The Bitter Kingdom (Girl of Fire and Thorns, 3)
"I love this series to pieces and so should you."--Marie Lu, bestselling author of Warcross
The third book in Rae Carson's award-winning and New York Times-bestselling trilogy! In the deeply satisfying conclusion, seventeen-year-old sorcerer-queen Elisa travels into the unknown realm of the enemy to win back her true love, save her country, and uncover the final secrets of her destiny. Perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce and Brandon Sanderson.
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, her own soldiers ordered to kill her on sight.
Elisa will lead her loyal companions deep into the enemy's kingdom, a land of ice and snow and vicious magic, to rescue Hector and win back her throne. Her power grows with every step, and the shocking secrets she will uncover could change the course of history.
Don't miss The Empire of Dreams, Rae Carson's action-packed return to the world of The Girl of Fire and Thorns!
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Community Reviews
First and foremost, Rae Carson, you converted me into a true fan of yours with this trilogy. A couple of my friends read the books too at my recommendation and they also were not disappointed. So thank you thank you thank you for filling my week with such a great adventure with these amazing characters!
You know how people describe a sequence of events in terms of a "roller coaster"? Okay, so this book wasn't just a roller coaster--it was the whole freakin amusement park. Because once one ride was over, you were hustling to get in line for another one and then another one until you were exhausted from the adrenaline and the how much fun you were having. That was The Bitter Kingdom. When you think that maybe things will ease up on the gang, things got a bit harder.
But that was okay. Because Elisa was past the point of self-doubt--she was no longer trying to legitimize her rule. She knew she was the shit and that was final. And I loved it. She grew into her role and managed to do so without going through that annoying phase that every heroine seemed to need to go through in YA Fantasy novels.
Another unique Rae Carson characteristic? No love triangle. I'll admit, I used to be really into that. Now, I'm not about that AT ALL. Because I had found that YA fantasy novels that don't have a love triangle had more time to dedicate to world building and character development. Not melodrama or useless angst. Love triangles weigh most fantasy novels down. And to be fair, Hector was just so HOT DAMN. It wouldn't even make sense to have a love triangle in the vicinity of Hector.
Aside from the love story and the confrontation with the Inviernos and even the segment that was so completely LOTR (Mines of Moria/snow avalanche/Shelob) that I couldn't help but squeal with delight, my favorite part was when Elisa, Cosme, and Alodia are together. I don't think I had ever seen a movie or read a book in which battle plannings, tactics, and decisions were decided by three women--it was just so very KICK ASS. I'm not this super feminist or anything but that was so completely revolutionary to me that I had to acknowledge the awesomeness of it.
RATING:
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
As much as it was action-packed, at times, I thought it was a bit detrimental to the book. I know I'm being nit-picky but I kind of wish there was just a little bit more depth and less action. However, this series is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to every one who loves a tough heroine and a gripping story line.
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