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toggle_fow's review
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I have to give this four stars because after book 2, I was almost CERTAIN there was no good way to bring this series to an end.
I mean, Jessamy has a civil war on her hands, her mother and sisters on one side and her father and boyfriend on the other. She's mixed-race in a way almost nobody completely accepts. There are good people on both sides and a lot of bad people on one side. Kal is on the throne and there's no good way to safely descend a throne, as history has taught us all. And yet, he can't defend his throne against the Efean revolt without becoming the bad guy. Sounds like a recipe for horrendous disaster all around.
And yet... here we are. Mostly intact.
The solution for everything was believable, and also not soul-crushing. Jessamy's side-choosing was pulled off without the burdensome amounts of angst I feared. The undead baby situation was resolved. Kind of. Gargaron got what was coming to him. Overall, the only really sad things are that Bettany is still estranged from the rest of her family off-screen somewhere and that (view spoiler). And yet, that was probably for the best also, given the situation he was in.
This book was tense and emotional and action-packed, but it's the neat tie-off that most impresses me.
Honestly? Respect.
I mean, Jessamy has a civil war on her hands, her mother and sisters on one side and her father and boyfriend on the other. She's mixed-race in a way almost nobody completely accepts. There are good people on both sides and a lot of bad people on one side. Kal is on the throne and there's no good way to safely descend a throne, as history has taught us all. And yet, he can't defend his throne against the Efean revolt without becoming the bad guy. Sounds like a recipe for horrendous disaster all around.
And yet... here we are. Mostly intact.
The solution for everything was believable, and also not soul-crushing. Jessamy's side-choosing was pulled off without the burdensome amounts of angst I feared. The undead baby situation was resolved. Kind of. Gargaron got what was coming to him. Overall, the only really sad things are that Bettany is still estranged from the rest of her family off-screen somewhere and that (view spoiler). And yet, that was probably for the best also, given the situation he was in.
This book was tense and emotional and action-packed, but it's the neat tie-off that most impresses me.
Honestly? Respect.
eafiu's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
naye's review
5.0
Wonderfully crafted story ending with a satisfying resolution and many keenly felt emotions.
cassanette's review
3.0
"I can't move. I can't speak. I can't even cry. I have made my gamble and now I fear I have lost. I thought through every spin of the plan except this one: that Kal has a heart, and his heart is broken."
I have a complicated relationship with this book (and series). It made me cry, in the end, when I didn't think it could and the final 20% or so were very exciting. But that doesn't erase the fact that for the majority of this book I was bored and didn't care, and it took me a month to even decide I wanted to pick it up and wrap up the series.
I liked the conclusion itself. I think the ending will stay with me because it had some things that resonated with me. I find Kate Elliott's ending to be strong and this one was too, even if the series overall was a disappointment (and even if the ending itself, while impactful, is just very improbable in the way it unfurled).
The good: the family dynamic was given focus again at last and it was satisfying to see, we finally got to know Maraya better, Jes and Kal's relationship had some really good moments
The bad: the love triangle, some of the plot was unnaturally contrived in my opinion and some plot twists were... not surprising at all, there was a serious lack of compelling antagonists (the exception being Menoe, who I wanted to see more of) - in fact, the fact that the 'biggest' antagonists are entire countries that are just referred to as 'the enemy' did not help make things more interesting. Also, an off-screen siege?? What a disappointment, 0/10. Sieges are my favourite and that broke my heart.
The rest was pretty meh to me. What I will never stop saying is that Elliott excels at writing multi-PoV and her single narrator books just don't come close. They lack the same depth and emotional complexity to me. So in here, we only have Jes' point of view and we know she has a lot of strong opinions which may or may not be true, she misses a lot of things that don't immediately affect her. She's not exactly the definition of a reliable narrator, which isn't bad in itself but we're told things that we have no way to actually verify. For example, the Efeans just always sounded too good to be true.
Overall 3,5 stars (without the last 20% it would probably be 2 stars).
booksatdawn's review
4.0
Buried Heart by Kate Elliott is the finale to the Court of Fives Trilogy. I can’t begin to tell you how amazing this series was and that you should go pick it up right away! I was blown away with the world Elliott built and expanded on over the course of this journey.
For the third book, the story picks up with the political turmoil between the Saroese and the Efean people. Jessamy our main protagonist is on the run with her family to escape the grasp of Lord Gargaron. Safety is a major priority as things begin to fall to pieces for the royal family and Jessamy leading the rebellion!
Elliott weaves a masterful tale filled with drama, political strife, war, and intricate plot-lines. War is heavy in this one. I felt like there was a battle to be won or conquered in almost every chapter.
Jessamy still goes down as one of my favorite heroines! She is so head strong, confidant and smart. The way she carries herself throughout the whole story was amazing to read. Even when she is knocked down to the dirtiest mines of Efea, she still manages to keep her spirits up. She breathes hope into her people and gives them the strength to fight back.
The ending was so satisfying. Things will never be perfect and the bigger story is far from over. Though the trilogy is over, the characters will live on and still fight for their rights and privileges. Buried Heart was everything I could have asked for!
For the third book, the story picks up with the political turmoil between the Saroese and the Efean people. Jessamy our main protagonist is on the run with her family to escape the grasp of Lord Gargaron. Safety is a major priority as things begin to fall to pieces for the royal family and Jessamy leading the rebellion!
Elliott weaves a masterful tale filled with drama, political strife, war, and intricate plot-lines. War is heavy in this one. I felt like there was a battle to be won or conquered in almost every chapter.
Jessamy still goes down as one of my favorite heroines! She is so head strong, confidant and smart. The way she carries herself throughout the whole story was amazing to read. Even when she is knocked down to the dirtiest mines of Efea, she still manages to keep her spirits up. She breathes hope into her people and gives them the strength to fight back.
The ending was so satisfying. Things will never be perfect and the bigger story is far from over. Though the trilogy is over, the characters will live on and still fight for their rights and privileges. Buried Heart was everything I could have asked for!
panxa's review
4.0
Jes continued to annoy the hell out of me, and the setting continued to intrigue me. I wish we got more of Maraya's story and her search through the archives. I'd like to see how the Efeans rediscover their magic now that they are no longer under the thumb of the Saroese.
crushgoil's review
3.0
A satisfying ending. Unsure of how to rate the book as a whole, however, because I think I just wasn't in the right mood for it.
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