The second book in the Chronicles of Castellane, “The Ragpicker King”, is a solid fantasy novel from Cassandra Clare. It will draw readers into the world of Castellane and absorb them in the dilemmas of multiple characters. Continuing readers of the series will be particularly delighted by the depth of the plot in this story and the way the relationships between characters are developed.
A word of warning. This is the second book in a trilogy, and it doesn’t completely stand alone. I hadn’t read the first volume, and although I found the story easy enough to pick up, the large cast and deep political background made it a little harder to pick up relationships and some of the details of what was going on. And because there is at least one more volume to follow, none of the prime plot strands are resolved here.
Even so, I thought this was a great book. Although it took me a bit longer than usual to get into it – which I attribute to not having the background from volume one – once it had its’ claws in me, this was a really absorbing novel which had me deeply involved in the political and personal maneuvering of the characters.
The story is not too hard to pick up. In Book One, a massacre threw the royal court into chaos, and the turmoil continues to echo through this volume. Prince Conor appears focused on negotiating a marriage that will help him to protect his country from invaders. But his Sword Catcher, his body double, has been drawn into investigating the traitors who caused the massacre.
Kel, the Sword Catcher, finds that the Ragpicker King – notorious ruler of the criminal underworld in Castellane – has valuable clues to a conspiracy that might overturn the monarchy. But getting those clues from him is a challenge in itself and draws Kel deeper into dark doings.
Meanwhile, their mutual friend Lin is caught between them. Prince Conor wants her to cure his father, who’s suffering from a strange magical malady. Kel wants her to help find the traitors. And Lin herself is facing the consequences of her claim to be the Ashkar Goddess reborn.
This is in many ways a story about trust: trusting yourself, trusting information, trusting your friends, making choices about who and when to trust. I quickly became absorbed in the dilemmas facing each character.
This is a complex novel, with lots of political layers, lots of character development, plenty of complicated relationships, and many different schemes from multiple people. I found it pretty easy to follow while reading, but there’s a lot, so this is a long and detailed book. I never found it slow or boring, though, or felt that any of it was unnecessary.
There’s not a lot of resolution here, which is perfectly reasonable for a middle book in a trilogy. However, it significantly advances the story and provides several revelations that are likely to surprise readers and make them consider a few things differently.
I really enjoyed this novel, enough that I’m going to go back and find the first in the series, and then wait eagerly for the finale to come. Highly recommended for fantasy fans, especially those who appreciate complex, layered plots, strong characters and believable relationships.
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading The Ragpicker King by Cassandra Clare. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
I’ve loved books for as long as I can remember, and I love sharing that joy.
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The Ragpicker King by Cassandra Clare – is Book 2 in The Chronicles of Castellane series ( TOR Pan MacMillan). The first book Sword Catcher apparently sets the scene – outlining the complex political relationships and historical background to the series, and undoubtedly a lot is missed when beginning with this the second book. The Ragpicker King is nevertheless a fascinating read, and many key elements of the political intrigue, history and rivalries in the kingdom of Castellane, can be pieced together.
The relationships between many of the characters in the book are closely intertwined, but the story mainly follows the points of view of Kel and Lin.
Kel is the Sword Catcher (or body guard)for the royal prince of Castellane, Conor Aurelian. Kel was taken as a young orphan boy to be the prince’s body double and is bound to protect him from all danger. He is fiercely protective of Prince Conor and loves him like a brother.
After a shocking massacre at the palace during which Prince Conor’s intended bride is murdered, Kel secretly hunts the culprits. To do so he teams up with the Ragpicker King, the head of Castellane’s criminal underworld.
Kel and Conor’s mutual friend is Lin. She
is Ashkar a race whose members are ostracized because of their ability to use magic. In addition, and unusually for a woman, Lin is a gifted physician/healer. Lin is also the granddaughter of Mariesh, the royal family’s councilor.
Lin is trying to learn as much of her people’s ancestral magic as she can, so that she can heal her best friend. However, in order to continue her research she has falsely proclaimed herself as her people’s returned Goddess. A claim that her people are bound to test! In the meantime Prince Conor has called upon Lin to use her healing powers on the king, who unbeknown to his people has been left in a zombie like state since the palace massacre…
Phew! There is a lot going on! But this book is very well written, the characters are well fleshed out and the intrigue quickly draws you in, so much so that even though it is quite long, it is hard to put down. I cant wait for the next book in the series to come out so I can once again immerse myself in the complex world of Castellane!!