It’s the spirits that make Sarah Beth Durst’s world of Renthia distinctive in The Queen of Sorrow ... The idea that nature is animate is all but universal, of course. But Ms. Durst’s spirits aren’t like the flimsy oreads and dryads of Greek myth. They are not in harmony with humans, but bitterly hostile ... The Renthia trilogy stands old beliefs, and even old myths, on their heads. Ms. Durst has given us a refreshing, provocative and ultimately convincing remake of modern fantasy conventions. The wonder is that we ever saw things the other way round.
Loyalty to land, lovers, and family will be up for grabs in this action-packed and emotional epic ... This engrossing conclusion to the Queens of Renthia trilogy has been worth the wait, providing a challenging but satisfying ending.
On one hand, The Queen of Sorrow beautifully wraps up most of the threads from the previous books, leaving just one or two for the author to play with in the future ... On the other hand, though, I am...a bit frustrated by how the story evolved ... but I’m pretty comfortable saying if you are a fantasy fan who enjoys YA, you’ll enjoy this. The romance is more subplot with the main action being… well… saving the world. However, it’s a good combination.
The Queens of Renthia series (which began with The Queen of Blood, 2016) concludes with an earth-shattering conflict between three determined queens, two countries, and a multitude of bloodthirsty spirits. Little more than a year into her rule, Queen Daleina of Aratay has survived an assassination attempt and a devastating invasion and acquired a new coruler, Queen Naelin ... Questions from previous books will be answered, and the introduction of three neighboring Renthian queens offers an intriguing story element.
The Queen of Sorrow, the conclusion of Sarah Beth Durst’s The Queens of Renthia trilogy, expands the amazing fantasy world of Renthia and answers a host of questions about the rules that govern it ... There are more lands, more queens. More importantly, there is a reason why the spirits run amok without a queen—and there is a reason why women are the only ones who can bring those spirits under control. This expanded cosmos, together with Naelin’s deeply emotional journey as she deals with the disappearance of her children, makes The Queen of Sorrow by far the most compelling novel of the series.
The thrilling and sometimes melancholy finale of Durst’s Queens of Renthia trilogy continues to expand the world of Renthia, finally bringing the story into Semo, the neighboring country that had attacked the land of Aratay in the previous book ... Naelin and Daleina both enjoy a lot of sex, and death is plentiful and sometimes horrific. The well-crafted denouement wraps up the entire adventure perfectly.
...the book offers a reasonably satisfying resolution to the trilogy while still leaving the door open for new books in Renthia (which, according to the acknowledgments, is exactly what the author plans to write). Perhaps that will also provide opportunities for the more interesting minor characters in the story, such as the sociopathic poisoner Garnah, to take center stage. Other characters, particularly Cajara, a shy young candidate for queen, are never fully developed despite the key roles they play in the plot. But at least Merecot gets exactly what she deserves for her presumption. On balance, a decent wrap-up.
