Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
AAAAHHHH! I loved this series so much! It was such a satisfying conclusion. Highly recommend it!
I don't think non-lovers of political intrigue books will enjoy this one, and lovers of the genre are going to know there's better stuff out there. It wasn't bad, just a bit predictable. I had a hard time connecting with the characters but that may because I had not read the previous two books.
My 4 stars rating is strongly influenced by my enjoyment of the series as a whole, and completely ignores the final chapter.
What the hell is that ending? What the hell is this book? Where the hell was Molly? Only reason why I trudged through this was because I wanted to see how Molly grew, but she barely got a few chapters here. It was the princess this, the king did that, Alaric thought this, Tobias saw that.
And the ending. Holy fuck the ending. I mean, a giant cat? And Molly wasn't even there, she was seeing it through the eyes of a giant chubby cat, the size of a fucking building. And right after Tobias's death, Alaric springs a marriage proposal and Molly just accepts? What the mindbogglingly fuck>. This is such a disappointment of an ending and a series in general. I invested so much of my time for this, I mean Jesus I put off my responsibilities just to finish this. This just seemed so insulting.
And the ending. Holy fuck the ending. I mean, a giant cat? And Molly wasn't even there, she was seeing it through the eyes of a giant chubby cat, the size of a fucking building. And right after Tobias's death, Alaric springs a marriage proposal and Molly just accepts? What the mindbogglingly fuck>. This is such a disappointment of an ending and a series in general. I invested so much of my time for this, I mean Jesus I put off my responsibilities just to finish this. This just seemed so insulting.
Molly, Tobias, and King Alaric are back in this final book of the Silver Bowl Trilogy. Having found the Loving Cup in the previous book, the three of them make their way to Cortova so Alaric can win the hand of the princess. Unbeknownst to them, the cunning King Gonzola has also invited King Reynard in the hopes of creating a bidding war over Princess Elizabetta. The twists and turns in this book will keep the reader on the edge of her seat, while we wonder along with Molly what the truth is and whom we can trust. Highly recommended for fans of the series. Please read the other two books first. Grades 4-8.
I loved Elizabetta. I really wish the story could have all been about her. She's going to be a great Queen.
The ending though. ...well the ending. We need to have a chat about the ending. First of all, killing Tobias just seems like a way to get Molly and Alaric together. The last chapter where they get together is even titled "It Was Really Quite Convenient", which I know was supposed to be about oh hey Elizabetta is in love with someone else as well, so we're good. But really? After killing one point of a love triangle we didn't even know existed? Another title probably would have been better.
I am VERY VERY glad that they didn't use the cup of love on Elizabetta though. I was really annoyed that Molly never even seemed to think that maybe getting someone to fall in love with your king against her will isn't very ethical. But then I don't think she thinks much of ethics ever since she erased the memories of her "best friend" in the last book. I wish someone had pointed that out though, not just a last minute thing by the King who suddenly wasn't interested in the match now that it wasn't in his best interests.
I don't see Molly being a good leader. I honestly don't. But who knows. The story stops here and it was enjoyable. I'm just sad it wasn't as good as it could be.
The ending though. ...well the ending. We need to have a chat about the ending. First of all, killing Tobias just seems like a way to get Molly and Alaric together. The last chapter where they get together is even titled "It Was Really Quite Convenient", which I know was supposed to be about oh hey Elizabetta is in love with someone else as well, so we're good. But really? After killing one point of a love triangle we didn't even know existed? Another title probably would have been better.
I am VERY VERY glad that they didn't use the cup of love on Elizabetta though. I was really annoyed that Molly never even seemed to think that maybe getting someone to fall in love with your king against her will isn't very ethical. But then I don't think she thinks much of ethics ever since she erased the memories of her "best friend" in the last book. I wish someone had pointed that out though, not just a last minute thing by the King who suddenly wasn't interested in the match now that it wasn't in his best interests.
I don't see Molly being a good leader. I honestly don't. But who knows. The story stops here and it was enjoyable. I'm just sad it wasn't as good as it could be.
GUYS. So this is book THREE and I just realized there was a LOVE TRIANGLE. A LOVE TRIANGLE GOING ON FOR THREE BOOKS AND I ABSOLUTELY MISSED IT. And to just kill off the sweet guy and have her end up with someone I had no idea was even a romantic love interest....gosh. Don't do that to a girl!
Anyway, I'm filled with lots of turmoil at the moment because I was really loving this trilogy. But the ending was just so bad. Absolutely passive and random and convenient. Even a little morally repulsive.
And just so, so convenient. The more I think about it the more annoyed I am. WHY DID IT HAVE TO GO SO WRONG?
I can't even appreciate the bitter-sweetness of the ending because it was so obviously coming and then so poorly done. Basically every contingency was handled and neatly swept away. And that makes me mad. If you're going to sacrifice a character, make a sacrifice already.
Molly was not very interesting in this book. Gone is our strong, intrepid heroine facing the world with only her ready fists and quick tongue. She basically spends the entire book wandering around prophesying doom and gloom and rehashing things the reader already knows with a cat.
Everyone is faced with deep dilemmas but none of them have to face the reality of their situation (except for the Very Bad Baddies, of course) Its like, pain without consequence. Its consequence that carries the weight of a sacrifice. I don't feel emotionally engaged with the characters. I just feel outraged.
Like so many books, it could have been so much more. However, it wasn't just mediocre. It was painful and awful and...
And I am going to bed because its late and I am way to worked up about this. But what a disappointment! YOU CAN'T JUST HIDE A LOVE TRIANGLE LIKE THAT. I hate love triangles. Or at least I need to know ahead of time who she ends up with so I can root for the right guy. OTHERWISE YOU JUST WASTE EMOTIONS.
Anyway, I'm filled with lots of turmoil at the moment because I was really loving this trilogy. But the ending was just so bad. Absolutely passive and random and convenient. Even a little morally repulsive.
Spoiler
SHE as a CAT ate THE BAD GUY who really wasn't even that EVIL. His twerp son was. Like whhhhaaaaaattttttAnd just so, so convenient. The more I think about it the more annoyed I am. WHY DID IT HAVE TO GO SO WRONG?
I can't even appreciate the bitter-sweetness of the ending because it was so obviously coming and then so poorly done. Basically every contingency was handled and neatly swept away. And that makes me mad. If you're going to sacrifice a character, make a sacrifice already.
Molly was not very interesting in this book. Gone is our strong, intrepid heroine facing the world with only her ready fists and quick tongue. She basically spends the entire book wandering around prophesying doom and gloom and rehashing things the reader already knows with a cat.
Everyone is faced with deep dilemmas but none of them have to face the reality of their situation (except for the Very Bad Baddies, of course) Its like, pain without consequence. Its consequence that carries the weight of a sacrifice. I don't feel emotionally engaged with the characters. I just feel outraged.
Like so many books, it could have been so much more. However, it wasn't just mediocre. It was painful and awful and...
And I am going to bed because its late and I am way to worked up about this. But what a disappointment! YOU CAN'T JUST HIDE A LOVE TRIANGLE LIKE THAT. I hate love triangles. Or at least I need to know ahead of time who she ends up with so I can root for the right guy. OTHERWISE YOU JUST WASTE EMOTIONS.
when i first started reading this (the third and last book in the silver bowl trilogy) i kept wondering if i had missed a book in-between, or if i had accidentally picked up a book by an entirely different author, just because there was such a huge disjunct between the events of book 2 and those of book 3. then, towards the middle of the book, i began to feel a strange sense of deja vu - and eventually realized that, in structure and intent, it felt quite a lot like megan whalen turner's the queen of attolia (starting first and foremost with the echoed title). a lot like, but not quite . . . as if this were a watered-down, rushed-out version with a much lighter impact.
perhaps that's an unfair comparison, as mwt's thief series is arguably one of the most masterfully written YA fantasy series to come out of the past 15 years (yes, you heard me! and i'm not gonna take it back, nuh uh), but i think even without it this book would have felt incomplete - or perhaps insubstantial is the better word. entertaining, but ultimately insubstantial.
perhaps that's an unfair comparison, as mwt's thief series is arguably one of the most masterfully written YA fantasy series to come out of the past 15 years (yes, you heard me! and i'm not gonna take it back, nuh uh), but i think even without it this book would have felt incomplete - or perhaps insubstantial is the better word. entertaining, but ultimately insubstantial.
I liked the way the author connected the plot with chess, but I didn't like the death of Tobias. I can't see a way that the author could have achieved the same happy ending without Tobias's death, except if they changed the whole series, so I suppose it was necessary.