Kingdom of Exiles

April 15, 2019
A woman exiled from her home realm makes a deal with the assassin who has been hired to kill her. In this debut fantasy romance, Leena Edenfrell is a Charmer, a person with the ability to bond with Pokemon-like magical beasts that can talk and communicate telepathically. Charmers can then harness the powers of their beasts for everything from healing to fighting. After Leena escapes an assassination attempt, she cuts a deal with Noc, the leader of the assassins' guild: She will provide him with four beasts in exchange for her life. Not realizing he intends to double-cross her, Leena sets out on a quest with Noc and three of his male assassins to capture the promised beasts. Leena has a hidden agenda of her own--to charm a beast so powerful she will be allowed to return home and prove herself innocent of the crime that forced her into exile. As Noc and Leena travel in search of beasts, Noc is determined to quash the attraction he feels toward Leena. He has been cursed, and anyone he loves platonically or romantically dies a terrible death; he is determined to keep the people around him safe by staying emotionally distant. The worldbuilding and quest plot overwhelm the romance between Noc and Leena, which feels unconvincing. The book is full of problematic elements. The continuous use of dark and light metaphors seems both dated and lazy. Although Leena is a strong woman, there are no other well-developed female characters. Most damning, Martineau fully commits to a world in which the charming of humans is both torturous and a heinous crime, leaving readers to wonder why it's acceptable for a permanent subclass of magical creatures to be captured, enslaved, and used by Charmers. An unsatisfying romance in a flawed fantasy world.

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Starred review from April 29, 2019
Martineau’s impressive debut novel, the first of a romantic fantasy trilogy, marries grand-scale wonder with the intimacy of relationships among traveling companions and a layered plot. Leena is a Charmer, one with the ability to mentally commune with and train a wide range of beasts. She’s been exiled from her home for crimes she didn’t commit, and her only path to survival is illegally selling trained beasts. She knows this will draw notice, but she never expected that to come in the form of Kost, a shadow-wielding undead assassin. Her beasts defend her and she demands that Kost take her to his master, the brooding, handsome Noc, so she can convince him to revoke the commission for her death. Noc is cursed and haunted by his past, but blessed with a second chance at building his life. Leena is merely a job—at first. Soon he’s struggling to keep from falling for her. Martineau’s intricate world-building melds traditional high fantasy with a hint of Victorian sensibility, then elevates it with endearing characters and a deliciously complex story that will leave readers anxiously awaiting the second book. Agent: Cate Hart, Corvisiero Literary.