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Winterling #3
Moonkind
Fer must save her realm from the Forsworn, a group destroying the land with their broken oaths, in Moonkind, the conclusion to award-winning author Sarah Prineas's fantasy-adventure series, which includes Winterling, Summerkin, and the short story Thrice Sworn.
As the Lady of the Summerlands, Fer has vowed to serve her people without the deception of the glamorie, and she had trusted other leaders to fulfill the same promise. But not all of the Lords and Ladies want to keep their oaths, and they've unleashed the consequences of their betrayal onto the lands. Only Fer, with the help of the puck-boy Rook, can fight the stillness invading the realm. But can she trust Rook? And can she protect her people before it's too late?
Sarah Prineas combines a brave and resourceful young heroine with a richly detailed fantasy world and beloved folklore into a story that will delight middle-grade fans of Diana Wynne Jones, Ingrid Law, and Rick Riordan.
As the Lady of the Summerlands, Fer has vowed to serve her people without the deception of the glamorie, and she had trusted other leaders to fulfill the same promise. But not all of the Lords and Ladies want to keep their oaths, and they've unleashed the consequences of their betrayal onto the lands. Only Fer, with the help of the puck-boy Rook, can fight the stillness invading the realm. But can she trust Rook? And can she protect her people before it's too late?
Sarah Prineas combines a brave and resourceful young heroine with a richly detailed fantasy world and beloved folklore into a story that will delight middle-grade fans of Diana Wynne Jones, Ingrid Law, and Rick Riordan.
263 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2013
32 people are currently reading
1370 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Prineas
46 books1,121 followersComing in April 2021 from Philomel, Trouble in the Stars! It's a middle grade science fiction adventure about a shapeshifter kid.
And Dragonfell is out in paperback in April 2020.
Happy reading!
My website: www.sarah-prineas.com
And Dragonfell is out in paperback in April 2020.
Happy reading!
My website: www.sarah-prineas.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
March 22, 2023
Auch der dritte Band hat mir wieder gut gefallen. Ich hab mich in das englische super eingelesen - auch wenn mir hier doch jetzt noch etwas mehr aufgefallen ist, dass sich die Autorin mit den Wörter schon öfter wiederholt. Das wirkt auf Dauer schon ein bisschen eintönig.
Von der Idee der Handlung her war es allerdings wieder sehr einfallsreich! Fer hat ja ihre Prüfung als Lady der Summerlands bestanden und in ihrer neuen Position direkt einige Änderungen eingefordert. Die anderen Lords und Ladies sollten ihren "Glamour" ablegen und nicht die Treue ihrer Landsleute erzwingen, sondern selbst einen Eid leisten, ihr Land zu beschützen.
Diesen Änderungen möchten viele aber nicht folgen - und so steht Fer vor einem großen Problem: ein Schwur ist hier nämlich eine bindende Macht. Wenn er nicht gehalten oder gebrochen wird, hat das böse Folgen.
Aber auch die Pucks machen einige unliebsame Entdeckungen und hecken einen Plan aus. Dieser bringt Rook in eine äußerst schwierige Situation und stellt - mal wieder - seine Freundschaft mir Fer auf eine harte Probe.
Ein bisschen schade fand ich, dass Fer sich nicht den Konsequenzen stellt, die Rook und sie auslösen. Sie flüchtet, was für den Handlungsverlauf notwendig ist, aber einfach nicht zu ihrem Charakter passt, so wie man sie hier bisher kennengelernt hat.
Dafür fand ich cool, dass Rook von sehr unerwarteter Seite Hilfe bekommt. Das war eine große Überraschung!
Die Themen, die hier wieder mit eingeflochten werden, tragen wichtige Botschaften in sich.
Gerade die "Pucks", zu denen ja Rook gehört, die Außenseiter-Gruppe, die von allen gemieden und verachtet wird, rücken hier mehr in den Mittelpunkt. Denn dass sie diese Rolle einnehmen geschieht nicht aus ihnen heraus, sondern wird ihnen von den anderen auferzwungen. Ihre Andersartigkeit wird von Anfang an als Makel angesehen und deshalb fällt es ihnen nicht schwer, sich durch kleine gemeine Tricks zu revanchieren.
Das gegenseitige Vertrauen zwischen Pucks und anderen ist dadurch von Anfang an zum Scheitern verurteilt - doch was für eine Lady der Veränderungen wäre Fer, wenn ihr nicht auch hier ein Umbruch gelänge...
Der Wandel ist der Lauf der Welt, eigentlich das einzige, das Bestand hat. Das ist für mich die Aussage der Geschichte. Und dass der Mensch, wenn er sich als "Über-Mensch" sieht, mehr zerstört als bewahrt.. die Natur leidet und damit am Ende auch der Mensch selbst.
Die Handlung selbst war wieder sehr kreativ und mit spannenden Elementen aufgepeppt, auch wenn es sich gegen Ende für mich etwas gezogen hat.
Von der Idee der Handlung her war es allerdings wieder sehr einfallsreich! Fer hat ja ihre Prüfung als Lady der Summerlands bestanden und in ihrer neuen Position direkt einige Änderungen eingefordert. Die anderen Lords und Ladies sollten ihren "Glamour" ablegen und nicht die Treue ihrer Landsleute erzwingen, sondern selbst einen Eid leisten, ihr Land zu beschützen.
Diesen Änderungen möchten viele aber nicht folgen - und so steht Fer vor einem großen Problem: ein Schwur ist hier nämlich eine bindende Macht. Wenn er nicht gehalten oder gebrochen wird, hat das böse Folgen.
Aber auch die Pucks machen einige unliebsame Entdeckungen und hecken einen Plan aus. Dieser bringt Rook in eine äußerst schwierige Situation und stellt - mal wieder - seine Freundschaft mir Fer auf eine harte Probe.
Ein bisschen schade fand ich, dass Fer sich nicht den Konsequenzen stellt, die Rook und sie auslösen. Sie flüchtet, was für den Handlungsverlauf notwendig ist, aber einfach nicht zu ihrem Charakter passt, so wie man sie hier bisher kennengelernt hat.
Dafür fand ich cool, dass Rook von sehr unerwarteter Seite Hilfe bekommt. Das war eine große Überraschung!
Die Themen, die hier wieder mit eingeflochten werden, tragen wichtige Botschaften in sich.
Gerade die "Pucks", zu denen ja Rook gehört, die Außenseiter-Gruppe, die von allen gemieden und verachtet wird, rücken hier mehr in den Mittelpunkt. Denn dass sie diese Rolle einnehmen geschieht nicht aus ihnen heraus, sondern wird ihnen von den anderen auferzwungen. Ihre Andersartigkeit wird von Anfang an als Makel angesehen und deshalb fällt es ihnen nicht schwer, sich durch kleine gemeine Tricks zu revanchieren.
Das gegenseitige Vertrauen zwischen Pucks und anderen ist dadurch von Anfang an zum Scheitern verurteilt - doch was für eine Lady der Veränderungen wäre Fer, wenn ihr nicht auch hier ein Umbruch gelänge...
Der Wandel ist der Lauf der Welt, eigentlich das einzige, das Bestand hat. Das ist für mich die Aussage der Geschichte. Und dass der Mensch, wenn er sich als "Über-Mensch" sieht, mehr zerstört als bewahrt.. die Natur leidet und damit am Ende auch der Mensch selbst.
Die Handlung selbst war wieder sehr kreativ und mit spannenden Elementen aufgepeppt, auch wenn es sich gegen Ende für mich etwas gezogen hat.
January 20, 2014
I loved WINTERLING and SUMMERKIN, the first two books in Sarah Prineas's latest trilogy. They were fun takes on fae mythology, grounded by a heroine who refused to give up her trust in her friends. Thus I was ever-so-slightly disappointed by MOONKIND.
Fer, the Lady of the Summerlands, and Rook, a puck, have been uneasy friends for two books. Mostly because Rook always puts his brothers first. But Fer's faith has always been rewarded. Thus it surprised me that once more Fer and Rook's relationship was put to the test -- it felt somewhat repetitive and not entirely true to the characters for me.
But then I fell into the story and fell back in love. Fer's victory in SUMMERKIN has led to unexpected consequences and it's up to her to make it right. I really enjoyed the themes of responsibility, friendship, change, and ingenuity. Fer's humanity helps her shake things up, but the pucks are pretty good at that too.
Thus, the beginning of MOONKIND put me off slightly, but it really is a terrific book and a terrific conclusion to the series. And as for the friendship being tested again . . . well, the stories have repeatedly emphasized how important it is when things happen thrice.
Fer, the Lady of the Summerlands, and Rook, a puck, have been uneasy friends for two books. Mostly because Rook always puts his brothers first. But Fer's faith has always been rewarded. Thus it surprised me that once more Fer and Rook's relationship was put to the test -- it felt somewhat repetitive and not entirely true to the characters for me.
But then I fell into the story and fell back in love. Fer's victory in SUMMERKIN has led to unexpected consequences and it's up to her to make it right. I really enjoyed the themes of responsibility, friendship, change, and ingenuity. Fer's humanity helps her shake things up, but the pucks are pretty good at that too.
Thus, the beginning of MOONKIND put me off slightly, but it really is a terrific book and a terrific conclusion to the series. And as for the friendship being tested again . . . well, the stories have repeatedly emphasized how important it is when things happen thrice.
March 11, 2017
Recommend this series to the fast-paced books readers.
Really loved this one
Really loved this one
February 15, 2023
2.5 stars.
It wasn't bad, it's just I found it a little dull and not interested in it as much as the first two.
I found the last 20 ish pages rather painful to get through so I skim read them. I just wanted the book over with. But again, it wasn't bad, it just failed to keep my interest. I can see why people enjoyed it.
Maybe I just have way too much going on in my personal life right now and maybe that impacted my review a little. But I do know I was finding myself putting off reading for other hobbys, long before life got way too busy.
I may re-read this in the far future to see if I would give it a different rating. Still, 2.5 stars from me means it was borderline 'ok and good'.
It wasn't bad, it's just I found it a little dull and not interested in it as much as the first two.
I found the last 20 ish pages rather painful to get through so I skim read them. I just wanted the book over with. But again, it wasn't bad, it just failed to keep my interest. I can see why people enjoyed it.
Maybe I just have way too much going on in my personal life right now and maybe that impacted my review a little. But I do know I was finding myself putting off reading for other hobbys, long before life got way too busy.
I may re-read this in the far future to see if I would give it a different rating. Still, 2.5 stars from me means it was borderline 'ok and good'.
May 21, 2014
With the caveat that this may be personal preference, I feel like the pucks ruined this series for me. Rook is good. I like Rook. I can't reiterate that enough. But the pucks as a group, and their interactions with Fer, and what they represented, really, really, really soured Moonkind for me.
I feel like the past two books were leading up to Rook realizing that his world was too small to be truly fulfilling, in the same way a lot of people start to reach outside the bounds of family for their relationships as they get older. Rook loves his brothers, obviously, but he's not exactly what his brothers want him to be, and they aren't exactly the same family he's always loved -- because Rook has grown and changed. In Moonkind that's thrown out the window; Fer is and Rook's other meaningful non-puck relationship is conveniently written out of the story. Rook's storyline goes nowhere, and his friendship with Fer is sacrificed for something that's stronger/better than friendship? This unnamed thing? Which, okay, let's talk about that.
I've never read a MG series that shits on friendship as much as this one does. Like Fer and Rook's friendship isn't ~strong enough~ but now they have this other tie, which what being a puck is all about, which is so much ~stronger~ and it's maybe kind of sort of implied to be love? As if love isn't an integral part of friendship? The whole thing makes absolutely no sense.
As for Fer, well, I feel like the strength of her character was heavily diluted in Moonkind, mostly because of the focus on the pucks. Towards the end she had some more agency, but in writing her in Moonkind I feel like Prineas lost what made her such a strong, good character in the previous books, i.e. her empathy, her kindness, her strength. And while I do appreciate that Fer is getting older, and her world is more complicated now that it was in Winterling, it still feels like she was subsumed in the puck storyline.
Eh, I liked the first 200 pages of this book, but it got messy and weird and hard-to-read toward the end. It was more ideologically confused, it was more ideologically driven, which isn't always the most terrible thing ever in a middle grade book, but it is hard to do right. The story was fine, if a little dull. The character relationships were lackluster, and I'm kinda baffled why Grand-Jane didn't figure into the ending at all, considering the pattern of the previous books, but whatever. Not the best, but not the absolute worst.
I feel like the past two books were leading up to Rook realizing that his world was too small to be truly fulfilling, in the same way a lot of people start to reach outside the bounds of family for their relationships as they get older. Rook loves his brothers, obviously, but he's not exactly what his brothers want him to be, and they aren't exactly the same family he's always loved -- because Rook has grown and changed. In Moonkind that's thrown out the window; Fer is and Rook's other meaningful non-puck relationship is conveniently written out of the story. Rook's storyline goes nowhere, and his friendship with Fer is sacrificed for something that's stronger/better than friendship? This unnamed thing? Which, okay, let's talk about that.
I've never read a MG series that shits on friendship as much as this one does. Like Fer and Rook's friendship isn't ~strong enough~ but now they have this other tie, which what being a puck is all about, which is so much ~stronger~ and it's maybe kind of sort of implied to be love? As if love isn't an integral part of friendship? The whole thing makes absolutely no sense.
As for Fer, well, I feel like the strength of her character was heavily diluted in Moonkind, mostly because of the focus on the pucks. Towards the end she had some more agency, but in writing her in Moonkind I feel like Prineas lost what made her such a strong, good character in the previous books, i.e. her empathy, her kindness, her strength. And while I do appreciate that Fer is getting older, and her world is more complicated now that it was in Winterling, it still feels like she was subsumed in the puck storyline.
Eh, I liked the first 200 pages of this book, but it got messy and weird and hard-to-read toward the end. It was more ideologically confused, it was more ideologically driven, which isn't always the most terrible thing ever in a middle grade book, but it is hard to do right. The story was fine, if a little dull. The character relationships were lackluster, and I'm kinda baffled why Grand-Jane didn't figure into the ending at all, considering the pattern of the previous books, but whatever. Not the best, but not the absolute worst.
January 18, 2014
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
It always a bit sad when a trilogy or series I love comes to an end. Even though rereading is certainly an option, it is still a good-bye to the characters I have come to love. This is why I spent a couple days just gazing at the (very pretty) cover of Moonkind by Sarah Prineas before reading it. As sad as it is to say good-bye, Moonkind is a wonderful end to what has been a joyful reading experience since I first opened Winterling two years ago.
What I love most about this trilogy is how much about relationships of every kind it is, and how Prineas shows these relationships while maintaining intriguing plots and building a gorgeous world. This final installment has all those elements at their finest. Fer made a massive mistake when she demanded an oath from the defeated Lords and Ladies at the end of Summerkin. Yes, she was correct about the deceptive and wrong nature of glamories, but the change was too sudden and the oaths impossible for most to keep. Fer faces the consequences of this mistake head on, showing courage and strength in the face of opposition. She is a very different Fer from the one who first entered the Sumerlands in Winterling. This is a story about her changing and how it has changed her relationships with everyone around her, most especially Rook. This has never been just Fer's story, it always belonged equally to Rook. Rook is featured in this book prominently, and his character really and truly shines. It was lovely to see him be all I knew he was capable of being, and yet maintain everything that makes him equally endearing and exasperating. The relationship between Fer and Rook has always been fraught, and watching it morph and grow in this final installment was so rewarding. These two and their not-quite-friendship has been the best part of the trilogy for me and I was beyond satisfied with how everything came together there in the end.
As well as being about relationships of various kinds, the entire trilogy has also been about change. The changing of the seasons, the growing-up of children, and the questioning of the rules that govern. That part of the story is also fulfilling as Fer tries to change the world around her for the better, and Rook starts to see change as something that is good and embrace it too. Prineas has a talent for effective imagery, and she wields it extremely well here as she describes all the various places, the Stilth taking over the land, and even some important giant spiders introduced in this book. (I could have used a little less imagery there maybe. Page 24 actually had me flailing and squealing, much to the amusement of my family.)
The ending is everything I hoped for in this book. It is filled with hope and promise. It isn't an end so much as a new beginning and is a spark for the imagination.
It always a bit sad when a trilogy or series I love comes to an end. Even though rereading is certainly an option, it is still a good-bye to the characters I have come to love. This is why I spent a couple days just gazing at the (very pretty) cover of Moonkind by Sarah Prineas before reading it. As sad as it is to say good-bye, Moonkind is a wonderful end to what has been a joyful reading experience since I first opened Winterling two years ago.
What I love most about this trilogy is how much about relationships of every kind it is, and how Prineas shows these relationships while maintaining intriguing plots and building a gorgeous world. This final installment has all those elements at their finest. Fer made a massive mistake when she demanded an oath from the defeated Lords and Ladies at the end of Summerkin. Yes, she was correct about the deceptive and wrong nature of glamories, but the change was too sudden and the oaths impossible for most to keep. Fer faces the consequences of this mistake head on, showing courage and strength in the face of opposition. She is a very different Fer from the one who first entered the Sumerlands in Winterling. This is a story about her changing and how it has changed her relationships with everyone around her, most especially Rook. This has never been just Fer's story, it always belonged equally to Rook. Rook is featured in this book prominently, and his character really and truly shines. It was lovely to see him be all I knew he was capable of being, and yet maintain everything that makes him equally endearing and exasperating. The relationship between Fer and Rook has always been fraught, and watching it morph and grow in this final installment was so rewarding. These two and their not-quite-friendship has been the best part of the trilogy for me and I was beyond satisfied with how everything came together there in the end.
As well as being about relationships of various kinds, the entire trilogy has also been about change. The changing of the seasons, the growing-up of children, and the questioning of the rules that govern. That part of the story is also fulfilling as Fer tries to change the world around her for the better, and Rook starts to see change as something that is good and embrace it too. Prineas has a talent for effective imagery, and she wields it extremely well here as she describes all the various places, the Stilth taking over the land, and even some important giant spiders introduced in this book. (I could have used a little less imagery there maybe. Page 24 actually had me flailing and squealing, much to the amusement of my family.)
The ending is everything I hoped for in this book. It is filled with hope and promise. It isn't an end so much as a new beginning and is a spark for the imagination.
September 15, 2015
3 1/2 stars. While I enjoyed this one, I felt a little confused by the ending. It seemed that there were a lot of plot threads that were left unresolved. Maybe there will be another book. I did really like the imagery!
April 27, 2020
Very well written series with great characters and another interesting plot.
Great Middle Grade Read-
Great Middle Grade Read-
May 10, 2014
So, I have a bit of a reviewing phobia right now. I haven't posted a review on here or on my blog in months, because I got kind of obsessed with writing nothing but perfect reviews (and therefore no reviews, because my schedule does not include time for that kind of obsessing). This is my first attempt at jumping back on the horse, so it's a bit short. But this is the perfect series to start with.
You see, I loved this series. It's not Harry Potter or a classic, but it was good enough that I purposefully have not read any other reviews of any of the books - just because I loved them, and I didn't want a critical review to drain my affection.
I'm doing the whole series here, so no spoilers from the first book. But it's pretty obvious she stays in Summerland (otherwise, it would be a really boring trilogy: "And Fer sat at home, staring out the window, thinking. The next day, she did that again. And the next day. And the next."
So what is this series about? It's about Fer, short for Jennifer (Gwynnefar in the magic lands), a half-human half-magical girl raised by her human grandmother. The series is also about Rook, who is a Puck from the other world. Pucks are mischevious creatures, not to be trusted - but Rook was Fer's introduction to the other world, and throughout the trilogy she fights to keep her faith in the boy she considers her best friend.
Rook, the second third person POV narrative, struggles as well with his allegiances: in the first book, an unwilling allegiance to the Mor, an evil creature he is bound to against his will. Also, his allegiance to his brother-Pucks begins to plague him as he wrestles with his blooming friendship with Fer, who is not a Puck.
Reading back over this, I can see how muddled the synopsis is. Please forgive me and read the real descriptions, but as I said before I'm trying to work my way out of blogger's block.
When I picked up "Winterling," I knew right off the bat that it would be nothing special: magic, special powers, and a heroine who turned out to be some sort of royalty were my expectations, I planned to have fun reading it, but I also planned to roll my eyes at it a bit. I'm sorry to say, my foresight was sorely lacking. Yes, all of those elements were there, but - well, to put it in Harry Potter terms, it was less "Yer a wizard, Harry," and more "the one thing we have that Voldemort doesn't is love." Well, it wasn't exactly that overt, but you get the idea.
Fer and Rook do not end up wildly professing their love for each other and falling into each other's arms at the end of the trilogy (oops, minor spoilers!), but what does happens almost satisfied me more (and it definitely made things less "yawn, seen it before"). I can't say more than that, but Rook and Fer are actually equally fleshed out, and receive almost the same amount of screen time. Especially as the books progress.
I'm sorry, I can't get my thoughts together besides "read it!" and "here's a Harry Potter quote!" So, um, just read it for yourself if you like YA fantasy. It's awesome, just awesome.
Cheers, Harry!
You see, I loved this series. It's not Harry Potter or a classic, but it was good enough that I purposefully have not read any other reviews of any of the books - just because I loved them, and I didn't want a critical review to drain my affection.
I'm doing the whole series here, so no spoilers from the first book. But it's pretty obvious she stays in Summerland (otherwise, it would be a really boring trilogy: "And Fer sat at home, staring out the window, thinking. The next day, she did that again. And the next day. And the next."
So what is this series about? It's about Fer, short for Jennifer (Gwynnefar in the magic lands), a half-human half-magical girl raised by her human grandmother. The series is also about Rook, who is a Puck from the other world. Pucks are mischevious creatures, not to be trusted - but Rook was Fer's introduction to the other world, and throughout the trilogy she fights to keep her faith in the boy she considers her best friend.
Rook, the second third person POV narrative, struggles as well with his allegiances: in the first book, an unwilling allegiance to the Mor, an evil creature he is bound to against his will. Also, his allegiance to his brother-Pucks begins to plague him as he wrestles with his blooming friendship with Fer, who is not a Puck.
Reading back over this, I can see how muddled the synopsis is. Please forgive me and read the real descriptions, but as I said before I'm trying to work my way out of blogger's block.
When I picked up "Winterling," I knew right off the bat that it would be nothing special: magic, special powers, and a heroine who turned out to be some sort of royalty were my expectations, I planned to have fun reading it, but I also planned to roll my eyes at it a bit. I'm sorry to say, my foresight was sorely lacking. Yes, all of those elements were there, but - well, to put it in Harry Potter terms, it was less "Yer a wizard, Harry," and more "the one thing we have that Voldemort doesn't is love." Well, it wasn't exactly that overt, but you get the idea.
Fer and Rook do not end up wildly professing their love for each other and falling into each other's arms at the end of the trilogy (oops, minor spoilers!), but what does happens almost satisfied me more (and it definitely made things less "yawn, seen it before"). I can't say more than that, but Rook and Fer are actually equally fleshed out, and receive almost the same amount of screen time. Especially as the books progress.
I'm sorry, I can't get my thoughts together besides "read it!" and "here's a Harry Potter quote!" So, um, just read it for yourself if you like YA fantasy. It's awesome, just awesome.
Cheers, Harry!
March 15, 2014
This is the third and final book in the Winterling trilogy. This was a wonderfully magical middle grade fantasy about family, friendship, and staying true to what you think is right.
In the last book, Fer, as Lady of the Summerlands made the other Lords and Ladies of the realm vow to rule without the aid of the glamorie. When the Lords and Ladies fail to fulfill their vows the Summerlands start to break. A strange stillness has invaded the land and Fer needs to figure out why. She is pretty sure it has to do with the Lords and Ladies breaking their oaths, but she is not sure how to fix it. Her best ally and friend is Rook the puck boy, but can she trust Rook? Will Rook’s loyalties lie with her or with the Pucks? Can Fer find a way to stop the stillness before it takes over everything?
I loved the conclusion to this wonderful middle grade fantasy series. The writing is magical, I loved the characters.
Fer has some hard decisions to make and consequences to face in this book. She did what she felt was right in the last book, she made the Lords and Ladies vow to take off their glamorie and serve the people rather than making the people serve them. Fer thinks she made the right choice, but the Lords and Ladies have worn the glamorie for so long that they are no longer entirely separate from them. Fer realized that in a way she is the reason the Summerlands is in trouble and it is because of her ideals that this is happening. Rather than shirk away from that she strives to fix it.
Rook is struggling with his loyalty to his puck brothers and his friendship to Fer. He wants to help Fer, but he feels he has to stay true to his puck brothers too. It was interesting to watch Rook try to make both things in this life work together. He is a great character and, although he causes Fer trouble, in the end he makes her stronger too.
The story isn’t all that complicated and is fairly predictable. Still I enjoyed the beauty of it and the simplicity of how things worked out. I did like the idea of the Stillness invading the land, it reminded me of the Nothing that tears apart the land in 1980’s movie The Neverending Story.
There is a strong theme of friendship and family and staying true to what you believe to be right. I love how things wrapped up so realistically, yet still happily.
Overall this was such a magical and entertaining read. It’s a hopeful story full of wonder, and tells an excellent tale of how you have to deal with the consequences of your decisions. I enjoyed the characters immensely and loved the world too. This whole series is highly recommended to fans of middle grade fantasy. I immediately went out and got Prineas’s first book in her Magic Thief series and plan to start reading that series soon.
In the last book, Fer, as Lady of the Summerlands made the other Lords and Ladies of the realm vow to rule without the aid of the glamorie. When the Lords and Ladies fail to fulfill their vows the Summerlands start to break. A strange stillness has invaded the land and Fer needs to figure out why. She is pretty sure it has to do with the Lords and Ladies breaking their oaths, but she is not sure how to fix it. Her best ally and friend is Rook the puck boy, but can she trust Rook? Will Rook’s loyalties lie with her or with the Pucks? Can Fer find a way to stop the stillness before it takes over everything?
I loved the conclusion to this wonderful middle grade fantasy series. The writing is magical, I loved the characters.
Fer has some hard decisions to make and consequences to face in this book. She did what she felt was right in the last book, she made the Lords and Ladies vow to take off their glamorie and serve the people rather than making the people serve them. Fer thinks she made the right choice, but the Lords and Ladies have worn the glamorie for so long that they are no longer entirely separate from them. Fer realized that in a way she is the reason the Summerlands is in trouble and it is because of her ideals that this is happening. Rather than shirk away from that she strives to fix it.
Rook is struggling with his loyalty to his puck brothers and his friendship to Fer. He wants to help Fer, but he feels he has to stay true to his puck brothers too. It was interesting to watch Rook try to make both things in this life work together. He is a great character and, although he causes Fer trouble, in the end he makes her stronger too.
The story isn’t all that complicated and is fairly predictable. Still I enjoyed the beauty of it and the simplicity of how things worked out. I did like the idea of the Stillness invading the land, it reminded me of the Nothing that tears apart the land in 1980’s movie The Neverending Story.
There is a strong theme of friendship and family and staying true to what you believe to be right. I love how things wrapped up so realistically, yet still happily.
Overall this was such a magical and entertaining read. It’s a hopeful story full of wonder, and tells an excellent tale of how you have to deal with the consequences of your decisions. I enjoyed the characters immensely and loved the world too. This whole series is highly recommended to fans of middle grade fantasy. I immediately went out and got Prineas’s first book in her Magic Thief series and plan to start reading that series soon.
April 11, 2018
Such a good ending to this series! I think book 2 was my favourite but book 3 follows it very closely (and book 1 is also very close to book 3).
I really enjoyed the plot of this one. With the other two books, you knew that something was at stake but the worlds would survive if our characters didn't make it. With this one, everything is at stake. Both the lands, the Lords and Ladies and their people. Everything could possibly die if Fer and her friends don't solve this problem. I love that I felt the tension and the pressure while reading this book, it was very good!
There are 3 reasons why I can't give this book 5 stars though:
- The Birch-Lady. She has a name guys and I would have really appreciated it if Fer and Rook and everyone else would call her by her name which is Marharren. You might think this is a silly thing of me to dislike so much that it makes me take off a star. But for me, not remembering someone's name shows that you don't care about them, that they don't interest you. Fer is a very caring person throughout this whole series and so it felt very out of character.
- Some scenes weren't shown but we were just told about them. Adding maybe 10 pages would have fixed that. There is a certain scene with a spider and it would have been so much more exciting if we had seen this instead of being told what happened. Our main characters are there so why not show us?!
- The lack of action. A lot of this book is walking around and talking to characters. I don't mind it but I would have appreciated it if there had been a bit more action mixed into it. There are some scenes but they are small and scattered. The ending had a lot more action which I really enjoyed.
If you are looking for a fun and quick MG series to read I highly recommend this one!
I really enjoyed the plot of this one. With the other two books, you knew that something was at stake but the worlds would survive if our characters didn't make it. With this one, everything is at stake. Both the lands, the Lords and Ladies and their people. Everything could possibly die if Fer and her friends don't solve this problem. I love that I felt the tension and the pressure while reading this book, it was very good!
There are 3 reasons why I can't give this book 5 stars though:
- The Birch-Lady. She has a name guys and I would have really appreciated it if Fer and Rook and everyone else would call her by her name which is Marharren. You might think this is a silly thing of me to dislike so much that it makes me take off a star. But for me, not remembering someone's name shows that you don't care about them, that they don't interest you. Fer is a very caring person throughout this whole series and so it felt very out of character.
- Some scenes weren't shown but we were just told about them. Adding maybe 10 pages would have fixed that. There is a certain scene with a spider and it would have been so much more exciting if we had seen this instead of being told what happened. Our main characters are there so why not show us?!
- The lack of action. A lot of this book is walking around and talking to characters. I don't mind it but I would have appreciated it if there had been a bit more action mixed into it. There are some scenes but they are small and scattered. The ending had a lot more action which I really enjoyed.
If you are looking for a fun and quick MG series to read I highly recommend this one!
August 29, 2015
3.5 STARS
An enjoyable read, overall, but ultimately left me feeling unsatisfied especially as this is reportedly the final book in the series. I felt the ending was a bit rushed, with some points added without being fully explained and others left a bit unfinished. I also felt that Rook was the more dynamic and interesting character in this book--it felt more like his book that Fer's--and while I really enjoyed reading about his personal journey, I felt that Fer needed to do more. I can't say too much else without spoilers, but the focus on "power corrupts" was an interesting and worthy one, although I felt the resolution was a bit simplistic. However, as with all of Prineas' stories, the wordweaving is very nice and some of the imagery (especially the descriptions of the various Lands) was beautifully done.
An enjoyable read, overall, but ultimately left me feeling unsatisfied especially as this is reportedly the final book in the series. I felt the ending was a bit rushed, with some points added without being fully explained and others left a bit unfinished. I also felt that Rook was the more dynamic and interesting character in this book--it felt more like his book that Fer's--and while I really enjoyed reading about his personal journey, I felt that Fer needed to do more. I can't say too much else without spoilers, but the focus on "power corrupts" was an interesting and worthy one, although I felt the resolution was a bit simplistic. However, as with all of Prineas' stories, the wordweaving is very nice and some of the imagery (especially the descriptions of the various Lands) was beautifully done.
September 5, 2015
I enjoyed it, but the ending was rather unsatisfying as I felt there were a lot of unanswered questions and unfinished story arcs for the final book in the trilogy. It was a good story and an interesting world though.
February 19, 2014
The ending of this book in the series made me love it the most. Kudos to the author for making the last book in a trilogy my favorite!
December 29, 2014
Wonderful ending to a great series, but my heart (for a variety of typically odd reasons) will always firmly be with Conn, Nevery, and BENET.
September 11, 2020
Moonkind, and the whole of the Winterling series, is beautiful. Rook and Fer really have grown because of their adventures and their friendships. Fer doesn't trust so quickly (and I wish she did trust someone sooner, ;) but it is understandable), and Rook learns to be a steady, and true friend, even when it is difficult. He is amazing. He also is kinder to others, even if he doesn't realize it himself.
The bees are 10/10 like always, and I enjoyed how the book brought a character from the last book, who was sorta villainous but instead, was helpful in this book.
Fer's half-human side is awesome in the worldbuilding. It makes me feel cool too. Humans aren't weak in the fantasy world, they are scary because they cause change, but they also are pretty powerful in that sense, in a good way. :D
The storyline brings the theme and the actions from the very first book to a beautiful end. While I still don't agree with completely stripping leadership away and rule and power, I do believe that tyranny, and forcing others to follow you is wrong (however, there is a balance), but yes, leaders do need to love their people. It was shown pretty well. :D
This book shows how the glamour-es are made?! How can the third book in a series, still show epic worldbuilding, but it fits in perfectly and doesn't feel thrown in? Perfection!
As for the other characters, Grandma is AWESOME. Twig and the wolf guard(I forgot her name, it starts with an "F" :P) were also great. There is one point where the two of them and Rook team up to help Fer and it was so enjoyable. I do wish the two girls were in the climax. They kinda disappeared near the end, but I forgive them. ;) . The Pucks were just as tricksy and great as before.
I am glad I read this series. Thank you to my friend for lending it to me. :D I think we can learn a lot about worldbuilding, and great characters through this series.
The bees are 10/10 like always, and I enjoyed how the book brought a character from the last book, who was sorta villainous but instead, was helpful in this book.
Fer's half-human side is awesome in the worldbuilding. It makes me feel cool too. Humans aren't weak in the fantasy world, they are scary because they cause change, but they also are pretty powerful in that sense, in a good way. :D
The storyline brings the theme and the actions from the very first book to a beautiful end. While I still don't agree with completely stripping leadership away and rule and power, I do believe that tyranny, and forcing others to follow you is wrong (however, there is a balance), but yes, leaders do need to love their people. It was shown pretty well. :D
This book shows how the glamour-es are made?! How can the third book in a series, still show epic worldbuilding, but it fits in perfectly and doesn't feel thrown in? Perfection!
As for the other characters, Grandma is AWESOME. Twig and the wolf guard(I forgot her name, it starts with an "F" :P) were also great. There is one point where the two of them and Rook team up to help Fer and it was so enjoyable. I do wish the two girls were in the climax. They kinda disappeared near the end, but I forgive them. ;) . The Pucks were just as tricksy and great as before.
I am glad I read this series. Thank you to my friend for lending it to me. :D I think we can learn a lot about worldbuilding, and great characters through this series.
January 20, 2024
This was the best of the trilogy. The plot actually had something at stake, the characters fully came into their own, and the overall writing was much better. There’s still some things I had gripes with (like Grand-Jane suddenly losing all importance) but otherwise I enjoyed it. I actually feel kinda sad that this is the end of these characters’ stories.
January 2, 2026
A satisfying conclusion to a nice series. I stand by my comparison to Narnia, though with more pagan elements. The fae lore is fun and childlike but timeless. I would have appreciated more emotion from the characters but the writing was well done. A good series to start off the year.
May 5, 2020
Thankfully no romance and lots of fantasy!
June 5, 2017
The concluding - and I think best - part of the trilogy.
After the events of the second book, some of the Lords and Ladies swore on oath to Fer to remove their glamouries, but they become Forsworn which has ramifications for not just them and Fer, but for the faerie realms at large.
Meanwhile, Rook tries to figure out exactly how he feels about Fer and what it means. As a puck, it goes against his nature to be attached to anyone who's not a puck - but is there a way for him and Fer to forge a path through the world?
And will she let him, after previous events?
I really liked the Rook parts of this story. He really developed as a character and actually had the most growth in this story - perhaps in the trilogy as a whole. (Fer sort of annoyed me at times, in this aspect of the story. I understood her reluctance to trust him again, but she also didn't seem to really give him a fair chance. That said, I may be biased, because Rook is, by far, my favorite part of the story.)
As to the Forsworn part of the story - it was well done, for the most part, and the situation felt realistic and suspenseful enough, but I was sort of disappointed in the ending. I mean, it felt kind of anti-climactic after the build up to get there.
That part of the story really almost felt like a vehicle for the other part of the story - and it did end up feeling, overall, like this story was much more about Fer and Rook and whether or not their friendship would be able to survive.
Enjoyable, overall, with a good resolution to the trilogy.
After the events of the second book, some of the Lords and Ladies swore on oath to Fer to remove their glamouries, but they become Forsworn which has ramifications for not just them and Fer, but for the faerie realms at large.
Meanwhile, Rook tries to figure out exactly how he feels about Fer and what it means. As a puck, it goes against his nature to be attached to anyone who's not a puck - but is there a way for him and Fer to forge a path through the world?
And will she let him, after previous events?
I really liked the Rook parts of this story. He really developed as a character and actually had the most growth in this story - perhaps in the trilogy as a whole. (Fer sort of annoyed me at times, in this aspect of the story. I understood her reluctance to trust him again, but she also didn't seem to really give him a fair chance. That said, I may be biased, because Rook is, by far, my favorite part of the story.)
As to the Forsworn part of the story - it was well done, for the most part, and the situation felt realistic and suspenseful enough, but I was sort of disappointed in the ending. I mean, it felt kind of anti-climactic after the build up to get there.
That part of the story really almost felt like a vehicle for the other part of the story - and it did end up feeling, overall, like this story was much more about Fer and Rook and whether or not their friendship would be able to survive.
Enjoyable, overall, with a good resolution to the trilogy.
February 24, 2014
Do you ever get that feeling where your chest constricts and you're pretty sure that it's from your heart trying not to burst with joy? Yep. That pretty much sums up what I felt seeing the cover (and Rook's in it!). This series has got its hooks in me and so I shall be waiting for this with ill-concealed excitement. January 1, hurry up!
August 7, 2021
Well, sadly, I never liked this series as much as I wanted to. I bought all 3 books at the same time, or else I would have stopped after book 1.
Prineas does a bad job connecting the core conflicts of each book, with a very tenuous connection between the plot of 1 and 2 and a slightly stronger throughline to book 3. There are some potentially interesting avenues she could have taken but instead, the books never really expand to fill the fairy world we are told exists. There's a limited scope, I guess, despite the stakes being raised in book 3. It still feels like a small story (and I don't mean in an intimate and meaningful way) even though the stakes are supposed to be high.
My main issue was the lack of depth & interiority to the characters & relationships. Fer, the mc, does some stuff sometimes, but she doesn't seem to have any deep feelings about the people she should. The author tells us in book 1 that her relationship with her grandmother is important & they're close, but then Fer never thinks about her again even in passing until the plot demands it. Almost all of the limited emotional range that Prineas gives to Fer is spent agonizing over a character who is a caricature of a bad friend.
Rook is not a cool character, he's not loveable, and he's bad for Fer & only causes her trouble and misery. But we're not supposed to read him that way. I get what Prineas was trying to do with Rook's character, but she banked too much on the appeal of the bad boy trope (even though the romance is very very light and only shaded slightly into the last book). Basically, he is a manipulator who lies & breaks his promises, who gives far less than he takes... dude that is what we call a toxic friendship. No. In a book for kids, this ain't it. Especially not when the toxic friend is super cool and has super cool powers and belongs to a super cool exclusive boys' club that he chooses over his female friend every time. Say it with me, you can't change people. Fer just holds on as long as she can stand it & when she finally cuts off the friendship, we're supposed to feel bad for... Rook. Stop. This is a character modeled off of a lot of likeable rogues but he's so wide of the mark you'd have to be emotionally tone deaf to STILL be invested in his redemption by the end of this 3rd book. It's tiring. And that thread completely overshadows the weak plot.
Prineas does a bad job connecting the core conflicts of each book, with a very tenuous connection between the plot of 1 and 2 and a slightly stronger throughline to book 3. There are some potentially interesting avenues she could have taken but instead, the books never really expand to fill the fairy world we are told exists. There's a limited scope, I guess, despite the stakes being raised in book 3. It still feels like a small story (and I don't mean in an intimate and meaningful way) even though the stakes are supposed to be high.
My main issue was the lack of depth & interiority to the characters & relationships. Fer, the mc, does some stuff sometimes, but she doesn't seem to have any deep feelings about the people she should. The author tells us in book 1 that her relationship with her grandmother is important & they're close, but then Fer never thinks about her again even in passing until the plot demands it. Almost all of the limited emotional range that Prineas gives to Fer is spent agonizing over a character who is a caricature of a bad friend.
Rook is not a cool character, he's not loveable, and he's bad for Fer & only causes her trouble and misery. But we're not supposed to read him that way. I get what Prineas was trying to do with Rook's character, but she banked too much on the appeal of the bad boy trope (even though the romance is very very light and only shaded slightly into the last book). Basically, he is a manipulator who lies & breaks his promises, who gives far less than he takes... dude that is what we call a toxic friendship. No. In a book for kids, this ain't it. Especially not when the toxic friend is super cool and has super cool powers and belongs to a super cool exclusive boys' club that he chooses over his female friend every time. Say it with me, you can't change people. Fer just holds on as long as she can stand it & when she finally cuts off the friendship, we're supposed to feel bad for... Rook. Stop. This is a character modeled off of a lot of likeable rogues but he's so wide of the mark you'd have to be emotionally tone deaf to STILL be invested in his redemption by the end of this 3rd book. It's tiring. And that thread completely overshadows the weak plot.
April 7, 2021
A sweet and swell ending!
This book was quite eventful compared to its predecessors, and I live for it. I think I’ll just sum up my feelings about this trilogy as a whole here.
Fer is a really good main character, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading her perspectives and story! Her personality played well with the fast pacing. I think my fair share of reading slow moving novels has helped tremendously with how I feel about this trilogy.
I will say that I’m still confused about how this whole Way and glamorie thing works, but maybe I’m just too dumb to comprehend simple things.
One thing that kept me turning the page was definitely the rocky dynamic between Rook and Fer. I believe that’s sorta one of the main appeals, and dang it I fell for it, haha.
I also loved how the glamorie concept was utilized. I won’t name the novel/series or else I might get sent to be burned alive, but it uses a similar concept of making people think you’re prettier than you actually are. Glamorie is actually used in this trilogy to make a point, and wOah I love it! Definitely a topic to discuss when it comes to real life pretty-on-the-outside-and-ugly-on-the-inside type of individuals.
Anyway, those were great reads!
Definitely would recommend to people who don’t usually read. (Cough, my sister, cough)
This book was quite eventful compared to its predecessors, and I live for it. I think I’ll just sum up my feelings about this trilogy as a whole here.
Fer is a really good main character, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading her perspectives and story! Her personality played well with the fast pacing. I think my fair share of reading slow moving novels has helped tremendously with how I feel about this trilogy.
I will say that I’m still confused about how this whole Way and glamorie thing works, but maybe I’m just too dumb to comprehend simple things.
One thing that kept me turning the page was definitely the rocky dynamic between Rook and Fer. I believe that’s sorta one of the main appeals, and dang it I fell for it, haha.
I also loved how the glamorie concept was utilized. I won’t name the novel/series or else I might get sent to be burned alive, but it uses a similar concept of making people think you’re prettier than you actually are. Glamorie is actually used in this trilogy to make a point, and wOah I love it! Definitely a topic to discuss when it comes to real life pretty-on-the-outside-and-ugly-on-the-inside type of individuals.
Anyway, those were great reads!
Definitely would recommend to people who don’t usually read. (Cough, my sister, cough)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2023
We have reached the end of Fer's journey of saving the magical world from the consequences of the choice made in the previous book.
In the last book of the trilogy, everything is on the line and can be lost if the Lords and Ladies of all of the magical worlds do not follow the oath they've sworn to Fer. We get to see the consequences of broken oaths and what that brings to the world, the evolution of certain characters and their relationships, all of that accompanied by tense situations, full of action.
As with the other books in this series, I did enjoy the characters, worlds and action, but I just cannot make myself like Fer. It feels as if her character is not at the same level as the others even though she is our main protagonist. Rook, Arenthiel and the other supporting characters feel better fleshed out and more complex in comparison. All in all, it was a fun adventure and enjoyable characters.
In the last book of the trilogy, everything is on the line and can be lost if the Lords and Ladies of all of the magical worlds do not follow the oath they've sworn to Fer. We get to see the consequences of broken oaths and what that brings to the world, the evolution of certain characters and their relationships, all of that accompanied by tense situations, full of action.
As with the other books in this series, I did enjoy the characters, worlds and action, but I just cannot make myself like Fer. It feels as if her character is not at the same level as the others even though she is our main protagonist. Rook, Arenthiel and the other supporting characters feel better fleshed out and more complex in comparison. All in all, it was a fun adventure and enjoyable characters.
August 30, 2023
Great Adventure!
Didn't like this one as much as books 1 & 2, but it was still a great adventure story. This story delves deeper into Fer and Rook's friendship, testing it and figuring out how they fit within their circles.
The other Ladies and Lords didn't keep their Oaths and now their lands are paying for it, dying. Of course, Fer wants to help and Rook tags along, but is he more help or trouble?
Rook learns maybe he DOES want to stay friends with Fer and Fer learns what it really means to be a Puck.
Dark yet cute story, if you can fathom that haha
Really enjoyed this series and HIGHLY recommend! Its unique and wholesome and fun!
Didn't like this one as much as books 1 & 2, but it was still a great adventure story. This story delves deeper into Fer and Rook's friendship, testing it and figuring out how they fit within their circles.
The other Ladies and Lords didn't keep their Oaths and now their lands are paying for it, dying. Of course, Fer wants to help and Rook tags along, but is he more help or trouble?
Rook learns maybe he DOES want to stay friends with Fer and Fer learns what it really means to be a Puck.
Dark yet cute story, if you can fathom that haha
Really enjoyed this series and HIGHLY recommend! Its unique and wholesome and fun!
January 17, 2018
A half human teenage girl as lady of an alternate world Fer has to find a way to save her world and that of the human world to prevent everything from coming to a complete stop. Learning how to work with some of the inhabitants to restore harmony to her world Fer has to learn how to get groups who normally wouldn't have anything to do with each other to work together to be able to save all of their lives. Love each little and big twist, keeps things interesting.
August 3, 2018
A strange illness is spreading over the lands as Lords and Ladies break their oaths to Fer, throwing their homes and peoples into turmoil - and if Fer is unable to reform a bond with Rook and the puck, everyone they hold dear will perish! Prineas delivers a satisfyingly heartwarming conclusion to this fantastical trilogy with fun characters and heart. With the fate of all lands laying on her shoulders, Fer will need all the courage and skill she can summon from the depths of the realm.
August 16, 2020
I really did enjoy this conclusion to the Winterling trilogy, though at times I got irritated with Fer for her stubborn adherence to her human values in a land that looks at things very differently. Many of the problems she faces in this book are of her own making. Yet, she stays true to her values while working her way to a solution. Rook and his puck brothers are very prevalent in this book. In fact, this book feels like as much Rook's stories as Fer's. He is definitely my favorite character.
February 14, 2019
I don't read books this short often, but this series has been so intriguing I couldn't not read it. By the way, the covers though! they are so gorgeous! Well anyway, this book was darling and I enjoyed it very much. Reading about Rook's and Fer's relationship as it changes throughout the series was so fun.
August 26, 2019
Last few chapters were lame, this book annoyed me like nothing else because of the overwhelming dumbness that is
"I A 16 YEAR OLD HUMAN DECLARE THIS IS HOW YOU MAGIC BEINGS OT TO DEAL WITH YOUR KINGDOMS BECAUSE MY WAY IS THE ONLY WAY"
IDC if this is a kids book I don't believe in the message of there only being one correct way to serve/ lead a people. Not open minded at all
"I A 16 YEAR OLD HUMAN DECLARE THIS IS HOW YOU MAGIC BEINGS OT TO DEAL WITH YOUR KINGDOMS BECAUSE MY WAY IS THE ONLY WAY"
IDC if this is a kids book I don't believe in the message of there only being one correct way to serve/ lead a people. Not open minded at all
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