Review: The Wolf of Oren-Yaro

2/5

For fans of: marital drama, Asian-inspired fantasy, political intrigue

Synopsis: After being left at the altar and to rule a barely stable kingdom alone, Queen Talyien receives a letter from her estranged husband asking to meet. Hoping to reconcile, she travels across the seas to a foreign empire but instead encounters a hostile environment, assassination attempts, and political maneuvers beyond her skill.

Review: This was just disappointing. I expected an epic story with fantasy elements, Asian-inspired cultures, and political intrigue concerning a badass queen with a bloody reputation. I did not get that. I got a marital drama where the wife is chasing around her wayward husband across the world like a chicken with her head cut off. For someone who has such a bloody reputation for politics, Queen Talyien has absolutely no idea what she’s doing and relies solely on her advisor to guide her in making decisions. I honestly don’t understand why the warlords of her kingdom haven’t deposed her yet due to her incompetence. I also don’t understand why she is still holding out for her husband. He left their son and kingdom, abandoning her to rule alone with no allies. I don’t see what she sees in him and the flashbacks don’t make a case for getting the man back. The book also needed a serious few rounds of editing because the plot was just going back and forth repeating the same plot points. The only reason I finished the book was sheer determination and I regret it. I gave the book two stars for world building and some side characters that I enjoyed.