In this finale of the Queens of Renthia trilogy, Naelin's children are kidnapped by spirits and, blaming the defeated Queen Merecot of Semo for the kidnapping, Naelin is ready to start a war.
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.
