most out of all the characters, she didn’t annoy me, and was an easy protagonist to get along with, however I felt that she ‘fit in’ to quickly on the mainland for some reason. She has lived on an island for her whole life, with no many people liking her and she just treated the mainland like it was nothing. Her emotions were also great – I enjoy the emotions she felt and at times I wanted to get her a great hug.
Nikolai – I felt nothing for him. I didn’t even feel like her was a protagonist at times. He gave me no sort of emotions, I just wanted more from him. At times I wanted to hit him though, as he was annoying at times.
One thing I was disappointed about was the lack of brutality with the games. I expected more, wanted more. It was all fluffy and artistic and I would totally be good with this if the result of the end wasn’t that one died and one lived.
The romance was also a big letdown for me, I knew it was going to be a love triangle going on and I was prepared for that, what I wasn’t prepared for was the instalove. Both of the love interests didn’t even get to know Vika before they started to fall for her. While Pasha was very vocal with his love, Nikolai was quiet. However, both didn’t even know her.
When there is a love triangle, I normally like the first person that falls for the protagonist and vice versa – but with this, I felt that the love interests didn’t like Vika enough and the same goes the other way.
The ending was a letdown too, things were gearing up and then I was confused and, then it ended. It was kind of a mess for me. Pasha did some things that people might hate – but with the position that he was in and everything he knew just flipped on his head – I don’t blame him.
Nevertheless, I actually enjoyed the world that was created in The Crown’s Game. It was intriguing and different to see. I love any play on an ancient country, it’s one of my favourite settings for books (or movies), that is what first pulled me into this book.
I also enjoyed the writing style of Evelyn Skye. I loved the descriptions of the world, the protagonists surrounding. I loved the imagery that she created and I wanted more of it.
Overall, I enjoyed The Crown’s Game, it’s not my favourite book out there, however, I would read more books in the series. One of my favourite things about the book was the world and writing style. I wanted more from the characters and the romance just wasn’t my favourite.
Have you read The Crown’s Game? Did you enjoy it? Why or why not? Let’s Chat!
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