I really wanted to love The Throne of Ash—the concept sounded right up my alley. A matriarchal society, political intrigue, hidden identities—it had all the elements I usually enjoy. But unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me.

The pacing was really slow, especially at the start. I found myself struggling to stay focused and was tempted to put it down more than once. The overly detailed descriptions made scenes drag, and I felt like we were told a lot but not shown enough—especially when it came to relationships and character dynamics.

I also didn’t feel much connection to the characters. The main character’s emotions and motivations didn’t feel convincing to me, and the romance felt underdeveloped. I wanted to care more about what was happening, but it just didn’t pull me in.

The worldbuilding had potential, and I liked the idea of the Queen’s face being hidden and how power was handled differently in this society—but those unique elements didn’t feel fully explored or satisfying in the end.

I can see how this might appeal to readers who enjoy slow burns with lots of court rituals and inner monologue, but it just wasn’t a fit for me.

Unfortunately I found this book to be a bit too slow for what I usually like in terms of the plot development. I loved the concept and ideas behind the book but felt these could have been developed more strongly and we could have had better world building which is something that is appealing to me in books. I also struggled with connecting with the characters unfortunately.
Thank you NetGalley for proving me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This author either hates commas, throwing them around haphazardly, or loves them so much so they have to share them with every sentence. Some of the phrasings come across clumsy and forced as the author put style over story, especially in the early chapters. There are small errors, such as the wrong their/they’re, the wrong your/you’re, aunt’s/aunts, and I was so annoyed by the awkward style and repetitive writing — so many next, so many contentments, so many blues and yellows, the word recalled used four times on one page (and I haven’t even made it to chapter three!) — that I began paying less attention to the story and more to the mechanics of the world. And that’s not a good thing. Before chapter two began I was so disconnected from this story.

The houses are … silly. The noble House of Fish, or Pottery, the noble house of Cloth? The matriarchy bit is fine; using men as breeding stock, fine. But it feels more like vibes and less like world building and every sentence I struggle to read makes me less interested in reading the next one. The houses, such as the House of Lemon, for example, are noble families that hold monopolies. And that’s … fine. This one noble house has a monopoly on each and every lemon coming in and being sold in the kingdom, but why call it the House of Lemon? That’s the part that bothers me.

And how goes the House of Pottery or Sugar or Wine manage these monopolies when there is a House of Trade? Or can the House of Trade only trade things that aren’t sugar, salt, fish and lemons? How does this work?

The writing is overly explanatory and stiff and the author tries too hard with the style and it comes across inorganic and fake. The constant use of commas is distracting, the world building is clumsy, I got to chapter three — when the House of Trade showed up — and realized how angry this book was making me. Honestly, this is poorly put together, poorly thought out, and not well written. A solid and utter pass from me.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

The book was dragging a bit, it felt mostly like a set up for books 2 and 3. It picked up in the second half, but most of the politics happened in the first half, which made them feel juvenile and clumsy. It was pointed out in the book that one of the characters trying to manipulate things was a bit politically inept, but they were the main example of political maneuvering, so it left a lot to be desired.

The matriarchal society was interesting. Harry is barely in the book and yet it revolves around him. The main character is obsessed with him, her every action, her every thought leads back to him and her desire for his body. She constantly thinks of him and claims to love him, but society is so sexist that she doesn’t even see him as anything other than an object of desire. I don’t think we ever really learn anything about Harry as a person, his true desires, likes, or dislikes, even when he claims to love her and wants to be with her, it is uncertain if it is true since Elizabeth is a bit unreliable.

Elizabeth is an unlikeable protagonist and I'm mostly sure this was her villain origin story. Aside from claiming to love Harry but not moving a finger to help, understand, or support him, it is also clear she despises her sister despite claiming to adore her or have mixed feelings.

Since we first see them the morning the queen unknowingly picks her lover as a consort, we don’t see their relationship as sisters before that or any of the love that she claims. She becomes bitter and angry at her sister for taking her man away, despite it not being her fault, and continues to blame her and hate her for it to the very end. Not once did it feel as if she loved her sister or anyone at all. And even at the end, she only becomes more hateful. She only seems to care about the horrible things that happened as far as how they affect her and her plans for the future.

The ending did get me interested in the rest of the series if there is a timeskip. It left a good setup for a succession war.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lissy Porter, and BooksGoSocial for providing a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

The Queen of the Throne of Ash is choosing a Consort whose responsibility it is to father a healthy daughter as next Queen in line.
Princess Bess hopes to be free of her responsibilities once there is a new hire for the throne and is looking forward to spend time with the man she loves and on which she has a contract.
When the female leader of his house is presenting him in the Consort ceremony for the Queen, she is fearing the worst will happen and is not allowed to inform her sister neither about her feeling or the contract which is drawn up. All comes as it must and her sister is choosing the man Bess loves as being the one who shall farther the next Queen.


I liked the idea of the book so war looking forward reading this story. Unfortunately the story could not sweep me away.

That men have no rights at all, their only use are to be used for providing the needed female heir to the houses. I thought this is a different view than usual so was interesting to see how the author is working this out. Unfortunately this was not done for me. We have the rivalry between the different houses which want to be close the crown and the games they play. For me this is only a hint and I was expecting more political twists. Also why men still have no right at all and most of all why they accept it was not clear to me.

The book is written in first person and the cloths are explained in long sentences in terms of the colours used and all the symbols on them. As this happens quite often at one point it was too much for my liking.
Also there was not really any pace in the story, not much happens, the story has no depth to me.
The female leader of the Consort house of Fish was for my point of view not well written. That she tries to go against all the high ranking houses in the kingdom because the Consort is coming from her home makes no sense to me. Men have on rights, are used for one thing only and this shall explain why she now wants to be from one of the lowest houses now the biggest one even so all her requests are more than dubious? Her approach had no finesse, no well thought out intrigues, ...

Also the character had for my liking no depths, seem shallow. OK due to the time talking about feelings, getting to know each other very well is not given but for me the conversations are too superficial.
It started that I really did not understand how the Queen acted when she was choosing her Consort. I mean so far she is not showing any emotions is hidden behind her mask and as she wants one candidate, because he is so attractive or maybe because she wants him (not sure about this) she is totally falling out of role? This did not make sense to me. Also her parents were discussing the political background who to choose to strengthen the crown and what is she doing? She chooses one from a very low house. Also that nobody is telling her that her sister has a contract on him did not really make sense to me.
Princess Bess makes not really sense to me. She is not telling her sister that the man she loves is offered as her Consort. When her sister is choosing him she states that she won´t take him after her sister had him. She is suffering as it seems like that the man she loves is enjoying fulfilling his duty to produce the next heir but still she wants him. As long as it fits she is following the Queen´s orders but when she is not interested in doing so she does what she wants. Either you follow your duty or you don´t but the mix described here did not convince me.

The fantasy aspect I am not seeing her at all (OK dragons are mentioned) as also the Tudor aspect was for my liking not really worked out.
I won´t spoiler here but the end of the book did absolutely not convince me and I asked myself why I was reading this book, why I was hoping that something will happen, give the story a good twist.
Unfortunately for me this did not happen.

For a great deal of this book I was remarkably bored. The beginning was tedious and made the story so hard to get into. I didn't understand why we were giving this opening scene such intense detail and play by play. The choreography of the entire story felt overdone. I don't need to know every twitch of someone's brow or when they sat down or stepped back during dinner. This scene felt like it should have been much shorter. Now having gotten to the end, I understand as setting the scene of the story in much needed depth. but it really almost had me setting this book aside at the 15% mark.
There were many times I wondered where exactly this was going. It didn't feel as though Elizabeth had very high stakes at all. This made the tension fall very flat. She was so invested in her lover but we had no reason to care about him. We had never seen them together or known what their love was like. While I did enjoy the overall voice and cantor of the narration it did feel overly descriptive. By this I mean that the narrator had little faith in the reader to read between the lines and so many things were said plainly and left little, if anything up to interpretation. I do wonder if that is purposeful - it lulls the reader into a false sense of security. The ending is a visceral surprise, one only barely hinted at throughout the story.
Ultimately this ending swayed my overall opinion on the book and despite my earlier complaints about tension and pacing, grammatical errors that usually put me off of an author, I will be continuing to read this series and look forward to more works from Lissy Porter

This was such a good book. I was totally surprised with how the book turned out. I loved reading about the kingdom and how they rule their kingdom. To see a different way to rule kingdoms and how the woman were the power source in this world was very interesting. I did feel for Bess and to see how she was betrayed then how she had to handle that betrayal was very interesting. The ending made me cry so hard. I don't think I could have been as strong as Bess was in the final bits of the book. I cannot wait to see what comes next as this book leads into what could possibly be another book.

A Queen. A Princess. And a Consort who must be chosen to ensure the future of the Throne of Ash.
The Queen's Face masks all—even the woman who wears it. None may see her without it, not even her Consort responsible for ensuring she brings forth a healthy daughter to succeed her. If he fails, being cast aside is the most favourable of outcomes.

When Queen Cecily unknowingly determines on her sister's lover as her Consort, ambition, jealousy, and the demands of courtly etiquette threaten the stability of the Throne of Ash.

Princess Bess knows only too well her responsibilities towards her sister, the queen, but when one of the powerful noble families attempts to ensnare both sisters with one lover, there can only ever be one winner.

This really kept me interested. The Characters were interesting. The plot kept me interested

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The synopsis of this book was intriguing to me. When I first read it, I was immediately drawn in to the world and the story, I wanted to know more. Overall, I enjoyed this book but it was not my favorite. I enjoyed the switching of the gender roles throughout the story, where normally women are cast aside in favor of men, it was the exact opposite here. The idea of a “forbidden” love triangle between a queen, her sister, and a consort was exciting and intriguing to me, but it didn’t pan out the way I imagined.

Again, I enjoyed the book, however I think it could have been further developed in multiple aspects. I wish there was also more history explanation. I am glad for the thorough explanation of the court hierarchy and the descriptions of the clothes and castle, however, I wish we had more lore explanation and depth given to the characters. There were scenes that seemed a bit repetitive over the course of the book due to the same conversations/arguments being had.

If you are interested in Tudor inspired stories, this would be right up your alley. I will most likely not continue in the series, but enjoyed the time I spent with the Throne of Ash.

A throne governed by ritual, a queen whose face must never be seen—even by the man chosen to father her heir. Two sisters, bound by blood and torn by duty. And a court where silence is strategy.

The Throne of Ash offers a fascinating concept: a matriarchal system where power lies in presence, absence, and the precise weight of every word. It’s a story of control, etiquette, and quiet ambition.

But for much of the book, I found myself waiting. The narrative moves slowly, deliberately. There’s beauty in that restraint, but also a sense of emotional distance. The characters feel poised at the edge of something—something that doesn’t quite arrive when you expect it to.

Only in the final 10% of the story does everything snap into place. The tension rises, the stakes crystallize, and the action surges forward with clarity and purpose. It’s in these final chapters that the book truly comes alive—sharp, adrenaline-fueled, emotionally resonant. That explosive finale is what lingers, what redeems much of the earlier restraint.

In the end, The Throne of Ash is a novel of high emotional stakes and quiet power, but one that reveals its full strength perhaps too late. A beautiful story—for those willing to wait for the fire beneath the ash.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I was intrigued by the premise of The Throne of Ash, as someone who has a love of the Tudor period and fantasy. The story is told through the eyes of the Queen's sister, Elizabeth, and you can very much see the influence of the Tudor period throughout this book. I enjoyed seeing the gender role reversal, which added a unique element to the story. Elizabeth's perspective really does show the prejudice held towards men in this society. I would have liked to have seen Elizabeth have some more character development and really get an insight as to why she loved Harry so much.

Overall, I found the pacing to be a little inconsistent, as a long time is spent on a particular event at the start of the book but then there are time jumps of months later in the book. I was also unsure as to the reasoning of some events towards the end of the book and why they had to take place. The world of the court and palace was build well, however I found some of the descriptions of clothes and characters to be a little repetitive.

Overall, I did enjoy this book but feel that it had potential for the plot to be developed further. If the politics of the Tudor period interest you, then I would recommend this book for you.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you, Lissy Porter and NetGalley for the early preview of this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Title: The Throne of Ash
Author: Lissy Porter
Format: e-book

Review:
Although this book started slow, with heavy detail on a specific event and the clothing worn to said event, I am invested in this story and I’m very much looking forward to the next book in this trilogy. I was very intrigued by a kingdom ruled by females where males are, in a sense, second class. This is a great spin of society as we have seen in through the ages, and a spin to King Henry VIII’s obsession with a male heir.

This story is told from the point of view of sister of the newly crowned Queen. Princess Elizabeth has had a secret lover from a less noble house and is obligated to maintain court etiquette when Queen Cecily selects him as her Consort.

This book was not “easy to read” and, for me, required some time to digest what was being said. I struggled connecting with characters deeply, as they don’t have much depth. But I do feel that the plot is interesting and becomes quicker paced within the last 50 pages.

A Queen who must choose a Consort to give her the best chance at having a daughter - the only heir worth having in this world where gender roles are reversed. A Princess who at the very beginning of the book sees the future she envisaged for herself abruptly wrenched from her grasp.

This story has a great premise, and I appreciated the thoroughness of the world building at the beginning in terms of the descriptions of the noble houses. I would have liked to see some further background provided to Princess Elizabeth and Harry’s relationship, as she continually goes on about being in love, and they had also slept together in secret. I think this would have helped with the character development as well, giving us more insight into what drives Princess Elizabeth.

At times the writing felt slightly repetitive, however given the book is from Elizabeth’s POV that is to be expected, and I didn’t find myself overly bothered by it.

Overall I felt the world building was done well, and the political intrigue of the Court of Ash kept me interested. The feminist take on a Tudor Court was compelling and I give this book a solid 3.5 stars. I look forward to the future books in the series.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for providing me with an ARC of Throne of Ash in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for this book!

I am a big fan of the Tudor era and I thought it was really interesting to see a take on it where it's a matriarchy. The social and political systems of the world were definitely some of the stronger points of the story, even if I did struggle with so many minor characters that I occasionally forgot who was who.

While the worldbuilding was great, I did find the plot of the story to be incredibly slow, and the stakes weren't too obvious to me until about halfway through. I also found the characters to be shallow and a bit one-dimensional, even the main character. She seems to fall very quickly for men and there was no depth or reason given to her relationship with Harry, we're just constantly told that she loves him.

The end was very fast-paced considering the rest of the story, and honestly was a bit confusing to follow at times. I'm not too sure if this is a standalone because it ended on an odd note, but otherwise it was an interesting concept but I think could have been executed better.

Well, I was very intrigued at the beginning, waited for something to happen throughout the whole middle, and felt entertained again the last 30 pages. I really like the concept of a matriarchy and seeing how even this society has negative outcomes like patriarchy but hell, yeah sister, let’s have a kingdom rolled by women! Was there too much focus on clothes? Was there an emphasis on confusing and seemingly unimportant politics? Was there an overuse of the word “lover?” Was there too much politics with very little story? Yes. I feel like I learned something, but don’t feel compelled to learn more. I very much liked this time period but I wish there was more character development and dialogue. Overall, a decent read though it feels like a long prologue rather than a full first novel of a trilogy. This was the first book I read on NetGalley and I’m very grateful to read something new!

The storyline was captivating, and the relationships between most of the characters were thoughtfully developed. While I noticed a few grammatical issues, they didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story and the richly imagined universe.

This was an interesting book. I have never read a book quite like this one. It is set in the Tudor era and it is a gender swapped world. I did not really like the writing style but I think other people would like the story.

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this eCopy to review

When I first opened The Throne of Ash, I was drawn into its lush, Tudor-inspired fantasy world filled with ambition, jealousy, and political intrigue. Following Queen Cecily and Princess Bess as they navigate the deadly game of choosing a Consort to secure their dynasty’s future, I felt immersed in the high stakes of court life, where every gesture hides an agenda.

Queen Cecily is captivating yet complex—powerful, yet vulnerable to the pressures of ruling and securing her realm. Her younger sister, Bess, provides a vivid foil, brimming with her own aspirations and loyalty. Their interactions felt authentic and raw, reminding me how familial love can be both a shield and a dagger.

The political manoeuvring was gripping. I found myself emotionally invested in the characters’ schemes and alliances. One standout moment was the intense banquet scene, where the tension between Cecily and a power-hungry rival had me gripping the pages, desperate to know the outcome.

The rich setting and compelling central characters make for an intense story of family rivalry

The Throne of Ash by Lissy Porter is a historical fiction inspired by King Henry VIII’s obsession to obtain a male heir, but with a gender bent twist. Here, a matriarchal society is in charge and revered, while men take on the expectations to provide a female heir for the throne. The novel is told through the perspective of the second sister to the Queen who watches her sister chose the man that she loves as the male consort to father her daughters. This causes jealousy amongst the sisters.

Unlike the history of the Tudor era, there is no true marriage for this world, and rather the use of men is watered down to only providing an heir for the crown. Though the mothers of the men are constantly in the background using their sons to elevate their homes, the men themselves are nothing but set dressing, and there is no depth to the male characters. This contradicts the actual women during this time. Both Catherine of Aragon and Anne Bolyn were some of the most intriguing people in the Tudor era, beyond the scheming of their fathers, so I was really disappointed that the men were not given any personality themselves.

The prose of this novel was also difficult to get through. Written in first person present, the sentences are choppy, all tell with no show, and dumps of repetitive exposition with little dialogue to forward the plot. Lines like “Queen’s Face” is heavily repeated to describe a ‘Poker Face’. The author fails at using any other terms like stoic, aloof, unreadable, etc. We also have repetitive lines where we are told something, and then repeated the same sentiment, only with different phrasing. Here is a list of a few of these instances:

“It’s a rare sight to see my sister’s hair. It’s a rare sight to see any woman’s hair. It signifies their virginity. The prize of being my sister’s first Consort is a rich one indeed.”

“It is unusual for an initial failure to be given another chance with the same Consort arrangement. It’s not entirely unheard of, but very unusual.”

“No one person, aside from the queen, makes the decisions within our kingdom. No one person but the queen is entirely in control of every aspect of the court of the Throne of Ash. She sits upon the Throne.”

“It’s as though I have donned the Queen’s Face. It’s as though I must be the one to hold aloft from revealing any emotion.”
“Here in the court of the Throne of Ash, women know how to prevent unwanted children. Here, in the court of the Throne of Ash, its imperative they do so.”

“I’ve allowed Lady Mary to apply some pale white powder to my face, and some brighter red colour to my lips. It will, I hope detract from the redness of my eyes and the blotchiness of my skin from all my tears. It will also mask me. I’ll wear my own version of the Queen’s face.”

Beyond this, the story seems lacking of depth, and the characters seem shallow. There is no intuitive thought, and the characters are having the plot happen to them, rather than their actions driving the plot. The choppiness of sentences took me out of the story, and the MFC’s whiney narrative made me dislike her, and not want to root for her. This story could have done better with a clear goal in mind, deeper world building, and a few more rounds of editing.

An alternative view of historical fiction in an Elizabethan parallel world where women are in charge and men simply tools for making daughters.

First book of a trilogy so lots left unresolved, but with a dynamic plot