Leck has been gone for eight years, but his kingdom is still suffering in the aftermath of his insane rule. Now his daughter, Bitterblue, is queen of Monsea, and the palace is determined to push the past behind them and start anew. But after years on end buried in court decisions and paperwork, Bitterblue begins to question the sanity of her advisers, and wonders if anything is really being done to heal the city. Disguising herself as a commoner, she creeps out into the city after nightfall and begins to get a glimpse of just how much her father took from those beneath him. To truly heal the city, she needs to uncover the secrets of her father's past, if she can bear to search for them.
Bitterblue was a, yes, bittersweet conclusion to the Seven Kingdoms series. While reading the other books might help, and many of the characters make guest-appearances, this volume was really stand-alone. I loved it just as much as the other two, though in a very different way. Where Graceling and Fire were action-packed, this book took place primarily in the castle. Cashore did a brilliant job (as always) in bringing the reader right alongside the main character. You could feel Bitterblue's frustration at how little she understood, and her and longing to be free from the confines of the castle, but all the while knowing she needs to do something to heal the wounds her father left. The book is more political and a little darker, perhaps, than the others -- of course, given that the main character is devoted to uncovering Leck's past, you couldn't expect it to be light. Bitterblue is a castle-full of intrigue, heartbreak, and deciphering, and a great cross-over for lovers of mystery who'd like to ease into high fantasy. Highly recommended!
(and Ms. Cashore, I really hope there are more books with Bitterblue - love this heroine!)
Want more book suggestions? See my other Book Recommendations.
Need some more convincing? Check out the reviews of Bitterblue at Reading Teen, Almost Grown Up, and Anna Reads.
Bitterblue was a, yes, bittersweet conclusion to the Seven Kingdoms series. While reading the other books might help, and many of the characters make guest-appearances, this volume was really stand-alone. I loved it just as much as the other two, though in a very different way. Where Graceling and Fire were action-packed, this book took place primarily in the castle. Cashore did a brilliant job (as always) in bringing the reader right alongside the main character. You could feel Bitterblue's frustration at how little she understood, and her and longing to be free from the confines of the castle, but all the while knowing she needs to do something to heal the wounds her father left. The book is more political and a little darker, perhaps, than the others -- of course, given that the main character is devoted to uncovering Leck's past, you couldn't expect it to be light. Bitterblue is a castle-full of intrigue, heartbreak, and deciphering, and a great cross-over for lovers of mystery who'd like to ease into high fantasy. Highly recommended!
(and Ms. Cashore, I really hope there are more books with Bitterblue - love this heroine!)
Want more book suggestions? See my other Book Recommendations.
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