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Shards of a Broken Sword #3
The First Chill of Autumn
Llassar is an occupied country--but nobody seems to know it.
Fae began to drift slowly into the land shortly after the birth of the crown princess, Dion ferch Alawn, fleeing a dark threat known only as the Guardians. But that was fifteen years ago, and now there isn't a town in Llassar that isn't populated by or under the control of the fae.
Smaller, weaker, and less talented at magic, Llassarians are quickly finding out that there's no fighting the invasion that crept in so quietly and politely. Even the castle isn't free of fae: Those closest to the king and queen are faery advisors.
As Dion ferch Alawn returns from a carefully sanitised tour of Outer Llassar, her carriage breaks down and she gets a taste of what the real Llassar has become: Desperate, enslaved, and ripe for rebellion. Getting home safely is just the first problem she faces; the real struggle begins when Dion returns to the castle. Her new knowledge is inconvenient and unwelcome--to declare it, treason.
Includes the short story, A TALE OF CARMINE & FANCY!
Fae began to drift slowly into the land shortly after the birth of the crown princess, Dion ferch Alawn, fleeing a dark threat known only as the Guardians. But that was fifteen years ago, and now there isn't a town in Llassar that isn't populated by or under the control of the fae.
Smaller, weaker, and less talented at magic, Llassarians are quickly finding out that there's no fighting the invasion that crept in so quietly and politely. Even the castle isn't free of fae: Those closest to the king and queen are faery advisors.
As Dion ferch Alawn returns from a carefully sanitised tour of Outer Llassar, her carriage breaks down and she gets a taste of what the real Llassar has become: Desperate, enslaved, and ripe for rebellion. Getting home safely is just the first problem she faces; the real struggle begins when Dion returns to the castle. Her new knowledge is inconvenient and unwelcome--to declare it, treason.
Includes the short story, A TALE OF CARMINE & FANCY!
198 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2016
About the author
W.R. Gingell
47 books1,105 followersW.R. Gingell is an Australian author of urban fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, and madcap science fiction who doesn't seem to be able to write a book without a body suddenly turning up. She solemnly swears that all such bodies are strictly fictional in nature.
She lives in a refurbished 1970s Bedford Bus in the south of Tasmania, where she spends her time reading, drinking a truly ridiculous amount of tea, and raising spinach, strawberries, and one small, fluffy dog. Like Peter Pan, W.R. never really grew up, and despite the inconveniences of chronically ill life, is still occasionally to be found climbing trees.
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She lives in a refurbished 1970s Bedford Bus in the south of Tasmania, where she spends her time reading, drinking a truly ridiculous amount of tea, and raising spinach, strawberries, and one small, fluffy dog. Like Peter Pan, W.R. never really grew up, and despite the inconveniences of chronically ill life, is still occasionally to be found climbing trees.
You can sign up to the The WR(ite) Newsletter by following the link!
GOODREADS FRIEND POLICY: I don't tend to friend anyone unless they're a personal friend or someone from my close author circle. I have a limited social battery which needs constant care. If you want to keep up with my reading/writing, you can absolutely follow me here or on pretty much any social media site.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
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February 14, 2017A strong finish to this trilogy of novellas, and I'll recommend this series generally to people who like high fantasy. The closest comparison I can think of is the Argonian stories by Elizabeth Scarborough (though these are less comedic).
While Dion is less forceful than Althea or Kako, I also enjoyed her journey to overcome her careful tuition. I was less sold on the romance, which combined a half-dozen tropes I don't like (), but still managed to more-or-less win me over on the whole.
I was totally on-board for Carmine and Fancy, though. I looked but couldn't find where their back story happened (a short story perhaps?), but would love to read it. Carmine and Fancy deserve a whole series.
While Dion is less forceful than Althea or Kako, I also enjoyed her journey to overcome her careful tuition. I was less sold on the romance, which combined a half-dozen tropes I don't like (), but still managed to more-or-less win me over on the whole.
I was totally on-board for Carmine and Fancy, though. I looked but couldn't find where their back story happened (a short story perhaps?), but would love to read it. Carmine and Fancy deserve a whole series.
June 25, 2016
This final installment has a very different pace from the first two books in the Shards of a Broken Sword trilogy. Rather than jumping right into the thick of things, The First Chill of Autumn starts early on, introducing us to our heroine when she's a child, and letting us grow with Dion, recognizing the signs of wrongness around her long before her eyes are opened to it.
Dion is an interesting character, and I really enjoyed watching her grow. She's not brave and strong and tough--or rather, she is, but in her own quiet way. She stammers when she's nervous and she's prone to fainting when she receives a shock (though not in a melodramatic way so much as an embarrassing one), and yet she's lived with the prophecy that she's expected to die since she was a child, and she's quite all right with it. She knows what's expected of her, and she intends to do it. What a refreshing sort of hero, both strong and weak, steady and uncertain.
Overall, the story was slower in pace than I expected, but featured a unique heroine and delved into some intriguing questions. There were at least a couple twists at the end I didn't quite see coming, which is always a pleasure to experience. While I didn't love this story in the way that I did Twelve Days of Faerie, I definitely enjoyed it and am glad I read it. I highly recommend this series to lovers of fairy tales, unusual heroines, and stories that subvert the usual tropes.
Dion is an interesting character, and I really enjoyed watching her grow. She's not brave and strong and tough--or rather, she is, but in her own quiet way. She stammers when she's nervous and she's prone to fainting when she receives a shock (though not in a melodramatic way so much as an embarrassing one), and yet she's lived with the prophecy that she's expected to die since she was a child, and she's quite all right with it. She knows what's expected of her, and she intends to do it. What a refreshing sort of hero, both strong and weak, steady and uncertain.
Overall, the story was slower in pace than I expected, but featured a unique heroine and delved into some intriguing questions. There were at least a couple twists at the end I didn't quite see coming, which is always a pleasure to experience. While I didn't love this story in the way that I did Twelve Days of Faerie, I definitely enjoyed it and am glad I read it. I highly recommend this series to lovers of fairy tales, unusual heroines, and stories that subvert the usual tropes.
Read
July 9, 2021not everything about this story worked for me, but I would be remiss in omitting to say this:
Carmine and Fancy have my entire heart.
Carmine and Fancy have my entire heart.
February 22, 2023
This book is chilling and kind of beautiful.
It…reminds me of George MacDonald? Undefinably so. More Golden Key than Princess and the Goblin (which is a compliment, by the way)
It…reminds me of George MacDonald? Undefinably so. More Golden Key than Princess and the Goblin (which is a compliment, by the way)
June 21, 2016
This is the last entry in a series I've loved, and I'm sad it's over. Without spoiling anything, I'm going to say that Gingell does something a bit controversial with the love story (at least in the mind of this romance purist). I get it, but still... *sighs* So that's the reason this doesn't get 5 stars.
April 11, 2021
A nice conclusion to the trilogy.
It's really amazing how Gingell managed to make a trilogy out of standalones. Because even though things do come to a sort of epic conclusion here, the book can still be read on its own. I will say this book felt slightly....scattered to me. A little too quick in romance and plot motion. But it was enjoyable nonetheless and the conclusion was bittersweet but satisfying.
I do wish there had been more time to get attached to the characters, especially the mains since I had no problem in loving the secondaries (and there's a delightful flashback story featuring two side characters as the last chapter) but overall, it was fun with that energetic creativity found in what I've read of Gingell.
Content: There is romance...and marriage as well. And some violence that's understated with all the chaos going on.
It's really amazing how Gingell managed to make a trilogy out of standalones. Because even though things do come to a sort of epic conclusion here, the book can still be read on its own. I will say this book felt slightly....scattered to me. A little too quick in romance and plot motion. But it was enjoyable nonetheless and the conclusion was bittersweet but satisfying.
I do wish there had been more time to get attached to the characters, especially the mains since I had no problem in loving the secondaries (and there's a delightful flashback story featuring two side characters as the last chapter) but overall, it was fun with that energetic creativity found in what I've read of Gingell.
Content: There is romance...and marriage as well. And some violence that's understated with all the chaos going on.
September 20, 2016
This is the final book and with impending doom, so it’s just a tad darker than the other two. There was still plenty of laughs and cute, sweet “aww” things, not to mention the return of the characters from the first two books. It was a splendid ending (especially since I was rooting for Barric from the beginning—shh!) and I loved it.
The plot:
Since it’s a novella, the story moves along quickly, following young Dion from toddler years to when she fulfills her destiny and saves the human world from Faery. I very much appreciated the whole “political correctness” storyline with the faeries and how the humans basically outlawed defending themselves. It was strikingly familiar to some real world historic issues. At the same time, we get to meet wonderful, awesome, lovable faeries and some sides of familiar faeries we really haven’t gotten before. It was a good, realistic balance, I thought, and definitely a take I had not encountered before.
The characters:
Dion is sweet and brave, having accepted from a young age that she is destined to die for her country. While she starts out naive and too trusting, she is forced to learn quickly. She’s the kind of character we admire most for her heart.
Just in case that opening paragraph misled you, there are no—I repeat—NO LOVE TRIANGLES, okay? There are two love interests (Padraig’s sweet and brave and awesome, but the other one is the perfect one), but no love triangles. There was still bittersweet romance tossed in with cute romance, we get to see Markon and Althea in their banter-filled wedded bliss and Carmine play damsel in distress to his warrior princess, plus Rafiq and Koto be awesome dragons together.
Novellas get taken for granted too much, but this one is definitely a series worth a shot. Magic, quests, and romance mix together in clean fairytale-flavored adventures any retellings fanatic is bound to love.
The plot:
Since it’s a novella, the story moves along quickly, following young Dion from toddler years to when she fulfills her destiny and saves the human world from Faery. I very much appreciated the whole “political correctness” storyline with the faeries and how the humans basically outlawed defending themselves. It was strikingly familiar to some real world historic issues. At the same time, we get to meet wonderful, awesome, lovable faeries and some sides of familiar faeries we really haven’t gotten before. It was a good, realistic balance, I thought, and definitely a take I had not encountered before.
The characters:
Dion is sweet and brave, having accepted from a young age that she is destined to die for her country. While she starts out naive and too trusting, she is forced to learn quickly. She’s the kind of character we admire most for her heart.
Just in case that opening paragraph misled you, there are no—I repeat—NO LOVE TRIANGLES, okay? There are two love interests (Padraig’s sweet and brave and awesome, but the other one is the perfect one), but no love triangles. There was still bittersweet romance tossed in with cute romance, we get to see Markon and Althea in their banter-filled wedded bliss and Carmine play damsel in distress to his warrior princess, plus Rafiq and Koto be awesome dragons together.
Novellas get taken for granted too much, but this one is definitely a series worth a shot. Magic, quests, and romance mix together in clean fairytale-flavored adventures any retellings fanatic is bound to love.
February 28, 2019
I was starting to wonder why this was a trilogy, the books didn't seem connected in the 1st two, apart from the small mention of the shards, the books seemed to be set in two completly different worlds, it was more of a feel of it, than the reality, because there were mentions to the country.
Anyway, in the 3rd book everything connects and finally we understand the shards and the broken sword. I enjoyed it, but i would have liked to know more about Awern, she seemed more interesting than Dion.
Also the short story of Carmine and Fancy was quite enjoyable, and i wished one of the books was for them.
Anyway, in the 3rd book everything connects and finally we understand the shards and the broken sword. I enjoyed it, but i would have liked to know more about Awern, she seemed more interesting than Dion.
Also the short story of Carmine and Fancy was quite enjoyable, and i wished one of the books was for them.
January 27, 2020
This is the final installment in the Shards of a Broken Sword trilogy. The book (more accurately, the novella) ties all of the disparate story lines from the first two books together in a satisfying way. There are also a few twists and turns that you don't expect that make it a gratifying and unpredictable read. As always, the author builds her world consistently and logically but never takes herself too seriously. The characters are likeable, and those that return from the previous books act consistently with their previous selves.
Altogether, this is an entertaining and fun last installment to an entertaining and fun trilogy!
Altogether, this is an entertaining and fun last installment to an entertaining and fun trilogy!
March 22, 2023
A bittersweet ending to a loosely connected trilogy that nevertheless draws everyone together and wraps things up well.
I wasn't as convinced by the relationship development here as in the other books, where our MCs have to work together for a while before they get around to realising they are in love. But, I read this over two days when my brain was on Covid so I may be unfair here. Certainly the action packed second half was exciting enough to keep going on the edge of a fever state.
I wasn't as convinced by the relationship development here as in the other books, where our MCs have to work together for a while before they get around to realising they are in love. But, I read this over two days when my brain was on Covid so I may be unfair here. Certainly the action packed second half was exciting enough to keep going on the edge of a fever state.
December 8, 2021
This book was a little moreon the serious side. A closing of the series and it was less whimsy and more quest like.
Still very enjoyable but the protagonist Dion was a little hard to relate to at some points which is why 1 star off. I really enjoyed the extra mini tales at the end.
Still very enjoyable but the protagonist Dion was a little hard to relate to at some points which is why 1 star off. I really enjoyed the extra mini tales at the end.
October 29, 2020
In a way I’m not sure if I loved or hated this conclusion to the story, but any story that made me care enough to cry like that probably deserves all the stars.
May 11, 2021
This tied the other two stories together very well. It was nice to have such a large ensemble cast (though that made the actual romantic relationship shortened and shallow). The story also felt quite heavy for the first 1/3, learning the condition of the countries and the discriminations happening. Thank goodness for the two additional short stories that were included in my kindle copy after the story ended-I would have felt quite let down without those additional stories rounding out the saga.
September 17, 2023
Content:
Language: None.
Violence: High moderate. There is a fair bit of killing during fights. Heads get chopped, people get cut in half, and blood is depicted in ways like "it splashed all over the floor". It's considered a good thing to kill in this book because they are at war, and there is a bit of vindictive satisfaction from some characters as they congratulate others on 'kills'. The descriptions are still on the clinical side and I don't find them excessive or truly on the horror gore scale.
Sexual: High mild. There is one fade to black scene with a married couple. Also, one attempted assault, though nothing happens and the person is able to defend themselves before even being touched. Some kissing and cuddles.
CW: There is a theme of death through sacrifice in the book stated quite early on. One character knows they will die to save everyone else and it's hanging over the whole book. This might make sensitive readers uncomfortable and/or depressed.
I'm conflicted.
This series has been fun to read, but this book was much more somber and difficult in tone than the others. Dion, the princess in this book, is prophesized to die to save her people. She has known this since she was a child and worked to become a magic wielder who can fulfill that duty. She's a paragon of virtue and a victim of her surroundings and being lied to her entire life.
One of the hard parts of this book is how that prophecy plays out. I wasn't expecting (HUGE spoiler) It made it hard for me to truly enjoy this book, even though it's written wonderfully and the themes are portrayed so well.
Seeing the past characters from the previous books was lovely. Seeing Carmine was especially fun as I didn't expect him to show up.
The way the book ends jarred me as well. Even with the extra bonus chapter that was included to likely take some of the 'wait what?' out of the ending. Another HUGE spoiler:
Still a great series, if bittersweet in this last book. I did heartily enjoy the extra story featuring Carmine and Fancy. What a dork. He makes me snicker.
Language: None.
Violence: High moderate. There is a fair bit of killing during fights. Heads get chopped, people get cut in half, and blood is depicted in ways like "it splashed all over the floor". It's considered a good thing to kill in this book because they are at war, and there is a bit of vindictive satisfaction from some characters as they congratulate others on 'kills'. The descriptions are still on the clinical side and I don't find them excessive or truly on the horror gore scale.
Sexual: High mild. There is one fade to black scene with a married couple. Also, one attempted assault, though nothing happens and the person is able to defend themselves before even being touched. Some kissing and cuddles.
CW: There is a theme of death through sacrifice in the book stated quite early on. One character knows they will die to save everyone else and it's hanging over the whole book. This might make sensitive readers uncomfortable and/or depressed.
I'm conflicted.
This series has been fun to read, but this book was much more somber and difficult in tone than the others. Dion, the princess in this book, is prophesized to die to save her people. She has known this since she was a child and worked to become a magic wielder who can fulfill that duty. She's a paragon of virtue and a victim of her surroundings and being lied to her entire life.
One of the hard parts of this book is how that prophecy plays out. I wasn't expecting (HUGE spoiler) It made it hard for me to truly enjoy this book, even though it's written wonderfully and the themes are portrayed so well.
Seeing the past characters from the previous books was lovely. Seeing Carmine was especially fun as I didn't expect him to show up.
The way the book ends jarred me as well. Even with the extra bonus chapter that was included to likely take some of the 'wait what?' out of the ending. Another HUGE spoiler:
Still a great series, if bittersweet in this last book. I did heartily enjoy the extra story featuring Carmine and Fancy. What a dork. He makes me snicker.
March 14, 2024
I loved this final part of the Shards of a Broken Sword trilogy.
In this book we find out about the prophecy and how the invading Fae can be sent back to their own lands and kept there.
All the characters from the previous two parts were included, and I was totally invested in the new characters from part 3, particularly Dion and Padraig.
The plot was paced well and kept me engaged. I especially loved the romantic element with Padraig and felt soooo sad when he died.
I had the trilogy that included an extra chapter on Dion which was a nice addition. There was also an extra of a chapter on Carmine and Fancy which was fab - I did love Carmine as a character and this addition further cemented him as one of my favourites.
There are still a few typos and grammatical errors in this book, as there are in parts 1&2, but I didn’t find it particularly disturbing and it didn’t reduce the reading enjoyment for me…
In this book we find out about the prophecy and how the invading Fae can be sent back to their own lands and kept there.
All the characters from the previous two parts were included, and I was totally invested in the new characters from part 3, particularly Dion and Padraig.
The plot was paced well and kept me engaged. I especially loved the romantic element with Padraig and felt soooo sad when he died.
I had the trilogy that included an extra chapter on Dion which was a nice addition. There was also an extra of a chapter on Carmine and Fancy which was fab - I did love Carmine as a character and this addition further cemented him as one of my favourites.
There are still a few typos and grammatical errors in this book, as there are in parts 1&2, but I didn’t find it particularly disturbing and it didn’t reduce the reading enjoyment for me…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2017
While this book is funny and charming, as I've come to expect from Gingell, the final installment of "Shards of a Broken Sword" series is a little different from its predecessors. Where the other two books jump right into the middle of the action and the readers simply catch up as they go along, this book starts slowly and builds in a more traditional story arch. Without spoiling anything, the ending is also a little unconventional for this author.
Dion is the princess of Llassar. She grows up in an atmosphere where the Fae can do no wrong and are given free reign over her kingdom. At a young age, Dion begins to be visited by Barric, the dark man in her mirror. Barric teaches her things that her all Fae tutors would rather she not learn. Eventually Dion's life and the things she's been taught stop adding up, luckily she has an adventurous twin sister, an odd boy named Padraig, and Barric to help her rise up to meet her destiny.
My favorite thing about this book was the return of the characters from the rest of the series. Gingell is excellent at putting original and fun couples together, ones that readers can really root for, and I was SO glad that I was able to see those characters again.
There are only two things that kept me from a full five star review of this book: Number one being that the main couple didn't interest me as much as Gingell's previous couples (Although, I LOVE all of her other characters from all of her other books enough that this one set I don't care for as much doesn't really mean anything), and number two, without spoiling too much, the ending of said main couple made me feel sad. Luckily, my lack of interest in this couple was made up for ten-fold by seeing Kako and Rafiq again. I really really hope that the author decides to write another book featuring them because they were such a fun couple and I felt like their story didn't get nearly enough time or closure either in this book or in their book "Fire in the Blood." Also, I think it's unfortunate that Carmine doesn't get his own book for his romance because he is hilarious and his relationship in this book, peripheral as it is, is very sweet. I know I overused the word "fun" in this review, but it's not really because I need to build a larger vocabulary, it's because "fun" is really the best way to describe most of Gingell's works and characters. Make sure to check her books out, it'll be worth it!
Dion is the princess of Llassar. She grows up in an atmosphere where the Fae can do no wrong and are given free reign over her kingdom. At a young age, Dion begins to be visited by Barric, the dark man in her mirror. Barric teaches her things that her all Fae tutors would rather she not learn. Eventually Dion's life and the things she's been taught stop adding up, luckily she has an adventurous twin sister, an odd boy named Padraig, and Barric to help her rise up to meet her destiny.
My favorite thing about this book was the return of the characters from the rest of the series. Gingell is excellent at putting original and fun couples together, ones that readers can really root for, and I was SO glad that I was able to see those characters again.
There are only two things that kept me from a full five star review of this book: Number one being that the main couple didn't interest me as much as Gingell's previous couples (Although, I LOVE all of her other characters from all of her other books enough that this one set I don't care for as much doesn't really mean anything), and number two, without spoiling too much, the ending of said main couple made me feel sad. Luckily, my lack of interest in this couple was made up for ten-fold by seeing Kako and Rafiq again. I really really hope that the author decides to write another book featuring them because they were such a fun couple and I felt like their story didn't get nearly enough time or closure either in this book or in their book "Fire in the Blood." Also, I think it's unfortunate that Carmine doesn't get his own book for his romance because he is hilarious and his relationship in this book, peripheral as it is, is very sweet. I know I overused the word "fun" in this review, but it's not really because I need to build a larger vocabulary, it's because "fun" is really the best way to describe most of Gingell's works and characters. Make sure to check her books out, it'll be worth it!
August 20, 2022
I really liked it…as the conclusion of a trilogy, with the extra chapter and bonus story. I’m not sure I would have liked it as much as a stand-alone. Thinking about the trilogy, it was very well executed…the first book really does read as a stand-alone, and I almost didn’t notice the seeds being planted for the overarching tale. By the second book I was a bit more aware of certain issues, but still had no idea how it might all come together in only one more book. And the third book was mainly the overarching tale and less the story about the individuals…or rather the story about the individuals was the overarching tale in the third book. I really liked how it built throughout the series. And I liked the way the characters from the earlier books were brought back into play.
I struggled a bit with the romance in this story. Usually I go along with whoever the author wants me to go along with-I rarely end up on the wrong side of book love triangles. But I struggled a bit in this book. Then adapted. Then-wow. Then, head spin, because five years may have passed for characters but only about two pages had been turned for me. So I guess I agree with the beta readers. I’m certainly smart enough to figure out what happened from the conversation between sisters at the end of the book, but I think the issue was timing, and the bonus chapter really helped smooth the transition.
The extra chapter was a great deal of fun. I remembered Carmine, but had forgotten who Fancy was by the third book, so it was really helpful to get the backstory there. And I imagine the two of them must have been so much fun to write.
This is one of those series I expect I’ll enjoy more the second time around when knowing the plot, I’ll pick up on all the subtleties with glee. I think I’ve felt this way about every Gingell book or series I’ve read thus far, which is rare and special. Currently saving all rereads for after I’ve finished all originals and am feeling sad about it. 😋
(I really didn’t like Padraig when he first came on scene. He grew on me mainly because he grew on Dion. Definitely interested to see how I react to him a second time around).
I struggled a bit with the romance in this story. Usually I go along with whoever the author wants me to go along with-I rarely end up on the wrong side of book love triangles. But I struggled a bit in this book. Then adapted. Then-wow. Then, head spin, because five years may have passed for characters but only about two pages had been turned for me. So I guess I agree with the beta readers. I’m certainly smart enough to figure out what happened from the conversation between sisters at the end of the book, but I think the issue was timing, and the bonus chapter really helped smooth the transition.
The extra chapter was a great deal of fun. I remembered Carmine, but had forgotten who Fancy was by the third book, so it was really helpful to get the backstory there. And I imagine the two of them must have been so much fun to write.
This is one of those series I expect I’ll enjoy more the second time around when knowing the plot, I’ll pick up on all the subtleties with glee. I think I’ve felt this way about every Gingell book or series I’ve read thus far, which is rare and special. Currently saving all rereads for after I’ve finished all originals and am feeling sad about it. 😋
(I really didn’t like Padraig when he first came on scene. He grew on me mainly because he grew on Dion. Definitely interested to see how I react to him a second time around).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2023
3.75 stars
Ooh, I'm conflicted about this one. So far this isn't my favorite of Gingell's work, though there's a lot I like about it. I love Dion as a main character, and it was wonderful to see her inward strength. She's such a believable mix of brave and fearful, strong and cautious, and I found her so compelling.
I also found the storyline compelling, though I wish there had been more of an acknowledgement of the fact that the Fae were taking advantage of what is actually a really good policy: allowing people seeking asylum into a country. I definitely think I'm noticing this more because of the many refugee crises currently happening all over the world, and the way many countries (including the U.S.) are refusing to help. I get this is in a fantasy context; but it would have been so easy to throw in a few references to make it clear that this is really different from the real world version of events.
I also think some of the plot developments were really clever and interesting, and I liked seeing our group of characters work together. (Carmine!!!! love that he was back. I'm excited to read the short story following him that is included in my copy of this book.)
BUT - some of the big issues I had here related to a few of the characters and relationships. I didn't like Padraig nearly as much as I was supposed to. And I didn't care much for the romance elements either - part of that is down to personal preference with some of the tropes, but I also think there were things that were just weirdly handled. (Like, this is the third book I've read by this author that had an age-gap romance, and even though it's very much NOT my thing usually, I really enjoyed lthe other two. This one, though, felt weird.)
So I'm glad I finished the trilogy, but this is definitely my least favorite by this author so far.
CW: References to: slavery, execution
Ooh, I'm conflicted about this one. So far this isn't my favorite of Gingell's work, though there's a lot I like about it. I love Dion as a main character, and it was wonderful to see her inward strength. She's such a believable mix of brave and fearful, strong and cautious, and I found her so compelling.
I also found the storyline compelling, though I wish there had been more of an acknowledgement of the fact that the Fae were taking advantage of what is actually a really good policy: allowing people seeking asylum into a country. I definitely think I'm noticing this more because of the many refugee crises currently happening all over the world, and the way many countries (including the U.S.) are refusing to help. I get this is in a fantasy context; but it would have been so easy to throw in a few references to make it clear that this is really different from the real world version of events.
I also think some of the plot developments were really clever and interesting, and I liked seeing our group of characters work together. (Carmine!!!! love that he was back. I'm excited to read the short story following him that is included in my copy of this book.)
BUT - some of the big issues I had here related to a few of the characters and relationships. I didn't like Padraig nearly as much as I was supposed to. And I didn't care much for the romance elements either - part of that is down to personal preference with some of the tropes, but I also think there were things that were just weirdly handled. (Like, this is the third book I've read by this author that had an age-gap romance, and even though it's very much NOT my thing usually, I really enjoyed lthe other two. This one, though, felt weird.)
So I'm glad I finished the trilogy, but this is definitely my least favorite by this author so far.
CW: References to: slavery, execution
February 7, 2022
This book left me so happy! Especially the Carmine and Fancy short story at the end that was just fantastic! I would absolutely devour a whole book of just Carmine and Fancy if there was one available.
It was really cool to see the culmination of everything that has been going on in the background in this series.
I have read a lot of books my WR Gingell now and I am starting to really be impressed with how well she writes a semi-unreliable narrator. She is very good at writing from what the character would know, believe and understand, not from what an outside observer would understand. This makes it very clear why the main character makes the decisions they do even when us as a audience know that he main character is making a mistake. It is just so well done and I am loving the vibe that this fantastic skill in writing is giving to her books.
I would recommend this series to anyone who loves a good character driven fantasy or who has enjoyed any of WR Gingell's other work.
Romance content: Hugs, kissing (some unwanted from the character), one instance of off-page implied sex between a married couple.
It was really cool to see the culmination of everything that has been going on in the background in this series.
I have read a lot of books my WR Gingell now and I am starting to really be impressed with how well she writes a semi-unreliable narrator. She is very good at writing from what the character would know, believe and understand, not from what an outside observer would understand. This makes it very clear why the main character makes the decisions they do even when us as a audience know that he main character is making a mistake. It is just so well done and I am loving the vibe that this fantastic skill in writing is giving to her books.
I would recommend this series to anyone who loves a good character driven fantasy or who has enjoyed any of WR Gingell's other work.
Romance content: Hugs, kissing (some unwanted from the character), one instance of off-page implied sex between a married couple.
June 24, 2019
Though I normally prefer slightly more depth and detail in my fantasy, I really quite enjoyed this series.
This finale was only slightly marred by my personal distaste for a trope that is in every story involving faeries. I should’ve known it would be in this one too, but I honestly didn’t expect it until it occurred at the end of the book. I am of course referring to the pedophilic nature of relationships between ancient faeries and young human women. I found the romance between Barric and Dion particularly gross considering he mentored her since she was 6 years old, making him a father figure for most of her life. Then all of a sudden when she’s 20 they’re in love and get married? That’s honestly disgusting and ruins an otherwise wonderful character. Thus I’ve chosen to ignore that particular detail.
This finale was only slightly marred by my personal distaste for a trope that is in every story involving faeries. I should’ve known it would be in this one too, but I honestly didn’t expect it until it occurred at the end of the book. I am of course referring to the pedophilic nature of relationships between ancient faeries and young human women. I found the romance between Barric and Dion particularly gross considering he mentored her since she was 6 years old, making him a father figure for most of her life. Then all of a sudden when she’s 20 they’re in love and get married? That’s honestly disgusting and ruins an otherwise wonderful character. Thus I’ve chosen to ignore that particular detail.
May 12, 2019
This book was hard to put down. I was hooked right from the opening chapter and wanted to keep reading long past lights out. Unfortunately, I have a busy life, so it took me three days to get to the end, and I even had to sneak an early morning read to satisfy my curiosity.
I was taken so completely by surprise by the climax and then delighted that there were additional chapters to help me understand what happened when the prophecy was fulfilled. The storytelling along the way built up such a wonderful word picture that I could have closed my eyes and been there.
If I can steal the time, I plan to sit down and re-read this book as soon as possible )i(
I was taken so completely by surprise by the climax and then delighted that there were additional chapters to help me understand what happened when the prophecy was fulfilled. The storytelling along the way built up such a wonderful word picture that I could have closed my eyes and been there.
If I can steal the time, I plan to sit down and re-read this book as soon as possible )i(
September 28, 2022
I love how the characters and the plots of the first two books reconnect in this final installment. It does mean a lot of characters and details to follow, but eventually it all makes sense.
I did not like the last chapter (it might have been an epilogue), nor did I like the "bonus" chapter which explained the epilogue. Without giving big spoilers: the romantic pairing is wildly inappropriate.
Honestly, the book would be 4 stars without the ending.
I did not like the last chapter (it might have been an epilogue), nor did I like the "bonus" chapter which explained the epilogue. Without giving big spoilers: the romantic pairing is wildly inappropriate.
Honestly, the book would be 4 stars without the ending.
December 28, 2024
So one of the things I really love about WR Gingell is how fresh and different her stories I've read have felt. In this last installment of the trilogy, I actually felt like I was reading a Robin McKinley novella, right down to the yucky (for me) resolution of a love triangle. It was fun to see the characters from the first two novellas, and I loved the sister relationship, but I didn't find this one nearly as satisfying as anything else I have read by her.
August 15, 2017
Well, I didn't enjoy it as much as the first two, but it wasn't bad.
I did like Dion and Barric, if not Padriag. And the story was interesting, though little rushed.
The romance was a trifle odd though, I didn't really fall for it as in the previous books.
Content: Quite a bit of decapitation and a suggested scene (they were married)
I did like Dion and Barric, if not Padriag. And the story was interesting, though little rushed.
The romance was a trifle odd though, I didn't really fall for it as in the previous books.
Content: Quite a bit of decapitation and a suggested scene (they were married)
April 17, 2019
I really liked this one! All the previous couples take part in this adventure, including a new one who honestly broke my heart. There were a few problems I noticed with consistency in the work building, but that may have just been because I missed certain explanations. But the story was so good and romance incredibly sweet.
December 23, 2019
Gorgeous and heart-breaking. I loved seeing the characters from the previous novels, and loved the new characters and their relationships. Thoughtful, valiant Dion, sunny Padraig with his bon viveur, and patient, uncomplaining Barrick.
October 31, 2020
Magi Heroics & Humor
It's a winning combination. To top it off the stories are rife with romance, dragons and family love. This is what I like in fantasy: all of the above; PLUS light-hearted humor and random acts of kindness. The stories are clean and the editing is very good.
It's a winning combination. To top it off the stories are rife with romance, dragons and family love. This is what I like in fantasy: all of the above; PLUS light-hearted humor and random acts of kindness. The stories are clean and the editing is very good.
August 17, 2021
Awwwww
Well this one took many turns and twists, and pulled the pieces together. I really, really loved Dion. And the rest of the cast was such a delight. And we got to see old friends!
Well this one took many turns and twists, and pulled the pieces together. I really, really loved Dion. And the rest of the cast was such a delight. And we got to see old friends!
March 15, 2018
This book ended the trilogy by bringing all the characters together. It was slower in the begginging before moving at a fast pace.
I would recommend this book to anybody who loves fantasy.
I would recommend this book to anybody who loves fantasy.
January 3, 2020
Not as good as the other books in the series.
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