Book Club recap by Kara Eng, grade 12

The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye

Summary: Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are the only enchanters in Russia, and when the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threaten to attack, the tsar wants a powerful enchanter by his side, and as an advisor for the prince, Pasha. He initiates the Crown’s Game, a duel of magical skill, and the winner will become his Imperial Enchanter; the loser will die. For Vika and Nikolai, the game is a chance of a lifetime, but they come to realize that their growing regard for each other makes the game impossible to win. And as long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes increasingly clear to them that theCrown’s Game is not one to lose. –from the publisher


For October, YA Book Club read The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye. While the premise was not unique, the plot and the execution of the novel made it stand out. While many of us had a favorite character, some of us felt that other characters were one-dimensional. The romance of the novel also had some mixed reviews. While YA Book Club had a clear favorite amongst the love interests, we felt that the love triangle was not as well executed as other parts of the plot. The magic of The Crown’s Game was well received, with people appreciating the way that each character’s magic fit their personality. Although many in YA Book Club felt that The Crown’s Game seemed to focus more on setting up the rest of the series, we still enjoyed the story and its (sometimes predictable) plot twists. Most said that they would read the next installment in the series. Overall, YA Book Club gave The Crown’s Game  an average of 4.13/5 stars.

Find this book in our catalog:  The Crown’s Game

Call number:  YA SF SKYE,E

399 pages