The King of Attolia / Megan Whalen Turner / 385 pages

This is the 3rd book in the series about the fantasy kingdoms of Sounis, Eddis and Attolia. In this book, the thief Eugenides marries the woman he loves (the Queen of Attolia) but struggles because he does not want the responsibility of being king and fights against it. He does not have the respect or the loyalty of the Attolians who feel he is the puppet of the Queen. He survives several assassination attempts by members of the court. In the end Eugenides being the clever plotter that he is, strengthens the kingdom, wins the respect and loyalty of his subjects, and accepts his role as King. The characters are enthralling and you really care about them warts and all. The plot is complex and intriguing. The book gives a good view of what it is like to be royal and that's certainly not is all it's cracked up to be. It's stressful and lonely. My highest praise is reserved for books that are satisfying and leave the reader wanting more and that's exactly what these books do. Highly recommended for grades 5 & up.