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kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
First read January 1, 2014.
Ninth in the Chronicles of Elantra fantasy series for Young Adults and revolving around Private Kaylin Neya.
This is a complex story with lots of ins and outs. I would seriously recommend starting this series from the beginning with the prequel in Mercedes Lackey's Harvest Moon: "Cast in Moonlight", 0.5.
My Take
It's the most incredible world that Sagara has created. I've never read anything like it, and I'm wanting to re-read it already. It's magic with what we might consider an elvish race—the Barrani—but with very little similarity. More haughty, I think. While there are usually a greater variety of living beings in Sagara's series, this installment restricts itself to a couple of humans, a dragon, sentient beings and dreams, and a mention of sorcerers, lion-men, birdmen, and dragonshifters.
The story continues on from where we left off in Cast in Peril, 8, with Kaylin trekking to the West March with the Barrani, and she'll never believe a painter again with those idyllic canvases of lush greens. They left out the bugs! Nor does she believe this forced vacation is a paid one. Even if the Halls of Law insisted she go.
It's tense, terrifying, and you'll find yourself laughing. It's also incredibly complex—I don't know how Sagara keeps all of this straight in her mind! There is also a great deal of Barrani history in this. It's Teela's past, a huge reveal about the lost, more about the Hallionne and the green, and thought provoking insight into Barrani fears, general and specific.
Sagara is so inventive with her Barrani culture and incredibly consistent in applying it! For as complicated as it is, I'm really impressed. I like too that Sagara creates personalities for everyone. I'm writing that and wondering well, of course everyone has a personality?? And yet, you have to read this to understand better what I mean. The Barrani are so cold and standoffish. So calculating, and yet they come across as warm and concerned. I love the Lord of the West March's humor in this; it's so unexpected.
There's confirmation with what we learned from Cast in Peril about the Ferals—this alone is enough to send me back to Cast in Shadow, 1.
It's clever of Sagara to set up her world as she has—it doesn't always have to make sense! There were a number of actions which I did not understand, bits and pieces sometimes, but it can take a couple readings to pull it all in. The absorption of the birds, how the Lord of the West March fits into the West March and what part Lord Barian plays,
I simply adore Kaylin's dialog, her thoughts, and herself. She's cheeky, irreverent, and real.
The Lord of the West March is explaining how the courts work, and I'm confused. He says the West March has the Court of the Vale, so I'm going to assume that he means the actual West March. Ah, found it. The Court of the Vale is what the West March calls its Court; it's separate from the Lord of the March.
How sad is it that Kaylin mistrusts respect given to her, and that Kaylin sees her work at the midwives guild as an act of atonement.
The Story
The trek to the West March for the recitation of the regalia continues and many are injured, with most refusing Kaylin's healing aid. The sacred green dress only goes so far to ensure respect for her as the harmoniste. Lucky for Kaylin as the Barrani idea of gratitude is a knife in a dark alley.
In fact, despite the dress, Kaylin is in danger, "the only point in her favor" is that Hallionne Orbaranne is standing (Cast in Peril, 8).
It is Kaylin's friendship with Teela, that influences the green to choose her as harmoniste, the speaker who will gather the words the Teller says into a story that will change people, shift their perceptions.
Of course, it's never that simple…
The Characters
Born poor and orphaned early in her life, the cynical Private Kaylin Neya is more than human, more than a Lord of the Barrani, more than a titular significant other to Nightshade, Kaylin is Chosen and bears the marks. Most importantly, she is a healer. The small dragon (the Barrani and the sorcerers believe he is a familiar and covet him) is still with Kaylin and extremely protective.
Bellusdeo is the dragon roommate she had to leave behind in Elantra. Lord Sanabalis is the dragon at Court who has been tutoring Kaylin; he required that she wear his emblem while among the Barrani.
Lord Severn Handred was part of Kaylin's orphan band until the others died, and then Kaylin ran. He entered the Wolves and has been seconded to the Hawks, to Kaylin specifically. He also passed the Tower's test when Kaylin did which entitles him to the title of lord (Cast in Courtlight, 2).
Lord An'Teela is both Barrani, a member of both the West March and the High Court, and one of the Hawks. Kaylin's friend and coworker, and she claims Kaylin as kyuthe. Vivienne was Teela's mother, of the line of Wardens and Guardians of the West March. When Kaylin was younger, the Emperor thought she was a danger and wanted her killed. Teela donned her rank and let the Emperor know she was willing to go to war for Kaylin.
Lirienne, the Lord of the West March, is Lord of the High Halls and all the Barrani, and his sister, the Consort, a.k.a., the Lady, is the Mother of the Barrani. He is also the Lord of the Green. He also claims Kaylin as kyuthe, kin, mostly because Kaylin amuses him.
Lord Ynpharion is furious and terrified that Kaylin knows his True name, even if it did bring him back from the Shadows. Lord Evarrim, Teela's cousin, uses a lot of Arcane magic, and he despises Kaylin.
Lord Nightshade, an Outcaste Barrani and a fieflord (think of him as a crime boss), was once Lord Calarnenne, and the Consort insists on using his name. In this story, he will participate in the recitation of the regalia as the Teller.
The West March
Lord Barian is the Warden of the West March. And a cousin of Teela's. His duty is to absorb the nightmares of the Hallionne and converse with it, to visit. Avonelle, the Guardian of the green, is Barian's mother and Teela's aunt; she is also hostile toward Kaylin, but hates the Lord of the West March. Lord Tanniase is angry with Severn for the events of a previous visit of his to the West March. Gaedin and Serian are the Barrani assigned to serve Kaylin.
The birds that are normally absorbed by the Lady or the Warden are also known as the Dreams of Alsanis, the Hallionne in the West March.
Iberrienne was the one who was sacrificing mortals, see Cast in Peril, 8.
The lost ones
Sedarias was the leader; Eddorian is Iberrienne's brother; Annarion is like Sedarias, cold and proud and Nightshade's brother; Mandoran has a lovely sense of humor; the ambitious Terrano had a sense of humor; the shy and very big, Allaron liked the small and helpless; Valliant hates his name; Serralynn is the other female; Torrisant is clothes-obsessed and attracts birds; Fallessian is a bully; and, Karian is grim and controlled.
Hallionne are the Barrani version of an inn: sentient, alive, and able to read minds. It is their duty to recreate the best comforts of a guest's home. Hallionne Alsanis is the inn in the West March that is betrayed. Tha'alaan appear in the Barrani fountains to Kaylin (Cast in Fury, 4). The Outlands are a potential space, gray and formless, and you could never count on everyone reaching the same destination. The green is a place, like a sentient city with laws and customs.
The Cover
The cover is golden as Kaylin, wearing the green dress of the honoriste, perches on the fountain's edge, dips her fingers through the water, and chats with the Tha'aalani in the fountain.
The title is all about the Shadows and the Barrani, for they have been Cast in Sorrow.
Ninth in the Chronicles of Elantra fantasy series for Young Adults and revolving around Private Kaylin Neya.
This is a complex story with lots of ins and outs. I would seriously recommend starting this series from the beginning with the prequel in Mercedes Lackey's Harvest Moon: "Cast in Moonlight", 0.5.
My Take
It's the most incredible world that Sagara has created. I've never read anything like it, and I'm wanting to re-read it already. It's magic with what we might consider an elvish race—the Barrani—but with very little similarity. More haughty, I think. While there are usually a greater variety of living beings in Sagara's series, this installment restricts itself to a couple of humans, a dragon, sentient beings and dreams, and a mention of sorcerers, lion-men, birdmen, and dragonshifters.
The story continues on from where we left off in Cast in Peril, 8, with Kaylin trekking to the West March with the Barrani, and she'll never believe a painter again with those idyllic canvases of lush greens. They left out the bugs! Nor does she believe this forced vacation is a paid one. Even if the Halls of Law insisted she go.
It's tense, terrifying, and you'll find yourself laughing. It's also incredibly complex—I don't know how Sagara keeps all of this straight in her mind! There is also a great deal of Barrani history in this. It's Teela's past, a huge reveal about the lost, more about the Hallionne and the green, and thought provoking insight into Barrani fears, general and specific.
Sagara is so inventive with her Barrani culture and incredibly consistent in applying it! For as complicated as it is, I'm really impressed. I like too that Sagara creates personalities for everyone. I'm writing that and wondering well, of course everyone has a personality?? And yet, you have to read this to understand better what I mean. The Barrani are so cold and standoffish. So calculating, and yet they come across as warm and concerned. I love the Lord of the West March's humor in this; it's so unexpected.
There's confirmation with what we learned from Cast in Peril about the Ferals—this alone is enough to send me back to Cast in Shadow, 1.
It's clever of Sagara to set up her world as she has—it doesn't always have to make sense! There were a number of actions which I did not understand, bits and pieces sometimes, but it can take a couple readings to pull it all in. The absorption of the birds, how the Lord of the West March fits into the West March and what part Lord Barian plays,
I simply adore Kaylin's dialog, her thoughts, and herself. She's cheeky, irreverent, and real.
"It's probably stupid," she said, after a long pause, "for me to open my mouth at all."
The Lord of the West March is explaining how the courts work, and I'm confused. He says the West March has the Court of the Vale, so I'm going to assume that he means the actual West March. Ah, found it. The Court of the Vale is what the West March calls its Court; it's separate from the Lord of the March.
"Finding fact offensive is pointless."
How sad is it that Kaylin mistrusts respect given to her, and that Kaylin sees her work at the midwives guild as an act of atonement.
"Death is … endless. It was loss. It was loss every day. It was an emptiness and a permanent lack of warmth."
The Story
The trek to the West March for the recitation of the regalia continues and many are injured, with most refusing Kaylin's healing aid. The sacred green dress only goes so far to ensure respect for her as the harmoniste. Lucky for Kaylin as the Barrani idea of gratitude is a knife in a dark alley.
In fact, despite the dress, Kaylin is in danger, "the only point in her favor" is that Hallionne Orbaranne is standing (Cast in Peril, 8).
It is Kaylin's friendship with Teela, that influences the green to choose her as harmoniste, the speaker who will gather the words the Teller says into a story that will change people, shift their perceptions.
Of course, it's never that simple…
The Characters
Born poor and orphaned early in her life, the cynical Private Kaylin Neya is more than human, more than a Lord of the Barrani, more than a titular significant other to Nightshade, Kaylin is Chosen and bears the marks. Most importantly, she is a healer. The small dragon (the Barrani and the sorcerers believe he is a familiar and covet him) is still with Kaylin and extremely protective.
Bellusdeo is the dragon roommate she had to leave behind in Elantra. Lord Sanabalis is the dragon at Court who has been tutoring Kaylin; he required that she wear his emblem while among the Barrani.
Lord Severn Handred was part of Kaylin's orphan band until the others died, and then Kaylin ran. He entered the Wolves and has been seconded to the Hawks, to Kaylin specifically. He also passed the Tower's test when Kaylin did which entitles him to the title of lord (Cast in Courtlight, 2).
Lord An'Teela is both Barrani, a member of both the West March and the High Court, and one of the Hawks. Kaylin's friend and coworker, and she claims Kaylin as kyuthe. Vivienne was Teela's mother, of the line of Wardens and Guardians of the West March. When Kaylin was younger, the Emperor thought she was a danger and wanted her killed. Teela donned her rank and let the Emperor know she was willing to go to war for Kaylin.
Lirienne, the Lord of the West March, is Lord of the High Halls and all the Barrani, and his sister, the Consort, a.k.a., the Lady, is the Mother of the Barrani. He is also the Lord of the Green. He also claims Kaylin as kyuthe, kin, mostly because Kaylin amuses him.
Lord Ynpharion is furious and terrified that Kaylin knows his True name, even if it did bring him back from the Shadows. Lord Evarrim, Teela's cousin, uses a lot of Arcane magic, and he despises Kaylin.
Lord Nightshade, an Outcaste Barrani and a fieflord (think of him as a crime boss), was once Lord Calarnenne, and the Consort insists on using his name. In this story, he will participate in the recitation of the regalia as the Teller.
The West March
Lord Barian is the Warden of the West March. And a cousin of Teela's. His duty is to absorb the nightmares of the Hallionne and converse with it, to visit. Avonelle, the Guardian of the green, is Barian's mother and Teela's aunt; she is also hostile toward Kaylin, but hates the Lord of the West March. Lord Tanniase is angry with Severn for the events of a previous visit of his to the West March. Gaedin and Serian are the Barrani assigned to serve Kaylin.
The birds that are normally absorbed by the Lady or the Warden are also known as the Dreams of Alsanis, the Hallionne in the West March.
Iberrienne was the one who was sacrificing mortals, see Cast in Peril, 8.
The lost ones
Sedarias was the leader; Eddorian is Iberrienne's brother; Annarion is like Sedarias, cold and proud and Nightshade's brother; Mandoran has a lovely sense of humor; the ambitious Terrano had a sense of humor; the shy and very big, Allaron liked the small and helpless; Valliant hates his name; Serralynn is the other female; Torrisant is clothes-obsessed and attracts birds; Fallessian is a bully; and, Karian is grim and controlled.
Hallionne are the Barrani version of an inn: sentient, alive, and able to read minds. It is their duty to recreate the best comforts of a guest's home. Hallionne Alsanis is the inn in the West March that is betrayed. Tha'alaan appear in the Barrani fountains to Kaylin (Cast in Fury, 4). The Outlands are a potential space, gray and formless, and you could never count on everyone reaching the same destination. The green is a place, like a sentient city with laws and customs.
The Cover
The cover is golden as Kaylin, wearing the green dress of the honoriste, perches on the fountain's edge, dips her fingers through the water, and chats with the Tha'aalani in the fountain.
The title is all about the Shadows and the Barrani, for they have been Cast in Sorrow.
katyanaish's review against another edition
5.0
While I still find it tiresome to see Kaylin so disrespected by everyone (seriously, I'd be happy enough if she had just let the Barrani kill themselves, as they were trying so hard to do)... I just honestly adore this series.
And I am hopeful that she's no longer going to be treated as everyone's punching bag. We'll see.
And I am hopeful that she's no longer going to be treated as everyone's punching bag. We'll see.
bookworm5732's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
lorune's review against another edition
4.0
More of the same as the previous books, but in this case thats a good thing as they were really fun :)
mary_soon_lee's review against another edition
4.0
This is the ninth novel in the fantasy series "The Chronicles of Elantra," a series that I'm enjoying very much. The books have a very likable heroine, very likable recurring supporting characters, strong found-family and friendship themes, intriguing magic and worldbuilding, high stakes, and some notably dark content. I think the books would be best read in order, because later books have comparatively little recapitulation of previous events.
"Cast in Sorrow" is a good entry in a very good series. If I wasn't as emotionally wrapped up in it as in some of the earlier books, it was still eminently satisfactory. And there were individual scenes that had me by the heart strings. A few more specific remarks after a spoiler warning.
Four out of five green stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
"Cast in Sorrow" is a good entry in a very good series. If I wasn't as emotionally wrapped up in it as in some of the earlier books, it was still eminently satisfactory. And there were individual scenes that had me by the heart strings. A few more specific remarks after a spoiler warning.
Spoiler
Firstly, I admire the way that this book offers Kaylin the temptation to undo the deaths that haunt her, and that she refuses, and that the book makes it clear this is the right course. Death and loss are not something to be just set aside, even in fantasy, if the story is to have weight. Secondly, I do love the small dragon (who is not a small dragon). Thirdly, I also love Severn and Teela.Four out of five green stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
livarleth's review against another edition
5.0
This continues to be one of my favorite fantasy series ever. It just keeps on being great.
chawlios's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
katelin00's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
Cast in Peril and Cast in Sorrow should have been one book. There is no reason for both to be so long. I feel like if certain things had been cut out, it wouldn't have been a loss to the story. There is so much introspection that you get overwhelmed. I think the world is almost too complex. Things like the Green or the Hallionne and even the Towers in the fiefs are complex things that mortals can't understand. But these complexities make them more confusing for the reader, pulling you out of the story. I want things to stop being so vague.
I also wish Kaylin had grown more in the series. I know that very little time has passed since book one, which is part of the problem. It hasn't even been a year. I want Kaylin to be more competent. There is a reason she lacks knowledge; it brings the world of Elantra to the reader, and we learn more about it through her perspective. This is usually a good tactic, but there are times when you just want the main character to know things. She's always confused, always making rash decisions, and she's always ignorant.
This all sounds harsh, but the story was good. I liked learning more about the Barrani and Teela. I especially liked the familiar when it comes to these two books. He's a fascinating addition. I like that we get so much of Teela. I like seeing how much of a family they are to each other. Teela truly cares about Kaylin and would die for her.
This review comes after a re-read/re-listen. The audiobook helps with distinguishing who's talking. My rating has not changed from when I originally reviewed it. However, now that I've gone back and have a back catalog of other well-written heroines, I find Kaylin much more difficult to root for.
Cast in Peril and Cast in Sorrow should have been one book. There is no reason for both to be so long. I feel like if certain things had been cut out, it wouldn't have been a loss to the story. There is so much introspection that you get overwhelmed. I think the world is almost too complex. Things like the Green or the Hallionne and even the Towers in the fiefs are complex things that mortals can't understand. But these complexities make them more confusing for the reader, pulling you out of the story. I want things to stop being so vague.
I also wish Kaylin had grown more in the series. I know that very little time has passed since book one, which is part of the problem. It hasn't even been a year. I want Kaylin to be more competent. There is a reason she lacks knowledge; it brings the world of Elantra to the reader, and we learn more about it through her perspective. This is usually a good tactic, but there are times when you just want the main character to know things. She's always confused, always making rash decisions, and she's always ignorant.
This all sounds harsh, but the story was good. I liked learning more about the Barrani and Teela. I especially liked the familiar when it comes to these two books. He's a fascinating addition. I like that we get so much of Teela. I like seeing how much of a family they are to each other. Teela truly cares about Kaylin and would die for her.
This review comes after a re-read/re-listen. The audiobook helps with distinguishing who's talking. My rating has not changed from when I originally reviewed it. However, now that I've gone back and have a back catalog of other well-written heroines, I find Kaylin much more difficult to root for.
ashkwtf's review against another edition
3.0
So, I always enjoy reading this series but ... it's starting to get repetitive. Kaylin goes from crisis to crisis, resolving them purely on instinct and blind luck. She has matured a bit as a character but I feel like many of the tensions from book one have barely changed. Sure she doesn't want to kill Severin anymore. I guess that's a little progress. After this book, perhaps Nightshade's interest in her has been explained and will wane? Or not? Eh. I'm not sure that's 9 books worth of development though.