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The American Royals Series: The Objective Review

   I have a very complicated opinion of Katharine McGee's American Royals series (which consists of two books: American Royals & Majesty). As a reviewer, I have to keep my opinions objective and spoiler-free; however, I don't always want to. I have some STRONG statements to make about these books' contents that cannot be expressed without spoiling large plot details. With this in mind, I am doing two posts for American Royals. One, being a spoiler-free review of the great aspects and issues of the books with a fairly detailed summary - just like normal. And two, the spoiler-filled rant on the frustrating parts / potential fixes / rave about relationships I loved. 

Without further adieu, the review. 



   Welcome to episode #1 of the American Royals series on BTP: the review. I'm your host, Hallie. The audience for this "episode" are those that have and HAVE NOT read Katharine McGee's two Royals books. 

SUMMARY

   The United States of America is a monarchy. No, this book isn't sinister and dystopian like other books that have America going down a different historical path like Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle. Katharine McGee's books are romantic and use America's alternate historical path as a way to introduce her characters (surprisingly generic - see below) in an interesting light.  

Beatrice is going to be the queen of America. No, really, it's not an 'if' like with most princesses around the world and throughout all of history. She will be Her Majesty Queen Beatrice Georgina Frederika Louise. Though laws have changed in the past generation to put her first-in-line for the throne after her father instead of her brother Prince Jefferson, Princess Beatrice must marry to appease the country. Easing America into having a queen instead of a king, Queen Beatrice must have a king consort to help her rule. Suitors are called - she even dates one. She's in love with someone else though. Someone who definitely canNOT be a king consort. 

Samantha is second best. Second-best daughter and second-best princess - Sam is the cast-off. Living in her sister's shadow has never been harder now that Beatrice's almost-queen-ly duties have kicked into high gear. At one of the MANY balls / events at the palace, Samantha finally meets someone that makes her feel special for her recklessly adventurous spirit. Sam is excited by the prospect of her surprisingly respectable beau until he goes out with...Beatrice...?

Daphne Deighton will be the princess of America, although her position is not as assured as Beatrice's. After dating Prince Jefferson for almost 3 years, Jefferson broke up with Daphne a couple months ago. On the very night before the termination of their romantic relationship, Daphne found Jefferson in bed with another girl and unrelatedly, her best friend injured and in a coma (was this an accident - everyone thinks so that's for sure). Determined to get him back, Daphne will stop at nothing to get her way. Something - someone - does get in her way. 

Nina, Princess Samantha's best friend, is that someone. Nina has loved Jefferson for a while now (a long while). Nina is not as keen on being in the spotlight as Daphne is, nor does she want to jeopardize her friendship with Sam (which infuriates her sometimes). It's not always easy being the cast-off's sidekick. Can she handle the growing spotlight as she lets her relationship with Prince Jeff become more and more public? 

REVIEW

There are three fundamental issues with these two books despite the fairly well-described characters and well-handled though complicated reinvented American history that supports a monarchy. 

1: McGee set herself up for failure.

   Katharine McGee sets up relationships - really sweet ones actually- in the first book. However, towards the middle of the book, you will begin to realize that the relationships simply will not be able to survive with the characters' responsibilities. For example, Beatrice will have to be in a relationship with a certain type of person to be queen. It is not even close to plausible that she marry the person she is in a relationship with the guy she loves in book 1. Plus, the various relationships all break up numerous times. It's not even just one couple that's always breaking up and getting back together: it is all of them. I was just thinking "either stay together or break up. I simply cannot handle the wishy-washy-ness anymore". 

2: Characters are predictable and lack depth.

   American Royals is told from multiple perspectives. The chapters switch between Beatrice, Samantha, Daphne, and Nina's points of view. These characters are generic: the perfect sibling, the cast-off sibling / black sheep of the family, the popular but mean girl, and the girl who is a part of a cultural minority but everyone in the books hates even though all the readers are rooting for her to succeed. I've read books with these exact characters in them multiple times. Sometimes traditional character archetypes can work; however, McGee tries to compound complicated relationships on top of these simple characters. The characters collapse under the weight of the failing relationships. 

3: The unsatisfactory nature of the ending (and the entire plot). 

   When I read a book of this nature, I like to feel satisfied by at least one character's success by the end of the novel. I even understand if the first book in a series ends with a total crappy ending - where everything is in chaos - so the author can fix the entire situation in the second book. McGee's first book ends in complete chaos (no one is happy - not one character is truly successful romantically or otherwise), but the second book resolves literally nothing. Not only did none of the original relationships survive into the next novel but McGee also shuffles the characters in previous relationships and just herds them into mixed-up couples. 

OK, enough negativity, let's go with the main GREAT thing about these books. 

1: These books are genuinely fun to read. 

   The American Royals series is a genuinely light-hearted and fun book series to enjoy. If you just read these for fun, not paying much attention to the overall fate of the characters, this book series is flirty and sweet to read. It has drama and I flew through them. They are truly easy to read. For me, these books were not hard to "get through" at all. 

I have not meant to completely destroy these books. I would actually give them three stars simply for reading enjoyment. I just see some frustrating issues that are all too common in book series of this nature. 

Age Range: 13+
ISBN: 9781984830203
Publisher: Ember (an imprint of Penguin Random House)
Tags: romance, YA fiction, YA romance, Katharine McGee

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