This week’s #spellbooksaturday concludes an enjoyable fantasy trilogy, though I would argue that it ends on a low note…
Earthbound by Saara El-Arifi
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Lettle is on a quest to uncover the truth. Along with the human Alder, the last of his kind, she sets off on an arduous journey of discovery. But after a painful separation from King Rayan, she is struggling to find her way. Alder is determined to learn more about his origins. With no memories of his childhood, he retraces his steps to the cave where it all began. But what he finds there may shake him to the core.
[source: bookshop.org]
Back in the fae court, Yeeran has other priorities. The warrior-turned-ambassador must negotiate a peace treaty with the elven army. But it’s hard to bargain with a duplicitous enemy. And it’s even harder to negotiate with a broken heart. Secrets ripple like an earthquake across the land and love and power are at the core of them all. . . .
Having previously found Faebound and Cursebound to be entertaining enough albeit not great fantasy, I appreciated El-Arifi’s world-building and was looking forward to the conclusion of the trilogy. Unfortunately, I found the story underdelivered, and to be the weakest of the trilogy— after the rising tension and heightened stakes of Cursebound, the conclusion felt a little too neat, almost a bit simplistic. (SPOILER: I was especially disappointed for Golan— justice for Golan!) That said, it is really nice to have LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation in fantasy, and I really appreciated El-Arifi’s use of her heritage for inspiration. Have you read the Faebound series? What were your thoughts? Share in the comments!
I have a Bookshop.org list of #spellbooksaturday features for folks to peruse, but in the spirit of transparency, as a Bookshop.org affiliate, I receive a small percentage of book sales purchased through my links. If you find that off-putting, feel free to shop directly through bookshop.org or your own local bookseller! My only goal here is to resist Amazon and the mega-rich.
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