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arielthebookgargoyle 's review for:
Sestia
by G.R. Macallister
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
G.R. Macallister has a way of writing that is very mature and foreboding, set in realism, yet fantastical and hopeful at the same time. It really spoke to me and kept me engaged the whole time reading.
The first book in the series, Scorpica, caught me much in the same way. I have looked forward to each installment in the Five Queendoms since. After Arca, Sestia was no exception. Each feels intertwined while adding on to the wonderfully created lore. Sestia starts when the previous two books were happening, but from the High Xera (similar to a pope) of the Queendom of Sestia's point of view. It quickly catches up to alternate between the newly expanded upon characters and some already established.
Sessadon's destruction and drought isn't exactly over. She's become a shade in the underworld and has a michevious plan to open the 5 gates that will allow her to unleash the spirits of the dead upon the above world. This is totally within her character, and a part of me wanted her to succeed.
While she is plotting, queens are figuring out how to vye for peace within nations used to harsh, unforgiving conditions.
The story felt like a champion for motherhood and human connection. Not every nation requiring the same sort of love, but nurturing care that only the right type of mother for each Queendom to bring prosperity. I very much enjoyed this perspective. It made the characters feel real. Contemplating and problem solving each unique situation. It felt grand and beyond one character as well. Where one was important, they only played a small part elsewhere, but effected another character's decisions nonetheless.
I wanted more story, not because there isn't enough, but because I wanted more of the characters and their grand plans. The series has been harrowing, full of heart, and fun to read. I very much love the characters. Either rooting for or against. I thought that the series was going to have at least 2 more books, but I believe Sestia is the conclusion. It tied all previous grief up into sweet little bows. It ends on a much happier, sweeter note than the previous two books.
The first book in the series, Scorpica, caught me much in the same way. I have looked forward to each installment in the Five Queendoms since. After Arca, Sestia was no exception. Each feels intertwined while adding on to the wonderfully created lore. Sestia starts when the previous two books were happening, but from the High Xera (similar to a pope) of the Queendom of Sestia's point of view. It quickly catches up to alternate between the newly expanded upon characters and some already established.
Sessadon's destruction and drought isn't exactly over. She's become a shade in the underworld and has a michevious plan to open the 5 gates that will allow her to unleash the spirits of the dead upon the above world. This is totally within her character, and a part of me wanted her to succeed.
While she is plotting, queens are figuring out how to vye for peace within nations used to harsh, unforgiving conditions.
The story felt like a champion for motherhood and human connection. Not every nation requiring the same sort of love, but nurturing care that only the right type of mother for each Queendom to bring prosperity. I very much enjoyed this perspective. It made the characters feel real. Contemplating and problem solving each unique situation. It felt grand and beyond one character as well. Where one was important, they only played a small part elsewhere, but effected another character's decisions nonetheless.
I wanted more story, not because there isn't enough, but because I wanted more of the characters and their grand plans. The series has been harrowing, full of heart, and fun to read. I very much love the characters. Either rooting for or against. I thought that the series was going to have at least 2 more books, but I believe Sestia is the conclusion. It tied all previous grief up into sweet little bows. It ends on a much happier, sweeter note than the previous two books.