Welcome back to Castellane, where the rich elite and neighboring kingdoms circle the royal family like the city’s infamously ferocious crocodiles closing in on their next meal. It’s been a few months since the events of Sword Catcher, and Cassandra Clare wasted no time catching us up to speed in its highly anticipated sequel, The Ragpicker King. It’s time to learn the consequences of Lin’s proclamation and see how Kel is managing the many secrets he’s keeping.
Kel knows his heart to be true and his dedication to Prince Conor’s safety unwavering, but his actions say otherwise. Operating on orders from the captain of the guard in the palace and a criminal king in the city, Kel is playing every angle he can to uncover the people behind the violent events of book one. Meanwhile, the Ashkar people behind The Sault’s walls are grappling with the return of their Goddess and the subsequent arrival of their leader to verify her claims. All the while, Lin continues her forbidden search to use magic and heal her friend, but is put under pressure to solve a mysterious illness in the royal family. The fate of the kingdom is left to a Sword Catcher and a physician, who are keeping the fires at bay lest Prince Conor and Castellane go down in flames.
Overall, I love where The Ragpicker King’s story takes us, but I don’t love how we get there. I felt like I was on a train arriving at all the scheduled stops on time until it ultimately arrived at the final destination that I saw from miles away. This book’s main priority was getting the players where they needed to go so everything could be set up for book three. So while it was fun, it also felt flat. This book is working overtime to make sure the plot is moving, and the scenes pass by in a blur as the train speeds forward toward the end. It lacks the usual effortless progress that surrounded Sword Catcher and feels more like Clare is straining to force the pieces together. Where Sword Catcher was unpredictable and shocking, Ragpicker King pulls us into every scene and posts plot directional signs so we know what to expect.
And no one’s storyline had brighter, neon signs lighting the way than Kel’s. This was the most disappointing aspect of the book, because Kel’s perspective in book one is where we learn and uncover so much. But now that he is established between the two opposing forces in Castellane, Kel sees everything, and the reader loses the element of surprise during his POV. I do want to point out that Kel’s character arc in this book is very fitting and true to who he is. Kel is a little naive and way too trusting, so ultimately Ragpicker King does honor him and the role he is meant to play, even if his current evolution was not as fun. Lin, on the other hand, does the heavy lifting to build on the world, politics, and history of the realm. We get to discover some very interesting things through her POV, and because of that, I enjoyed her arc so much more.
I believe this book was meant to vamp and fill the space until book three can use critical points established in this novel as a springboard. Everything I shared above contributes to this belief, but the way Clare treats the big bad is further proof. A villain is finally revealed in Ragpicker King, but they spend a lot of time waiting in the shadows. Sure, they dutifully contribute and make a move when the plot train arrives at the appropriate station, but they’re realllllll quiet otherwise. The big bad likes to tread water (although not in the crocodile-infested ones) and bide time in this book. Again, the focus is on moving the characters quickly through the motions, so the big bad can’t constantly appear and interrupt. This villain does have a slow “sowing the seeds of chaos” method, but they feel more like a tool in this story than an actual character at this point.
It may not seem like it, but I did enjoy The Ragpicker King. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite strike a good balance while expanding the world, bringing in more players, and setting the stage for book three. While it was still fun, it lies in the shadow of Sword Catcher, but the price paid here may be worth it for where the story is heading, and I truly cannot wait for it to continue.
Rating: The Ragpicker King – 7.0/10
-Brandee
