The Bitter Kingdom

I have raved (in the reviews of book one and two) about how amazing this book’s heroine is- I will now move on to her other half. Swoon-some Hector. Yes- like 90% of the female population reading this series, I am completely in love with Hector. Like a lot. Like, I’d give up coffee forever to have him for my own.

I love coffee like Sméagol loves the ring. Just to put that in perspective.

Seriously, Hector may be one of the best written male leads in the HISTORY OF WRITING. Dangerously close to Mr. Thornton and Mr. Darcy. He manages to pull off being dutiful, strong, honor bound, restrained, wise, a wonderful warrior, and mysteriously brooding AND at the same time he is tender and loving and protective and where the hell is my Hector?!

However, I do have tiny complaints. Having Hector’s POV in this book weakened him IMO. I didn’t feel like his character was developed enough to provide as amazing of a POV as Elisa does. Unfortunately his segments were sandwiched in between Elisa’s, and in contrast they just seemed weak.

Another complaint I had was the mines. It just felt like a mash up of Lord of the Rings and Hunger Games, providing scorpions instead of Tracker Jackers, and mines vs the mines of Moria.

Okay- on to what I loved! Everything!! This book was fantastic. Elisa continues to grow as a character and I died when this scene happened:

“You look beautiful,” Alodia says.

“I startle at the complement. Then I smile, “I’m beautiful to the one person who matters.”

“She nods. “Hector’s mouth will drop open when he sees you.”

“I hope so. But I meant me. I’m beautiful to me.”

That she says this to her sister is huge. For two and a half books Elisa has felt inferior to Alodia. Inferior in beauty, power, abilities. By book two she finders her own inner strength, but she doesn’t think she is beautiful. IN this book she finds herself beautiful, signaling that she has completed her journey of self-confidence and growth. And I loved it.

Ximena. OMG. The tears when she whispered, “My sky…” I should have guessed she was going to die after Elisa didn’t need her any more, but still. It hurt more than I thought it was going to.

In conclusion, this is a wonderful series, the best I have read in quite some time. Everyone who loves fantasy, who teeters the gap between YA and adult should read it. Five stars for sure.