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  • The Foxglove King

  • Written by: Hannah Whitten
  • Narrated by: Emily Ellet
  • Length: 16 hrs and 8 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (12 ratings)

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The Foxglove King

Written by: Hannah Whitten
Narrated by: Emily Ellet
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Publisher's Summary

In this lush, romantic epic fantasy series from a New York Times bestselling author, a young woman’s secret power to raise the dead plunges her into the dangerous and glamorous world of the Sainted King’s royal court.

When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city.

Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore’s job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore’s power is revealed, she’s taken by the Presque Mort, a group of warrior-monks sanctioned to use Mortem working for the Sainted King. Lore fully expects a pyre, but King August has a different plan. Entire villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. Lore can either use her magic to find out what’s happening and who in the King’s court is responsible, or die.

Lore is thrust into the Sainted King’s glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted. Guarded by Gabriel, a duke-turned-monk, and continually running up against Bastian, August’s ne'er-do-well heir, Lore tangles in politics, religion, and forbidden romance as she attempts to navigate a debauched and opulent society.

But the life she left behind in the catacombs is catching up with her. And even as Lore makes her way through the Sainted court above, they might be drawing closer than she thinks.

©2023 Hannah Whitten (P)2023 Orbit

What the critics say

"Hannah Whitten is my favorite obsession, and her new series is all I can think about. I'm obsessed with The Foxglove King—a perfect concoction of intrigue, magic, thwarted love, and writing as delicate and deeply affecting as the petals of a poisonous plant."—Jodi Picoult, NYT bestselling author of WISH YOU WERE HERE

"Whitten debuts with a dark, dazzling reimagining of 'Little Red Riding Hood'...Whitten lovingly weaves in elements from other fairy tales, including 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Snow White,' while crafting a story that is all her own. With clever, immersive prose and a subtle touch of horror, this is sure to enchant."―Publishers Weekly

"Whitten weaves a captivating tale in this debut, in which even secondary characters come to feel like old friends. The novel seamlessly blends 'Little Red Riding Hood' and 'Beauty and the Beast' into an un-put-down-able fairy tale that traces the boundaries of duty, love, and loss. A masterful debut from a must-read new voice in fantasy."―Kirkus

What listeners say about The Foxglove King

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed the Story, Didn’t Like Narration

I really liked the book itself. I found it interesting and it kept my attention. But I have to be honest that the narration kind of ruined it for me. No hate at all to her but Gabe’s voice was so quiet I struggled to hear the words and Bastian was irritably clownish. Like I could picture Hannah writing him saying “that’s what you said yesterday” in a totally normal voice but the narrator has him going all dramatically stage voice. I just didn’t enjoy the narration and it brought the book rating down for me :(

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting story, but very slow plot

Overall, the story wasn't too bad. The plot concept is very interesting. Gods walked the world a few hundred years prior and either died or disappeared. Reader learns about how the deity concept works in this world, and I found it intriguing.

There is an overarching theme of the dangers of mixing church and state; unfair influence of the powerful over the disenfranchised; power imbalance in corrupt leadership; and the disgusting gluttony of the wealthy.

Primary focus of the story evolves around a prince and a poison-running young woman, with a monk in tow, creating some triangle dynamics. We don't see any real character growth, which I find disappointing.

Lore, Bastian, and Gabe uncover some plots by the corrupt and zealous. There is a lot of internal dialogue by Lore, cycling through self-hatred for a power she possesses since birth and her loneliness. Her experiences with her power, her thoughts on her 2 hesitant co-investigators, consume much of the book in a repetitive pattern. I would have liked to see more character depth and more plot development. at 4 hours left in the book, I found myself tuning out and thinking about what to read next, or straight-up falling asleep.

I am deciding not to follow on with the series.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Compelling and Intricate

An interesting dark fantasy with complicated characters and an even more complicated world building, THE FOXGLOVE KING is the start of what promises to be a dramatic series full of twists, ruthless magic, and betrayal.

Lore is a young woman with rare, deadly magic. Her powers quickly bring her to the attention (and service) of the Sainted King and his court in order to uncover the truth about strange deaths in the kingdom. This, however, means working with Gabe and Bastian, a monk and prince respectively who could not be more different from each other.

The characters were my favourite part of THE FOXGLOVE KING. Lore is headstrong and looking out for herself the way no one else will. Her relationships with Gabe and Bastien make for compelling and rewarding character drama and romance.

The magic and world building are rich and easy to follow if you pay attention. It made for some tense and creepy moments, most of which I was not expecting.

The plot is very much a slow burn, which will be suited to anyone who wants to read a book about character relationships. It’s not a perfect plot, but there were some great twists that had me wondering what would happen next.

A great read for dark fantasy fans, I enjoyed THE FOXGLOVE KING and will be reading more!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I need more!!

This is such a fantastic book, rife with political intrigue, complicated villains, twists, and morally gray characters. The necromancy feels like a fresh take while staying true to key tropes. The slow burn romance intermixed with questions of loyalty and betrayal keep me glued along the way as the twisty plot unfolded. I cannot wait for the sequel!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A little boring but good nonetheless

I liked the magic system, but the writing left me wanting more. I will not continue the series

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