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A review by freadomlibrary
Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
5.0
Critically
Plot - 5 out of 5 stars
Loved this so much! Super fast paced with so many twists and turns. We finally get some revelations on something that is prominent in the entire series. There's a wonderful introduction into this specific kingdom and the people that reside there. And my favorite part is the closure, so satisfying!
Writing Style - 4 out of 5 stars
Simple but engaging. Definitely got better when immersed into the mystery and intrigue. Also, they're so many beautiful, detailed descriptions that really capture the setting.
Characters - 5 out of 5 stars
I love all the characters in this series, so many of my favorites come back in this book and it's glorious! As for the main characters in this one in particular, I adore Bitterblue. She is overwhelmed and bewildered as a teen queen but also intuitive, strong, compassionate and determined to do her best in her charge and to move her country forward. Saf, or Sapphire is a new character introduced and we first meet him as he is stealing but he's definitely not what he seems. He's mischievous and strong but honest and working toward the betterment of the kingdom. Teddy, who is also new and best friends with Saf, is my boo. He's enthusiastic, open, quirky, brave and trusting and a great relief to the sometimes heavy plot.
Emotionally
The tension and mystery are so great in this book. Bitteblue knows someone is deceiving her but who it is. So she kind of goes undercover into her kingdom to see how things are really like and everything is much different than she's told. To me, that would be so true for any teenage queen when handed a place coming back from being manipulated for 30 years. She ends up finding these story bars full of people who listen to the stories and histories of her kingdom and that's where she meets Saf and Teddy. I love their interactions together because they're always full of laughter, challengers, mystery and tension.
The mystery of the kingdom was super interesting and intriguing. There are so many facets to it (what Leck did, what he made others do, what people around him carried out in his name) and they all reveal themselves bit by bit, so it keeps you interested as well as guessing and wanting more. I never saw any of them coming and everything showed itself at the right time to move the plot forward.
The past characters! I was so excited to see my beloved from Graceling and so happy that the characters from Fire also showed up, even if it was a little weird to think of Fire as an old woman. They all had mini plots that integrated themselves into the mayor plot and those pieces flowed very well. It was very interesting to see them after a few years and notice their changes.
I was a little disappointed that the ending was left so open, even the romance between Saf and Bitterblue since it was the end of the series. I would've liked a more solid finish with a harder closure but I still enjoyed the one that I got.
Plot - 5 out of 5 stars
Loved this so much! Super fast paced with so many twists and turns. We finally get some revelations on something that is prominent in the entire series. There's a wonderful introduction into this specific kingdom and the people that reside there. And my favorite part is the closure, so satisfying!
Writing Style - 4 out of 5 stars
Simple but engaging. Definitely got better when immersed into the mystery and intrigue. Also, they're so many beautiful, detailed descriptions that really capture the setting.
Characters - 5 out of 5 stars
I love all the characters in this series, so many of my favorites come back in this book and it's glorious! As for the main characters in this one in particular, I adore Bitterblue. She is overwhelmed and bewildered as a teen queen but also intuitive, strong, compassionate and determined to do her best in her charge and to move her country forward. Saf, or Sapphire is a new character introduced and we first meet him as he is stealing but he's definitely not what he seems. He's mischievous and strong but honest and working toward the betterment of the kingdom. Teddy, who is also new and best friends with Saf, is my boo. He's enthusiastic, open, quirky, brave and trusting and a great relief to the sometimes heavy plot.
Emotionally
Spoiler
This is definitely my favorite book in the trilogy! I love how we got new characters and got to reconnect with all the ones from the previous books.The tension and mystery are so great in this book. Bitteblue knows someone is deceiving her but who it is. So she kind of goes undercover into her kingdom to see how things are really like and everything is much different than she's told. To me, that would be so true for any teenage queen when handed a place coming back from being manipulated for 30 years. She ends up finding these story bars full of people who listen to the stories and histories of her kingdom and that's where she meets Saf and Teddy. I love their interactions together because they're always full of laughter, challengers, mystery and tension.
The mystery of the kingdom was super interesting and intriguing. There are so many facets to it (what Leck did, what he made others do, what people around him carried out in his name) and they all reveal themselves bit by bit, so it keeps you interested as well as guessing and wanting more. I never saw any of them coming and everything showed itself at the right time to move the plot forward.
The past characters! I was so excited to see my beloved from Graceling and so happy that the characters from Fire also showed up, even if it was a little weird to think of Fire as an old woman. They all had mini plots that integrated themselves into the mayor plot and those pieces flowed very well. It was very interesting to see them after a few years and notice their changes.
I was a little disappointed that the ending was left so open, even the romance between Saf and Bitterblue since it was the end of the series. I would've liked a more solid finish with a harder closure but I still enjoyed the one that I got.