Majesty is the second instalment of the American Royals series by Katharine McGee. Just a warning that because this is a review of the second book there will be slight spoilers for the first book so if you have not read book one yet I suggest you do.
Told from various perspectives the series focuses on not only the royal family, but also shows insights into the lives of those not as high up in the hierarchy. With this being said you also get to see the royal lifestyle from the eyes of commoner Nina, who is best friends with Princess Samantha and the ex-girlfriend of Sams twin Jefferson.
I really like all of the characters in this series…well other than Daphne Deighton which lets be honest we all hate. I don’t think I have ever disliked a character more than I do Daphne. Which puts me in a hard situation because she’s so interesting and really drives the story forward which means it just wouldn’t work without her.
Majesty had a more mature feeling to it compared to American Royals. Although no time had really passed since the ending of one and beginning of the other all of the characters, even Sam, we’re acting less like teens and more like adult. I supposed becoming heir to the throne will do that to you.
In American Royals I found that I really liked Sam however at times she did come across as childish and quite selfish. Especially after Nina was dealing with the press once her relationship with Jeff was outed. However, this time round she is definitely my favourite, now shes the heir she has more responsibility and even enlists help to make her more ‘princessy’. But don’t think she’s boring now, quite the contrary, she is the party princess after all.
This maturity did not end with the character development. There was also more serious issues being portrayed such as misogyny and racism. The first being Beatrices issues with not being allowed much responsibility and being told by The Chamberlain that she is not ready for her role eventhough she is now queen. The second being Sam’s new love interest, a black heir to the Orange dukedom who is facing racism from online comments after going public with their relationship.
Katharine McGee skillfully juggles these timely social situations whilst also telling a story from four different view points. I really enjoy her writing style and find that eventhough the books have complex story lines I read them very quickly. Not once did I get confused about where I was at with the story and considering it is told from four perspectives that is an impressive feat.
Love. Romance. Family. Those are the three words I would use to describe this book. Majesty is packed full of swoon worthy romance. I would be lying if I said that I do not care for romance in books because I do. One trope that I am not a fan of is the love triangle and although it is kind of in this book, its not your typical love triangle. Stereotypical tropes may be in play here but they are not being carried out in a stereotypical way.
Family was a huge part of this book and I find the family dynamics in Majesty very interesting. Firstly you have Daphne who’s parents are very loving and are basically using her to climb up the hierarchy through her past relationship with Jeff.
Then you have Sam and Beatrice, good old sister rivalry. Which isn’t really a rivalry, Sam just likes the guy Beatrice is marrying. With the two not really speaking for the majority of the book, the relationship between them was often relatable as I have a sister myself. Not that I don’t get on with my sister but everyone has conflicts every now and again.
Twists and turns were endless during this book. Just when you thought that everyone gets to be happy someone like Daphne will come around and take it away. She was especially conniving in Majesty and I love/hate her for it. Will it all come tumbling down around her? I’ll let you read the book and find out for yourself.
If like myself after reading the first book you thought that Beatrice would abdict the throne so she could be with the man she loves, think again. Although this would have been the obvious plot to go with, it is one that I and I’m sure others would have liked to see.
Majesty was a quick and enjoyable read which is perfect for all ages. If you are looking for a swoon worthy book where you want to be friends with all of the characters then I suggest you check out The American Royals series now.
I love reading about family dynamics in books, especially the dynamic between sisters. I have this series in my TBR – I hope I get to read this soon. Great review!
Thank you, I hope you enjoy it!