This was by far the worst book I have read all year. There is not one redeemable quality about the main character. Alessandra is a power-hungry, entitled, bratty, harpy. There are so many things wrong about this story but I have neither the inclination nor the time to properly explore that so I am going to keep it as concise as possible.

First and foremost the main character is decidedly unlikable. There is nothing about her motivations in the book that are relatable, noble or even interesting. She wants to grab power simply because she believes she deserves it and somehow is the best suited for it. She was simply the spoilt daughter of an earl who had spent her early years rebeling against society in order to get Daddy's attention and spite her sister (real mature) and when that didn't work she set her sights higher. The attempt for the throne was really just because she has a massive inferiority complex and unresolved daddy issues. She wants to "win" and being the Queen ensures that. In the novel the author alludes to loftier goals about female empowerment but it is undermined so completely by Alessandra's desperate need for male validation and her need to surpass all of her female counterparts. She is just a pick-me-girl with no interest in helping anybody but her self. Granted, towards the end of the novel she does admit that women are not competition for male attention but rather friends and allys. However this sentiment rings false considering the fact that the women she is referring to in that sense are Rhoda and Hestia, who are both very much in her thrall and defer to her. Her endearment thus comes of as a little condescending. 

There was also no character growth. She remained the same tiresome child until the end. She killed someone! Killed! And absolutely no consequences were levied against her. She does not feel guilty and nobody around her holds her accountable.  Someone breaking up with you does not give you the right to kill them or harm them in any way. If the roles were reversed and Alessandra was male and Hektor female it would scream for what it is: a violent jealous crime committed by a dangerous obsessed individual. It is wrong and Alessandra being a woman does NOT excuse her actions. 

The other characters were all flat and uninteresting. The men were just there to ogle Alessandra and fall in love with her. The women were there to fluff her ego or serve as adversaries. The measure of a powerful woman is not her ability to put other women in their "place". The author took pains to demean and insult all of the other women in the novel who were not the main character or her faithful followers. Chrysantha was stupid, Lady Zervas was a cranky spinster and Melita was a gold-digger and social climber (A rather hypocritical stance, considering her protagonist). Picture the stereotypical "Mean Girl" with her ever present entourage walking through the school hall sneering at all of the other girls and flirting with all of the boys. 

Also, the author's take on sexual empowerment was concerning. Alessandra has no respect for her lovers. She toys with their emotions and blackmails them into silence. She treats them exactly how she feels Hektor mistreated her. Instead of using her pain as a source of empathy she uses it as an excuse to behave like a pig. Yes, she was slut shamed by her family and the author did shoehorn some commentary in about sex. However, once again the words on the page do not correlate with the character's behaviour. Sexual empowerment of woman does not mean the belittling of men. Female empowerment in general is not about returning abuse in kind to men.

Ultimately the author has double standards. If Alessandra was a male character people would be up in arms, torches lit and pitchforks raises, ready to sacrifice the chauvinistic pig. However, the same qualities in Alessadra are not only forgiven but admired. Ridiculous.
What Alessandra needs is a family therapy session not a kingdom.