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Sarah Arthur’s YA fantasy novel Once a Queen imagines a world like ours where stories come to life, but individuals have to return to reality.
*Once a Queen by Sarah Arthur, WaterBrook, 2024. 384 pages.
- Reading Level: 12-15
- Recommended For: 15-18
What happens after stories end? Eva is arriving in England to visit a grandmother she has never met, one her mother has refused to talk about. At 14, Eva is gangly and precocious, inclined to “blather” and painfully aware of her own feelings. When she realizes her grandmother lives at a beautiful manor and seems to want a relationship with her, Eva finds herself struggling. It is hard not to begrudge her mom for preventing a relationship between grandmother and granddaughter. But why does Eva’s grandmother roam the manor grounds at night? And why do all the manor staff act like the fantasy stories Eva was raised on are true? In Once a Queen, Eva navigates a world of secrets including some mysterious family tragedies. Along the way, she begins stockpiling secrets of her own. But where will the secrets lead? And are the stories real, or is it all a dream?
Readers familiar with fantasy will promptly think of C. S. Lewis and Susan Pevensie given this novel’s title and concept. Once a Queen is certainly a descendant of C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia. Yet, once readers have drawn a parallel, they will have to acknowledge that Once a Queen stands alone with its chapter quotes and mythic Tales of Ternival interlacing Eva’s story. A debut novel, some of the side characters feel two-dimensional and some settings (including the lovely bookshop!) seem to stretch reality. Still, this isn’t a novel about escapism, rather it’s about navigating relationships and growing up.
Sarah Arthur has written a beautiful, poignant fantasy novel that engages with deep themes of loss, suffering, and grief. Yet, as she engages with heavy themes, Arthur brings hope and redemption. Beautiful and well-written, Once a Queen is an excellent addition to the Christian YA fantasy genre.
Considerations: None
Overall Rating: 4.75/5
- Literary/Artistic Rating: 4.5
- Worldview Rating: 5.0
Read more about our ratings here.
Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader
- Book Review: *Swift by R. J. Anderson (R. J. Anderson’s Flight and Flame trilogy is another modern fantasy with strong Christian themes.)
- Book Review: *Dorothy and Jack by Gina Dalfonzo (For readers intrigued by Arthur’s Kinchurch, here is a look at one of her real inspirations!)
- Resource: Here Be Dragons: Fantasy/Sci-Fi List
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