Monday, July 29, 2013

Review: THE BITTER KINGDOM by Rae Carson

Title: THE BITTER KINGDOM
Author: Rae Carson
Published: August 27th, 2013
Series: Fire and Thorns #3
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
POV: 1st, dual
Pages: 433
Format: Electronic ARC
Source: Edelweiss / Publisher
"The champion must not waver.
The champion must not fear.
The gate of darkness closes.


Elisa is a fugitive.

Her enemies have stolen the man she loves, and they await her at the gate of darkness. Her country is on the brink of civil war, with her own soldiers ordered to kill her on sight.

Her Royal Majesty, Queen Lucero-Elisa née Riqueza de Vega, bearer of the Godstone, will lead her three loyal companions deep into the enemy's kingdom, a land of ice and snow and brutal magic, to rescue Hector and win back her throne. Her power grows with every step, and the shocking secrets she will uncover on this, her final journey, could change the course of history.

But that is not all. She has a larger destiny. She must become the champion the world has been waiting for.

Even of those who hate her most."

Trekking across the blazing sand and through deadly snow, Elisa is in for one epic journey to save the man she loves, to protect her kingdom from utter destruction, and to fulfill her destiny as a bearer of a Godstone in the final installment of the Fire and Thorns trilogy1. I've been anticipating this novel ever since I finished THE CROWN OF EMBERS, and Rae Carson did not disappoint. Picking up directly where the sequel left off, Carson does not waste a moment in getting Elisa started on her journey. But, Elisa's not going at it alone, and is instead aided by a few old friends (Belen, Mara, Storm) and a few new allies (Mula, Horse2, possibly also Storm). Their journey is dangerous, deadly, and will take them into the heart of a place they fear the most. 

Rife with political intrigue, daring altercations, thrilling escapes, and a vibrant cast of characters, THE BITTER KINGDOM is a whirlwind of a story that excites from start to finish. Just when you think you have this story all figured out, the stakes raise as more revelations come to light. Carson's writes each setting vividly, and gives equal care to fleshing out her characters and her overall story. Looking back at where this trilogy started, I'm very impressed regarding Elisa's character growth, and I'm sold on reading all of Carson's future works. If you are not reading this trilogy and you happen to be a fantasy fan, give this trilogy a chance because you're in a for a treat. 

Highlights: Action, adventure, risks, and sacrifice, THE BITTER KINGDOM is thrilling. I was constantly on the edge of my seat, rooting for Elisa and worrying for the main cast of characters whenever things started to go badly for them. The inclusion of Hector's1 POV could have been a risky move, but it paid off in the end since it added another layer to his character and to the overall story. Characters, new and old, are carefully developed by Carson. More about Elisa's world and the Inviernos is revealed. In all, this book is wonderful. 

Lowlights: The trilogy is over, and I'm sad about that. Rae Carson, why can't you write more Fire and Thorns novels?! *hugs trilogy*

Rating: The Treasure Vault. This book (or really, this series) is a favorite of mine, and is also very worthy of keeping company with the crown jewels. I'd highly recommend this novel to other readers. If I could give this book a palace of it's own, I would. But, I'll just keep it tucked safely away in my treasure vault instead.  

1 Um, no pressure. Poor Elisa. She's got a lot to do! 
2 Horse is a horse. A very sweet horse. I still think Elisa should have put some effort into a better name, though. 
3 *swoons*



My reviews of other novels by Rae Carson:
THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS
THE CROWN OF EMBERS

22 comments:

  1. Well, with a review and rating like that, I guess I really need to read this series! It sounds like the characters are fantastic, the world-building is balanced and I could easily lose myself in this world. Wonderful review, Lea! :)

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    1. You should check it out - this trilogy is excellent, and it only continues to get better with each and every novel. :)

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  2. I was waiting for your review and I am so glad to hear that this trilogy ended so well. I was a little nervous because of other series where that hasn't been the case.

    I am very excited about reading this last book but I think I will at least reread Crown of Embers first. I've only read it once so I don't remember it as well as I remember The Girl of Fire and Thorns.

    I'm glad that we get Hector's POV too and I look forward to meeting the new characters. I think Rae Carson has a deal for a new trilogy so I'm sure we'll have plenty to read in the future. Have you read Zoe Marriott's books? She is a huge fan of Rae Carson and the reason I found out about/picked up Girl of Fire and Thorns. Her fantasy novels are different from this series but you might like them.

    Fantastic review! I hope I will love The Bitter Kingdom as much as you do.

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    1. Rereading CoE is a fantastic idea - I had to skim a few pages of the sequel, because I forgot a few details.

      I'm so glad that Rae Carson has a new trilogy to look forward to - yay for more books! No, I haven't read Zoe Marriott's books yet. I've heard they're amazing, though. I keep meaning to check them out!

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  3. *sigh* LOVE this series and, yes, a lowlight is that it's OVER! Elisa's development and progress throughout the series has been one of my favorite journeys.

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    1. YAY for a fellow fan! I'm so sad that it's over, I need MORE. Elisa's development made this trilogy amazing. It's always fun to see a character evolve, and she's grown so much!

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  4. YAY LEA!!! I agree completely, I loved watching how much Elisa grew from the princess she was in the beginning to a true queen and more in this final installment. And Horse! I was partial to Horse given I grew up with horses, so I was thinking she could have picked a better name too ;-) But, I was glad she came to love him a little. Fabulous review, I can't wait to see what Rae writes next!

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    1. Elisa's growth was one of the best aspects of the trilogy. And poor Horse! Silly Elisa and her terrible naming skills ;)

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  5. Yay! So happy you loved this book too. <3 I just found it to be so so good. Sigh. Amazing review :) Thank you for sharing. <3

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it too! Thank you for stopping by, Carina! :)

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  6. I'm a huge fan of dual POV's, even if I'm not a fan of the name Hector :P
    I have only heard amazing things about this series, and sadly, have yet to get read them myself. But I love when protagonists grow throughout the series - I need this RIGHT NOW.

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    1. The dual POV is nicely done - I was scared it wouldn't work, since the last two novels were in only Elisa's POV, but it was fantastic. Ha! Trust me, the name Hector will grow on you by the end of book two ;)

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  7. I just read a novella (Dangerous Voices) by Carson and I was absolutely blown away. I must read this series one day soon.

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    1. Ooh, I still need to read that novella! Glad that you enjoyed it, and I hope you love the Fire and Thorns trilogy if you do get around to reading it :)

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  8. With this review, I am officially bumping this series up on my to-read-soon list! I'm glad to hear the series ended strongly---seems like we're hearing about more and more series kind of losing people right at the finish line. This sounds like a wonderful fantasy and great characters. I actually kind of like that the horse is named Horse! :D Great review, Lea!

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    1. It's fantastic! Very vivid and the main character grows so much from the first novel to the last one. It's an easy trilogy to love :)

      If you read it, I hope you love it!

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  9. I just got The Girl of Fire and Thorns from the library and was a bit wary but now that I read your review I am very excited to start this series. Elisa sounds great, and I love that the stakes are always high!

    Alise @ Readers in Wonderland

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    1. Ooh, I hope you like it! Book one is a bit more slowly paced at first, but it picks up after a hundred pages.

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  10. Ahh, so awesome! I've loved your reviews for this series. They've made me so excited to read them! Ugh, the problem is just finding the time - but I WILL someday! I know I'll love Elisa and the writing. Such a great review!!

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    1. It's a great series - it really grew on me, especially by the time I reached the second book.

      If you do ever get around to reading the Fire & Thorns trilogy, I hope you love it!!

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  11. I feel like Carson could definitely write more novels set in this world, they just wouldn't focus on Elisa. So glad you loved this one too-it was definitely my favorite of the trilogy!

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    1. It would be great to read more novels set in this world - she absolutely could do that. I need more Rae Carson books!! ;)

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