The Crown's Game: A Young Adult Fantasy of Magical Rivalry and Forbidden Romance in Imperial Russia

Read this review and more on <a href="http://www.fangsandfurbooks.com">Fangs and Fur</a>. “The island, her thoughts whispered, and the wind obeyed, whisking her like champagne raindrops over Nevsky Prospect . . .” I pre-ordered The Crown’s Game long before its release and I’m so very glad I did! I have a fascination with Russian culture and this book has it in spades. While it takes place in an alternate (magical) Russia, the setting, the language, the food, and the history are all the same. The imagery used is incredible. I can see the birch forest on Ovchinin Island, the buildings along the Nevsky Prospect, and watch the magical marionette ballet in my head. I love all the food descriptions! I swear Evelyn was inside my head while she was writing this book because food descriptions make me so happy! The oreshki cookies, the buckwheat kasha with mushrooms and butter, the magical floating cream puffs, I’m in love, and so very hungry! The descriptions alone make me eager to see what other books Evelyn Skye has in store for us! “. . . Vika was like a jinni whose bottle was too small to contain her. One day, I’ll create a world where there are no bottles at all, she thought.” Vika and Nikolai are such a pair. Nikolai, an orphan raised in the city by a woman of means, and Vika, the daughter of a baron raised in the country in a simpler style. They complement each other brilliantly; their different backgrounds giving them different insights into the same situation. Their magic takes on very different forms, but as the story develops we see that they are complimentary none-the-less. I enjoyed watching them struggle; their emotions and passion for each other growing even as their will to live struggled in opposition to those passions. Renata and Ludmila are great secondary characters. Ludmila is filled with humor that takes some of the seriousness out of the game and all the stress it’s putting on Vika. Renata is far too serious, but her helpful, sober nature is a good foil for Ludmila’s carefree attitude. I wish I could have developed more of a connection to Pasha and his sister Yuliana. While they were active in this book, it is only at the end that we get a good look at their true character. I’m hoping to see and hear more from them in the next book. I look forward to seeing more growth and dimension to all of these characters in book two. The Crown’s Game was like an introduction, I hope to develop a deeper relationship with them in book 2! “Like the puppets, she and her opponent had never had a choice: their destiny was a pas de deux, a splendor and a torment fated for the two of them.” The plot was vastly different than I expected it to be. This is not a violent magical battle to the death, though it might seem that way. The magical battle is more tempered, subtle, artistic, and beautiful. It’s as if you are watching a ballet; while the bad guy is making his entrance you can’t help but admire the beauty and skill of his dancing. The romance is also very different. There is an instant connection, but it does not continue in a predictable manner. Instead you are often left wondering what is to become of them and their feelings. While the Tsar is the perpetrator of this terrible game pitting Vika and Nikolai against each other, none of them is the character that most scares me. Aizhana is terribly creepy! I won’t give anything away, but I’m hoping she plays a huge part in book 2! The ending, wow that ending. It was brilliant. It was painful, and emotional, and truly exciting. It wasn’t the kind of cliffhanger that makes you hate the author, but it will make you curse the year long wait for book 2 and keep you pondering theories!! “For even she knew there was only so much one could do to protect a winter moth drawn to an icy flame.” If you love Russian culture, magic, incredible imagery, and impossible decisions, this is definitely the book for you!

Vika Andreyeva has lived her whole life on Ovchinin Island with her father, Sergei. She has been training her whole life to be the Royal Enchanter. Not knowing that there was another enchanter out there, Vika and Sergei are surprised to receive a summons from the Tsar to take the oath for the Crown's Game. Nikolai Karimov was taken from the Kazakh Steppe when he was seven by a noblewoman named Galina to train to be the next Royal Enchanter, but unlike Vika and Sergei, Galina and Nikolai know that there is another enchanter. So rather than just training to be the best that he can be, Nikolai is more so trained to defeat his opponent. The three main characters in this book are Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha, the crown prince of Russia. This story is told from all three of their POVs, plus a few other people. With all the different POVs in this book and all the changes in narrator throughout the book, I felt like it was a little hard to connect with some of the characters on a really deep level. But all the POV changes makes for short chapters which makes for an easy time finding a good stopping point! Vika has been raised in the woods of Ovchinin Island all her life. Being kind of an outcast in the village, she really only spends time with her father. Being raised the way she was, she doesn't really have the manners of the more noble people of St. Petersburg and this can be seen when she first meets the Tsar when she takes her oath. Vika is smart, she's tough, and she can hold her own in this challenge! Nikolai was born to a faith healer who died during childbirth on the Kazakh Steppe. He was raised by the village he was born in, but they weren't sure what to make of him and his magic. So he was taken to St. Petersburg to train for the Crown's Game at age seven. He has had to work for everything that he has and he tries really hard to fit into his upperclass household with no help from Galina. He is really sweet and hardworking and I don't even know, but I loved him. Pasha, the crown prince of Russia, pretty much has his head in the clouds all the time. He does his best to shirk his duties as the tsesarevich in favor of going on new adventures with Nikolai, who is his best friend. He doesn't really seem like Tsar material, but I think that he just has his own way of showing how much he cares about Russia and maybe just needs to grow up a little bit. He is a fun character and always seems to be up for some mischief. The synopsis makes this book out to have a love triangle, but I really don't see it that way. While two different boys do have feelings for Vika, I think in order for it to be a love triangle she has to return the affections of both boys to an extent and that is not what I saw happening. It is pretty clear who she wants to end up with. But she's a smart girl and knows that it's not practical for her right now to get into anything. There really isn't anything steamy about the romance, but it is definitely cute. The steamiest the romance gets in this book is basically some intense magical dancing. The world building in this book is fantastic! I love knowing that if I were to visit St. Petersburg right now I would be seeing most of the places in this book just as they're supposed to be. Not just places that this book is based on, places that actually are in this book! That's so cool and it makes me wanna to on a trip to see it! I loved the descriptions of the places and especially all the food in this story! I want to try ALL of the goodies from the amazing bakery in this book! The bread, the pastry swan things, the cream puffs, the truffles, just all of it! The magic was fun to read about in this book! Vika and Nikolai both were impressive enchanters. Vika's magic seemed to be more elemental, more influential with things that are living and breathing. Nikolai on the other hand, his magic was more mechanical. He was good at building and creating. When you meet Vika and Nikolai in the beginning of the book, I think I was more impressed by what they were doing to practice their magic than by what they ended up actually doing in the Game. The things they were doing for practice seemed far more practical for the position they were trying to get than what was expected of them in the Game. But more on that slight disappointment a little bit later. Seeing what each enchanter could do was fun, seeing the creativity of each of them with their moves. I think my favorite thing was the magic surrounding the masquerade ball that takes place! Or the magic surrounding the fantastic bakery that pops up! This book reminded me a lot of the book The Night Circus, except, you know, infinitely better. BUT like in The Night Circus, I found the duel to be not nearly as epic as it is made out to be. For one thing, when they take the oath, the Tsar suggests they use their turns to do something impressive for the tsesarevich because it is his birthday. Okay, so you have these two incredibly powerful enchanters that you are forcing to fight to the death and what you want to base this life and death decision on is who can basically do the best party tricks to impress Pasha? Really? Seeing as the entire purpose of the Royal Enchanter is to be a close adviser to the Tsar in times of conflict and war, you'd think it would be more important to know that they have the power and ability to protect Russia in a crisis rather than see who can make St. Petersburg the prettiest. Also, it didn't even seem like the Tsar was paying any attention at all to the duel so how would he expect to choose a winner after he had "seen" what all they could do? Overall, I would definitely recommend this book! While I thought that the many POVs made it hard to connect with some characters and that the duel left a lot to be desired, I think the good outweighs the disappointment in this one! The characters are great, the magic is fun, the world is amazing! If you are a fan of The Night Circus, you better read this one!

I think Evelyn Skye has written a mystifying, exciting, knock-your-boots-off, and crazy-fantwesome debut novel! I loved every second of this book, and I need the sequel right now! The Crown’s Game has multiple character perspectives, which I enjoyed because it kept the plot moving at a fast pace. Vika, and Nikolai are the enchanters. They both use their magic in unique ways that it was hard to compare who had more power. Vika was much more attuned to nature, and Nikolai to metropolitan influences (clocks, buildings, etc.). Pasha is Nikolai's best friend and also happens to be the crown prince of Russia. Pasha really cares for the people of Russia, but his father and Tsar, and his sister, Yuliana, think he’s too soft. There are several other interesting characters that I liked too- here’s a link to Evelyn Skye’s Characters Page ([...]) to learn more about her characters. I did wish that we had a couple more chapters from Yuliana's perspective, only because I really liked her manipulative personality. I love the magic and the “Crown’s Game”. I don’t think I have ever seen this type of magic in any book that I have read, which is why I loved this book so much! The different moves that both Nikolai and Vika make during the Game are so inspiring and pretty much struck awe in everyone’s heart, including the reader’s. This book kept me on my toes, but there were some times that I did semi-predict what would happen in the plot. However, I am glad to say that I was surprised at how the book ended. (ALL THE FEELS PEOPLE…all the feels.) Evelyn has created an innovative world with magic, and it all takes place in Russia! With incredible enchanters, and an adorable prince, you don’t want to miss out on this book! So go get it! Seriously though, it’s one of the best books of 2016! (as you can tell with all of my exclamation points… :P)

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, so it's more than a little disappointing that I didn't like this book more. The Crown's Game follows multiple narrators, including Vika and Nikolai, the only two enchanters in all of Russia, Pasha, the crown prince, Yuliana, his sister, Galina and Sergei, Vika and Nikolai's mentors, and Aizhana, a mysterious figure who seems to have risen from the dead. There is a competition between Vika and Nikolai- they must prove themselves and become the official enchanter of Russia. The catch, whoever fails dies. While I don't dislike the idea of multiple narrators, it didn't always work here. It took away from each character's presence by shifting between them so frequently. Closer to the end this wasn't as much of a problem, since all the stories intersected, but it made it harder for me to connect with the characters. My favorites were Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha. Particularly, I liked how Vika and Nikolai conformed to the opposite gender stereotypes (does that make sense?) similarly to how Emma and Julian do in Lady Midnight. As for the setting, which has been getting the most praise, I must agree it the most vivid part of the book. Imperial Russia has a particular taste and Evelyn Skye managed to capture it in this novel. As vivid as it was, I do wish she had spent even more time describing and exploring it. My biggest problem with the book lies in the magic system. There don't seem to be any rules for how it works. There's clearly a limit, since the book does eventually touch on the idea of using too much magic, but I wish it had been set up early on and that there were more defined rules to it. It felt sloppy for a long time, and when a cost was finally included, I just didn't buy it as much. The ending was one of my favorite parts. I thought it was well done and a surprising twist to the whole thing. It certainly doesn't end like many other books I've read. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this duet (I think there are only two, but I could be wrong) even though I only gave it three stars. It is a debut and it really wasn't that bad, so don't let my star-count sway you completely.

I really loved this book and was surprised to see so many 1-star reviews, but I think that may be because of expectations versus delivery. From the publisher's info, it seems like this is going to be one of those sweeping epics everyone is writing these days, another Game of Thrones. This is more of a fairy tale, however. The whole story has a very light touch, not overly dark or violent. It reminded me of Novik's "Uprooted" which is also a kind of modern fairy tale that has male and female enchanters/magicians working magic together. I disagree with other reviewers that there is "insta-love" here. There is an immediate attraction because of a magical connection and also an infatuation. But the fairy-tale atmosphere makes me willing to go with it. This book is very similar to "The Night Circus" but I did feel more of an urgency and danger to this wizard's duel than I did from Night Circus. One thing I took issue with was the ambiguous ending. Is there going to be a sequel? I loved the characters and felt like there was much, much more to be said about them, but another book in this series would need to find a new conflict. The ending was a bit of a disappointment and I was more excited about the book before I got to that point. I would definitely read a sequel or other work by this author. This book's strength is the descriptions. Everything is vividly and lovingly pictured: clothes, buildings, food, furniture. I was totally sucked in to the girly aspects of this book: the pumpkin bakery, the masquerade ball, the dashing gentlemen. I want more! I want more of what's good, but I also want more from the writer. I want her to explore her characters more, have them really interact with each other in more meaningful ways than "Hey remember when we danced together?" I look forward to what comes next.

Wow! Where should I begin? This book had so much HYPE. I bought into that hype, I fully admit it. I am happy to say that it was well warranted. The Crown’s Game is pretty amazing, I am so excited to tell you about this book. The Crown’s Game is set in Russia. The scenes are vividly described. The two main characters come from different places, but they have this game in common. In the beginning they are both being trained by a mentor to win the Crown’s Game, then they go off to actually play the game. In the game they each get just a few turns to prove they are better. The winner of the Crown’s Game gets to be the Tsar’s enchanter (or um, enchantress) and then their job will be to protect the Tsar from all enemies. Their mentors know that only one can survive the game, so they must be smart and ruthless when the time comes. What they don’t know is that they is more at stake then just their lives. Ugh, okay, so my little summary doesn’t EVEN do this book justice. This whole story takes place in Russia! Specifically the countryside, Ovchinin Island, and the capital, St. Petersburg. There is so much to see in this story, and it flows really well. Besides the awesome locations we are really immersed in Russian culture. Everything in this book is so well detailed; the food, the costumes, the parties, the housing, the everyday dress, the climate… almost everything. The descriptions are well weaved, I felt like I was right there. I loved Nikolai and Vika. Although they are really different, this magic is something they have in common and they compliment each other. I so wanted things to be easy for these two, but alas, that was not to be. Vika was a such a great female heroine with her wit and bravery. And Nikolai was the ultimate tortured male lead with his heart and loyalties being tested. Yez, these two stole my heart. There are layers and layers of elements to this story. The Crown’s Game encompasses some politics, old rivalries, and a lot of relationship drama. The Tsar’s son (the Tsesarevich) is Pasha. Pasha is really interested in life outside of being the Tsesarevich. He sneaks out and befriends Nikolai. Pasha goes against his families wishes and then he lusts for Vika. Pasha manages to weave himself into the lives of both elementals before he even realizes they are in the middle of a game. I am sure we will see more of Pasha in future books of this series. Pasha and the royal family is one story that needs to be told. This story did have a few flaws. Should we talk about them? I loved this story enough to overlook everything, but I guess this review wouldn’t be complete without that stuff. The romance, although I adored it, was a bit of insta-love. I would have liked to see more development between certain elementals before they pledged their undying love. Also, there is a bit of a triangle, as much as we HATE that. Ugh! Also, and maybe this is just me but, there seemed to be other magicians in this place when I thought our elementals were the only two. The rules for who had magic weren’t clearly explained. I hate being unclear rules for magic. Okay, other than those little things I really loved this story. I think this will appeal to fans of Sarah J. Maas and Leigh Bardugo (two of my favorite YA fantasy fiction writers). This was a great story all by itself, but I am delighted to know it is the start of something new.

I was curious how I would feel about reading a semi-historical piece. It’s so far off my usual genre that I was all ready to declare meh and not bother reading farther. Boy, was I wrong. So wrong in fact that I could barely put it down. From the instant I met Vika and Nickolai and Pasha I was hooked. Author Evelyn Skye did a fantastic job of character development and the more We read on the more the more I fell in love with the story. Aw…the story. Without giving the Game away, I’ll simply drop morsels in this review. Vika and Nickolai are enchanters. Wizards if you will, and they’ve been groomed since birth to become Imperial Enchanters for the Tsar of Russia. But there can only be one and the competition to determine that one is lethal for the loser. Unfortunately forbidden love influences who wins and who dies. Prepare to be amazed, enthralled, fall in love within the tapestry of words that Evelyn Skye Weaves in this magical tale of fantasy.

The Crown's Game takes place in an alternate 19th Century Russia. I immediately fell in love with this book for that specific reason. It gave me Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo feels. I've become accustomed to falling head first into the wonderful and beautifully descriptive writing of Russia's landscape. And Evelyn Skye did not disappoint. Vika and Nikolai are enchanters. Both wield powerful magic and can manipulate things very differently. While Vika's magic is tied to manipulating natural elements like water, wind, fire, and air, Nikolai can manipulate objects and bring them to life. There's only supposed to be one enchanter, and he/she is supposed to protect the Tsar and Tsarina, Russia's King and Queen and the rest of the empire. However, every few generations, the well of magic splits into two, creating two enchanters. When this happens, they must participate in an ancient event called The Crown's Game. Each competitor gets 5 moves each to showcase their powers. They can be aggressive moves, or less harmful moves. At the end of the game, the Tsar must choose, and when he does, the loser immediately dies. It is in that moment, the remaining enchanter will have the full well of power. Vika and Nikolai were destined to be doomed lovers. This kind of "star-crossed" love never gets old. Vika is a natural spitfire, both in beauty and her personality. She is intelligent and is a fierce fighter. While Nikolai is more reserved and more observant. Their magic and personalities compliment each other. I fell in love with the grand creations they made with their magic. It drew me in like a moth to a flame, and I was deeply captivated by the descriptive writing of each creation. Plot wise, there were some curveballs, especially the one at the end. I do admit that I did feel like the plot could have been turned up a few notches. I never got the proper duel between the two enchanters, like I was hoping for. Nonetheless, it was the character development of Vika and Nikolai that kept me reading. We also get introduced to Pasha, the heir to the throne. He becomes smitten over Vika from the moment he laid eyes on her. He's also Nikolai's best friend. You can imagine, the love triangle drama that ensues from this trio. Pasha is also ignorant of enchanters and the ancient game both Vika and Nikolai are playing. However, he isn't dumb. He knows something is going on and he eventually finds out everything. Which of course, this winds up having dire consequences. I'll just say this. The blow up is real. And it had me at the edge of my seat about to combust like one of our main characters if they were to lose the crown's game. The Crown's Game is said to be a cross between the Night Circus and the Grisha Trilogy, as I mentioned the latter above. The books strong point is the apparent research that went into creating this 1825 alternate version of Russia. A reader can easily lose themselves in the Russian culture and all that it has to offer. I recommend anyone to pick this up and give it a shot.

Digamos que está más o menos; es un libro ameno para entretenerse cuando no hay nada mejor que hacer, pero no es una historia que no puedas dejar de leer...

Even after finishing this book I’m unsure as to what I should feel about it. For me it was rather slow and it was as if there were no omg moments. The only thing that kept me gripped was the historical element to it. I don’t know if I’ll give book two a try or not.

Lo compré para hacer un regalo y a la niña le encantó. Ya conocía la saga.

This book is so magical! It's not perfect, some aspects could have been developed in a better way, but I truly enjoyed it anyway!

a wonderful book which offers escapism. .and adventure with unrequited love and romance. I could not put it down and was completely engrossed