This is not good writing.

OK!!! After DNFing at 60% for a while, I picked it back up and powered through. I didn't dislike it in the end, but it was a slog to get through--and the protagonist is frequently unlikeable and also the narrator, which made the slow progress slower.

I did enjoy the own-voices rep--I am so happy there are more LGBT+ fantasy stories being published. The cast was diverse, also great. Though parts of the storytelling were a bit heavy-handed on topics of oppression, colonialism, racism, transphobia, other bigotry, I didn't mind it; there are surely a few readers, whether because they're young or privileged or clueless, who benefit from reading it.

But Wyatt is a jerk to pretty much everyone, including his supposed super-close best friend, and that doesn't change much throughout the book, unfortunately. Part of that I'm willing to chalk up to "teenagers being teenagers," BUT at the very least, there should have been more pushback on the page from the other characters in response to the assholery, especially from Briar. Plus, like, character development would have helped.

The plot has a pretty basic premise ("fated mates" type arranged marriage "bond" thing, ugh), but there are a lot of subplots. There's a lot of politicking/conspiring around the fairy kingdom's monarchical succession, Wyatt's engagement with the prince, stuff about a gate to a fairy alternate dimension/world??!, witch vs. fairy political tension complete with secret societies, Wyatt's family drama, international fairy kingdom diplomatic relations!?!!, and Wyatt's Mysterious Past. I don't think all of these separate threads were badly written or unnecessary, but they did slow down the pace at several points.

There was also a bit of weird presentation at points because of Wyatt being both the narrator (therefore guide to this magical world unknown to the reader) and the protagonist who is, um, actually a native of the magical world. A few years (two or three? so not much time at all) passed between the Mysterious Past and the novel, but the way Wyatt talks about the fairy kingdom, it's like he is a total newcomer at points and at other points the most expert to have ever experted about it. Like...pick a lane?

So, there's a sequel. I am hesitant to pick it up, BUT I want to read more from this author, who I think has a lot to offer, and I suspect the sequel might take into consideration some of the criticisms that other reviewers had about The Witch King.

It was very teen. Loved the representation, but very teen. Not for me.

This author's writing style did not work for me. The idea is really cool, but the characters all seemed fake. Like this is the kind of story a kid playing D&D would come up with except his friends are assholes and they just do random crazy shit for the whole quest to see how much they could fuck with everything.

This book is nothing less than exceptional. The story is interesting, and the world building is fantastic. As a queer trans teen, it was nice to see how seamlessly queerness and transness was woven into the story without it being the sole character trait, as seen in mainstream media. Wyatt was funny and rebellious and realistic and honestly such a mood. It was nice to see a teenager own up to his own mistakes and try to do better. This novel is also very relevant to the US, with how Asalin's systems of oppression are set up and how they continue to hurt and murder people as that was what the system was born from. This story speaks profoundly on this and proposes solutions that the world isn't ready for but desperately needs. Overall, the characters were complex, even the side characters, the plot was well thought out, and provides relevant discourse on American society and politics.

*I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review*

The Witch King instantly had my number with its awesome cover and engaging premise: Wyatt, a witch and trans guy, is the fated mate of the Emyr, his best friend and future king of the fae in Asalin. So much happens in this book! I had anticipated that the story would revolve around Wyatt and Emyr's relationship - and it does - but much of the focus is on the power imbalance and injustices in Asalin. As Wyatt reluctantly reenters Asalin - along with Briar, his human bestie - he becomes embroiled in conspiracies and the plight of the witches who are viewed as second class citizens. My favorite parts are the quieter moments: Wyatt rediscovering his favorite places in Asalin, spending time getting to know Emyr again, and bonding with Briar. I also enjoyed the secondary characters and learning about Emyr and Wyatt's childhood. The queer and diverse rep is really good. I was especially excited for the ace and nonbinary characters! I loved Wyatt's perspective and trans experience; it's unlike any I've come across in YA fiction and it was wonderful to read.

There were some things I struggled with while reading, like the pacing. At times the story felt slow and hard to focus on. I also got distracted by the constant updates on Emyr's wardrobe; it is very eclectic and fun but I didn't need to know what he was wearing at all times. I also would have liked some more consistent world building, like I don't think it was explained how the fae have managed to keep their kingdoms from being discovered by humans or why they chose to start using human currency but not consistently upgrade their technology.

All in all, a good start to a series featuring diverse and queer characters and a promise of more adventures to come!