Han and Raisa’s relationship definitely heats up in this book. It doesn’t feel like the author has placed women in all of the positions of power either since there are still males wielding influence-it’s more like there’s a balanced mix. That said, not every female is a force to be reckoned with, including Raisa’s sister Mellony. Raisa is queen of the Fells, Elena Cennestre is matriarch of the Demonai clan, Willo is head of the Marisa Pines clan, Mina Abelard is dean of the Mystwerk House at Oden’s Ford, and Char Dunedain is general of the army. It is refreshing to see women in positions of real power throughout this book. SPOILER ALERT: Things you might want to know before suggesting this to your kid Roles of Women Raisa is torn between whether to marry for political reasons or for love. Lord Bayar, the High Wizard, has other plans to marry Raisa off to his son Micah in order to grant more power to the wizards. The matriarch of the Demonai clan has joined with Raisa’s father in trying to convince Raisa to marry someone of clan descent to increase the clan’s power within the queendom. Han and Raisa’s relationship provides an interesting twist to this political maneuvering.

The competing agendas of Han, Raisa, the clans (including Raisa’s father), the wizards, and other regions seeking to take over a queendom in turmoil all culminate in a battle between the Arednians from the south and the people of the Vale. His situation becomes more complicated when someone starts murdering wizards and leaving behind the sign of the “Flash and Staff,” Han’s gang symbol. Meanwhile, Han Alister finds that very few trust a former streetlord to be Queen Raisa’s bodyguard or to serve as the Queen’s representative on the Wizard’s Council. Her determination to focus on re-uniting the different factions within her realm is constantly challenged by conflicting opinions among her advisers. In The Crimson Crown-the fourth and final book of the Seven Realms series-Raisa assumes the role of Queen of the Fells after her mother was murdered at the end of Book 3, The Gray Wolf Throne.

The crimson crown series