Scottish history lovers rejoice, look no further for a fun read to learn a wee bit about medieval Scotland's history. This story follows Languoreth, twin to the man that inspired the legend of Merlin, from 10-mid thirties as she grows up and becomes a woman in 6th century Scotland. She is bound by duty and thus sacrifices her desires for the good of her people. There's love, betrayal, and magic. The Lost Queen is a fast-paced, well written historical fiction novel.

I liked the writing style. I like to learn new words and expand vocabulary knowledge, and this book certainly offers new big words to learn. The Lost Queen offers a unique and original take on Scottish historical fiction. The fast pace of the novel kept my attention and desire to read until the end. The author's notes at the end of the story give a good look at the inspiration and some sources behind the historical basis of the characters, which I appreciate. Languoreth has a few lines throughout the story that I felt were very iconic and makes her a loveable character.

However, one of the description lines likens it to the Outlander series, which I think is misleading. The similarities of this book to Outlander include a strong, stubborn main (woman) lead, living in historical Scotland, who is familiar with herbal healing remedies. The love triangle could be considered a similarity, but the story of Languoreth's love does not compare to the love conflict of Outlander, to me. Also, The Lost Queen has no time travel aspect, so if that is something you're looking for this is not that, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. I think this story stands independent from Outlander in a good way, and comparing it in that way was a determent rather than helpful.

Overall, I would recommend this book to people who enjoy historical fiction/fantasy combination stories. It is well written and researched by the author and makes for an engrossing read that keeps the reader turning the pages.

*Some spoilers below this. These are some of the things that take the reader OUT of the novel mid-read. *

The love that Languoreth shares with her lover Maelgwn relies heavily on the idea of "love at first sight" and seems to be mostly based in lust/passion throughout the book. Their love is missing a few more in person meetings that don't involve a spicy interaction, for me. In the story, Languoreth acknowledges that love is "more than just passion," but does not ever elaborate on the aspects of her husband that she must have grown to love over the seventeen-year span we see of their marriage.

I was confused by the time jump and the pregnant after the first encounter of Languoreth and her lover. Additionally, to skip the wedding scene entirely and not have more specific markers of time passing makes this part of the story muddy for me. Either their first encounter results in the pregnancy, or they (Languoreth and lover) have another meet up after her marriage? Unclear. The passing of two years in between these parts of the story muddle this aspect.
An event that irked me at the end of this story is the random appearance of an unnamed groom character who becomes a messenger for Languoreth. According to Languoreth, her family "took him in when [she] was little, and he has always been loyal in return." The lack of attention to this detail seemed to prove that this occurrence was just made to further the plot. He doesn't even have a name, just "my groom." If it was mentioned in Part I of the story, it wasn't memorable, because he doesn't even have a name. It just came off as an obvious, easy way to solve the problem at the end of the story.

As a history person, one thing the front of the book (e-book version) was missing for me was a map. I hope the print editions of this book include a map in the beginning of the book, as I think it would have been immensely helpful for understanding the lay of the land.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an e-book copy of this book.

I have read plenty of Scotland based romances and mystery, but nothing like this book.

There's plenty of intrigue, romance, religious and political strife to read about, layered with superstitions and druids. Merlin, the heroines brother, takes the back seat in this book.

Descriptive and enjoyable to read.

Phenomenal! I’ve never read this author before, and what an introduction. Intriguing world-building where I was easily pulled in, able to visualize the characters and their surroundings. I’m usually not big on political fiction, but the author made it so easy to follow and understand without boring me. Languoreth won my heart as a young girl who wanted so much more than what was offered to and expected of women at the time. I can’t wait to move on with the series! Thanks so much for introducing this author and world to me!

The Lost Queen by Signe Pike was a beautifully written story!
The settings described are lush and beautiful, but it is the people who draw us into the intrigue!

I am enjoying this book so much! Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author. All opinions are my own.

Beautiful writing. It was a little slow to get into at the start, but thoroughly enjoyable to read. If you enjoy Arthurian fantasy, this is a good one for you.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an eARC of this novel in 2020 in exchange for an honest review. My deepest apologies for my review being so egregiously late.

For some reason 2024 is the year of King Arthur’s resurgence in my reading selections. Earlier this year I read Legendborn, which is a young adult fantasy King Arthur reimagining, and now I’ve just finished this novel which narrates the story of those adjacent to Pendragon. There is something so whimsical and heartbreaking about historical fiction. It draws me in so deeply I have a hard time finding my way back to the present.

We follow one character through her journey from girlhood to teenager, to a mother in her early thirties. Languoreth’s world is full of interesting characters; some who fleetingly pop in and out of her tale, and others who remain steadfast in their ties to her. As the daughter of a king she is at the center of it all, and watches how the world changes around her with a birds eye view.

I loved watching Languoreth and her twin brother (as well as their cousins) grow up throughout this novel. Getting to see these characters go from wryly children in the woods, to adults struggling under the weight of the world, made me so much more empathetic to their causes.

I am no expert in this time period or setting in history, and did struggle to keep a lot of the players organized in my mind as the novel progressed. It was incredibly easy to be on Languoreth’s side of things, and to distinguish who was friend, foe, or ally. However some of the political discussions between characters oftentimes felt a bit overwhelming, and I allowed the information to go in one ear and out the other. This story has piqued my interest, and I’d love to have a better grasp of the time period. I think it would heighten my love for this book even more, and make it a more well rounded reading experience overall.

I go back and forth between labeling this novel as historical fiction or historical fantasy. The fantasy elements included are simply the ideologies of the time and people. Spirits of the woods, signs and signals from the animals and the wind that can alert the witness of great change. Making tinctures and potions for healing from the plants surrounding the keep. Having visions of future events or glimpses of otherworldly beings. I’ll leave the fantasy or fiction distinction up to other readers, as I am too torn to definitively label it myself.

Throughout the novel Languoreth encounters her one great love. These moments were incredibly sweet, and had my own heart racing at each interaction. Their first intimate moment together is a fade to black scene, while their second does get just a smidge more graphic. Despite this novel showcasing Languoreth’s love for another, their romance is not the driving force of the story. Although I loved the romantic undertones, I think many romance readers could come out of this novel a bit disappointed.

Remember when I said historical fiction can be as whimsical as it is heartbreaking? This novel not only showed the true reality of a princess being married off to a man who is not her lover, but it also showed her making some incredibly challenging decisions for her children. The last few chapters of this novel left me sobbing right alongside Languoreth as she once again did what she thought would be best not for herself, but for her people, and in order for the Old Ways she sought to protect through her influence and power, to survive.

Languoreth’s story is one I will not soon forget, and I’m genuinely terrified to start book two (I say already 52 pages into it). I need to know what will happen next. I need there to be a happily ever after. And even though I need these things, I do not expect to see them in the coming pages. Languoreth’s story so far was one of hard truths, love and loss, family and enemies. I am frightened to know what disastrous outcomes will arise as her story continues to unfold. But I am even more frightened to be left in the dark wondering.

I can't explain it, but I just cannot get interested in this book. I have tried several times but keep putting it down in favor of another book. I'm not certain why, the summary sounds great, but this just isn't a book for me. I think, perhaps it might appeal to others who like historical fiction. Maybe I'll try again in the future, but I'm very much a mood reader and just couldn't get into this book.

(Rounded up from 3.5 stars)

When historical fiction is done right, it can be very, very good and you can learn a lot. That’s how I felt while reading The Lost Queen by Signe Pike. It’s a long book, over 500 pages, but it was worth it. At one point, I thought about skimming to get to the end, but then I'd read something that made me keep going and so I wound up reading the whole book eventually. The story takes place from about 550 to 575 AD in what is now the Glasgow area in Scotland. The story follows Langoureth, from when she is ten years old, the daughter of a local king (but not the “high king”). Her twin brother is Lailoken, who shows talent and will be groomed as a Wisdom Keeper (Druid), as well as being trained as a warrior. Their relationship is very close and Langoureth feels the limitations that being female AND the daughter of royalty mean for her future.

This was a time of change in the area, with Christians starting to take over from the “old ways” of the Britons. There are a lot of references to what will eventually become the Arthurian legends. The author’s note at the end was quite informative.

While I received the eARC from NetGalley (quite some time ago!), I wound up bouncing between the ebook and listening to the published audiobook by Simon & Schuster Audio. The narrator, Toni Frutin, did an excellent job with the many voices. It really helped to hear how so many personal names and place names were pronounced!

The Lost Queen was published in 2018 and the next book in the trilogy, The Forgotten Kingdom, was published in 2020, so perhaps the third and final book will be published not be too long in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I am rather late to it. All opinions are my own.

Signe Pike is now one of my favorite auto-buy authors. The world she creates in The Lost Queen is engrossing and I look forward to more titles from this series.

As someone that loves Arthurian Legend, I was super excited for this book. I enjoyed that the focus was on a figure that is not as well known, especially a woman. I highly recommend this to readers that enjoy medievalism and Arthurian legend. It was a beautiful read.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this one. I am a historical fiction fan, but this one just didn't do it for me. I also wasn't aware of how violent it ended up being. Just not for me.

*Thank you @atriabooks for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Review not posted to Amazon/Goodreads because less than 4 stars or DNF.*

This book is great. I really enjoyed the plot, the world building and the characters. I liked how descriptive it was and how it gripped me.

A long forgotten Scottish queen - Languoreth is known as a powerful medieval queen. Her twin brother, Lailokenm, became Merlin.
I'm a huge fan of King Arthur - specifically the women. This book did not disappoint.

This book took me a while to get into, but after about 180 pages, I was hooked into the story. The writing is beautiful and the world is completely immersive. I think a large part of the slow start had to do with needing to set up the history and early years of Languoreth and creating the world. The ending has me immediately wanting to pick up the second book, so I'm very glad to have it ready!

This book is one I've started and stopped a few times, but unfortunately it's just not capturing my attention. I even switched to audiobook, but the bottom line is that I thought I would enjoy a fantasy historical, but it's not for me. DNF @ 25%. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I was intrigued when the story was described as Outlander meets Camelot. It took a bit to get used to the names but then I was completely engrossed in the story.

A fantasy set in sixth century Scotland. The story of Merlin's sister, Languoreth. It's filled with political and religious drama and a little romance. The love story was truly insta-love in the literal sense with no build up or questioning. Lots of action and great story-telling.

I need to read the next book in the trilogy soon.

I’ve had this arc for years and unfortunately I don’t think the writing is for me. I struggle with fantasy sometimes and this is a little heavier for my tastes. DNF

I had no good reason for putting off reading this book for so long. Maybe it was mostly due to how long it is, at around 500 pages. But picking it up right as the seasons turned from summer to fall was the best decision. There is something about settling in with a chunky historical fiction-with a hint of fantasy-novel that makes you want to savor the cooler temps.

The Lost Queen is the first in a trilogy about the sixth century Scottish queen, Languoreth. While her twin brother would eventually become the inspiration for Merlin, she is mostly lost to history. In this first book, we follow her from her youth through her young adulthood, as she comes into her own. There is war, romance, and strong themes of the importance of family and faith.

As someone who as spent a lot of time studying the Middle Ages, I appreciate this way of shedding light on a figure often overlooked by scholarship. Pike enables us to imagine what life may have been like for Langoureth and her brother. in a world on the brink of change by the arrival of Christianity.

I am eager to see where this story goes next in book 2. This might be one of those series that I fly through, at least until book 3 is published!

"I believe it was time Languoreth stepped from the mists of history to take her place in our hearts, our minds, and our memories." -Signe Pike

I was absolutely blown away by this book. I've never been the hugest fan of reading books based on the Arthurian legends, but Signe Pike has made me a believer. I was instantly drawn in by her beautiful and captivating writing, eager to find out what would happen next. This book is a beautiful blend of history and magic, attractive to historical fiction and fantasy lovers both. I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy.