A thrilling yet satisfying end to an exciting new romantasy series from a local author.
Feature image credit: Pan Macmillan Australia
In The Weight of Crowns, Adelaide author Alina Bellchambers has delivered a spectacular ending to her epic The Order of Masks duology. If you don’t want to sit at the edge of your seat, gripping each page until the wee hours of the morning, then you’d better skip this final instalment in which we learn the fates of heroes Mira and Scarlett.
Full of twists, this sequel replicates many of the best traits of its predecessor. This is a high-action, high-stakes, fast-paced story that barely gives you the chance to catch your breath before it’s off to the next jaw-dropping scene. There’s no clear line between good and evil, and amongst the cast of kinda good, kinda evil characters — a refreshing take in the fantasy genre, which is typically framed around the clear-cut battle between good and evil — there’s the overarching sense that no character’s happy ending is guaranteed. As the story goes on, it’s clear that readers would be right not to let their guard down or get too attached to any character in particular (no spoilers here!).
The narrative picks up where it left off, as Mira and Scarlett are both on their own quests for power in this richly drawn world where no detail has been ignored. Of course, this is fantasy rather than historical fiction, but readers might get Mary Stuart and Queen Elizabeth I vibes from these two protagonists: two powerful leaders and cousins, primed to fight over a throne in a world that wants them to hate each other when they secretly have a lot in common. Both characters evolve impressively throughout the duology, forced to grow through the impossible decisions they must make. Again, without wanting to get into spoilers, the resolution for both is satisfying — no easy feat with so many conflicting goals, betrayals, and alliance changes along the way.
This is a romantasy in every sense of the word; the balance between romance and action feels just right. There’s no shortage of steamy scenes, but this reader was grateful that there’s plenty of character depth and emotional tension to back them up, rather than just spicy scenes for the sake of adding pepper emojis on Instagram. Love triangles (or quadrangles) will hook you, and I was so emotionally invested in this part that I was nearly ready to write the author a strongly worded letter before my two favourite characters worked it out!
The Weight of Crowns has all the right tropes: enemies to lovers, lethal court politics, and unexpected betrayals. But above all, it’s a thrilling story set in an immersive fantasy world, serving a satisfying end to what will likely become a classic of the genre.
Reviewed by Vanessa Elle
Instagram: @vanessaellewrites
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: Pan Macmillan Australia
Released: August 2025
RRP: $34.99
