Daughters of the Storm, by Kim Wilkins

Known for her dark fantasy, Kim Wilkins’ earlier novels build on European legends to create dense and interesting tales that feature strong female protagonists and combine romance and adventure with an edge of menace. Daughters of the Storm is a disappointment, the characters thinly drawn and the plot boring and sometimes ludicrous. His five floral daughters spirit the king from the palace and imprison his wife without anyone noticing; who is governing the country? None of the characters is likeable, least of all the five sisters at the centre of the tale, which makes the story a hard slog. It seems a classic case of early success guaranteeing publication of later novels without adequate editing. This almost-500 page tome reads like an early draft that needs a lot of work. The ending clearly sets up for a sequel; whether anyone would want to read it is a big question.