Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman

Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: August 18th, 2015
Pages: 411
Song I Played While Reading: Castle by Halsey
Rating: 3.5 stars

Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains, and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn, and in their ashes, empires rise.

Alexander. Macedon's sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world, but finds himself drawn to a newcomer...
Katerina must navigate the dark secrets of court life while keeping hidden her own mission: kill the queen. But she doesn't account for her first love...
Jacob will got to unthinkable lengths to win Katerina, even if it means having to compete with Hephaestion, a murderer shelter by the prince.
And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander's unmet betrothed, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

This book only solidified my love for pre-modern technology life. I don't know what exactly it is about the 19th century and earlier that makes me ache for horses and lanterns (or way earlier, as this is 340 BC) but sometimes I just want to jump into the past to experience life like that. No technology or cars or electricity or plumbing. I want to experience how different politics were back then, and the proper way to act like a lady (though I sure as hell would struggle with that), how different the fashion was, and what it was like to talk to a real gentleman. You know how some people say they were born in the wrong era? Well, I was born in the wrong century.
Legacy of Kings was the base of this trilogy, weaving together fact, fiction, and beautiful prose until a gleaming continent arose in front of us. I didn't notice the map until a minute ago, so I was basically inhaling these descriptions on Macedon and Persia and Epirus and all the other countries. Her writing was fantastic and realistic enough that I felt like I was in the story with the characters, swinging a sword or trailing behind them in the beautiful Pella palace.
I really enjoyed the batch of characters, though I was hesitant at first with Zo. I was beyond bored with most of her chapters and only started getting interested at the end. I know she's connected to the storyline because of her marriage to Alex, but besides that, I was at a loss to see how her struggles were relevant. Alex, Kat, Hephaestion, and Cyn were such an intricate group and I was fascinated with the way their storylines intertwined. I love multiple POV's, so this was a treat for me!
All I'm gonna say about Olympias is that she needs some serious help. Lock that bitch in a dark cell with her creepy-crawly friends.
The plot was slow-moving at times, but overall drew me in. I have a sense as to what Herman has planned for the next two books, and I'm REEEEALLY excited for it, especially with the big surprise we got at the end. It's gonna be so good, people. SO GOOD.

(2 mintes later)
Update: I was flipping through the pages to find a quote and NOTICED SOMETHING HUGE AND NOW I HAVE A THEORY THAT WILL CONNECT ZO WITH ALEX, AND OH MY GOD THIS BETTER HAPPEN IN BOOK 2.

Quote
"Weakness, he has learned, isn't in the arm or the leg or the back. Weakness is in the mind."

"Because sometimes it doesn’t help to chase after the thing you want. No. Sometimes you have to wait, however long it takes, until what you want most comes to you."

"You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor."