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Blood and Gold #3
Queens of the Sea
Five sisters, many kingdoms, one battle that will define them all. Thrilling, dazzling historical fantasy from a multi award-winning author.
The unthinkable has happened. Warrior queen Bluebell has lost her kingdom to the Crow King, Hakon, and her demented Trimartyr sister, Willow. While Bluebell would like nothing more than to storm the city with her army and crush Willow underfoot, the enemy's threat to burn its inhabitants alive prevents her. Worse, Willow seems to have the terrifying god Maava on her side.
Bluebell's niece Rowan has otherworldly power and can help her unite the warring tribes, but her third sister Rose is in hiding with her son, and her fourth sister Ivy, Queen of Sæcaster is fleeing abuse with her children. Ash, under-magician, is the only sister who might be able to help Bluebell solve the conundrum. Together they must cross the sea to the land of giants, and try to recover Ash's power and save the kingdom and those they love.
As the sisters' journeys converge, and the terrifying power of Maava threatens all they hold dear, matters come to a head. To survive they must fight the last battle together, but even with the gods and giants on their side, can they overcome the might of Maava and the unending malice of their errant sister Willow?
The unthinkable has happened. Warrior queen Bluebell has lost her kingdom to the Crow King, Hakon, and her demented Trimartyr sister, Willow. While Bluebell would like nothing more than to storm the city with her army and crush Willow underfoot, the enemy's threat to burn its inhabitants alive prevents her. Worse, Willow seems to have the terrifying god Maava on her side.
Bluebell's niece Rowan has otherworldly power and can help her unite the warring tribes, but her third sister Rose is in hiding with her son, and her fourth sister Ivy, Queen of Sæcaster is fleeing abuse with her children. Ash, under-magician, is the only sister who might be able to help Bluebell solve the conundrum. Together they must cross the sea to the land of giants, and try to recover Ash's power and save the kingdom and those they love.
As the sisters' journeys converge, and the terrifying power of Maava threatens all they hold dear, matters come to a head. To survive they must fight the last battle together, but even with the gods and giants on their side, can they overcome the might of Maava and the unending malice of their errant sister Willow?
515 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
14 people are currently reading
671 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 21, 2019
EPIC. The first two in this series drew me into the world of Thyrsland, and King Bluebell and her four sisters with their paths of destiny to walk, but this one made me sob for pages and pages. All those paths of destiny lead to this. And love proves stronger than war.
June 3, 2019
When is this coming out in the USA?
December 21, 2021
Queens of the Sea (Blood and Gold, #3) by Kim Wilkins brings the trilogy to an exciting end. Bluebell's sister, Willow, the Crow Queen, and her raider husband, Hakon, trick Bluebell out of her main city, Blicstowe with the help of Ruithcruck. Bluebell and Ash set off to Brenci (a small island of the southwest coast), to recover Ash's magic and find giants to help Bluebell to recapture her city. Meanwhile, sisters, Rose & Ivy, and niece, Rowan, find their way back to Blicstowe by various means.
Wilkins' masterful storytelling gives a fully realised world and gripping action with a climatic ending. I liked Ivy's redemptive arc and her taking in of Goldie. The Boogle axe was a fun addition and as was a slight softening of Bluebells character. Bluebell's frustrated and inpatient interaction with the inhabitants of Brenci was also fun. So much to love but in the end, I found the ending less than satisfying. I have always been a little uneasy with Willow's character (I mean, of course she is the villain, mad, cruel, bloody and unrelenting) because of the clear allusions to one particular real-world faith - but it's a fair call that fanatics often do great harm - some in the name of religion and others in the name of reason. But with an ending set up as a confrontation between the good gods (Horse God & the Earth Mother) and the evil twisted God (Maava), the underlying messages seemed more an attack on a particular faith in toto (& given an extreme, stereotyped representation), in favour of another worldview. But even if I have read too much into the portrayal of Maava, there were too many sad (almost contrived) tying up of threads for me to enjoy the ending. Could not Wengest be persuaded or pressured to change his mind? Would Rowan really be so reckless? Still, I’ve appreciated spending many hours in Thyrsland and following the destiny of five very different sisters, each powerful and deadly in their own way.
Wilkins' masterful storytelling gives a fully realised world and gripping action with a climatic ending. I liked Ivy's redemptive arc and her taking in of Goldie. The Boogle axe was a fun addition and as was a slight softening of Bluebells character. Bluebell's frustrated and inpatient interaction with the inhabitants of Brenci was also fun. So much to love but in the end, I found the ending less than satisfying. I have always been a little uneasy with Willow's character (I mean, of course she is the villain, mad, cruel, bloody and unrelenting) because of the clear allusions to one particular real-world faith - but it's a fair call that fanatics often do great harm - some in the name of religion and others in the name of reason. But with an ending set up as a confrontation between the good gods (Horse God & the Earth Mother) and the evil twisted God (Maava), the underlying messages seemed more an attack on a particular faith in toto (& given an extreme, stereotyped representation), in favour of another worldview. But even if I have read too much into the portrayal of Maava, there were too many sad (almost contrived) tying up of threads for me to enjoy the ending. Could not Wengest be persuaded or pressured to change his mind? Would Rowan really be so reckless? Still, I’ve appreciated spending many hours in Thyrsland and following the destiny of five very different sisters, each powerful and deadly in their own way.
August 23, 2019
It's hard to review a book that's several into a series without giving spoilers for the first books, so be warned. There won't be spoilers for Queens of the Sea (to help with this I'm writing most of my review early on in my reading) but Daughters of the Storm and Sisters of the Fire are fair game.
Again, four years have passed since the previous book. Sisters of the Fire saw King Æthlric dead which means we now see King Bluebell - something she has been preparing for her whole life, but still doesn't feel ready for; both she and Ash blame themselves for their father's death, even though he was old, it was a long time coming, and he was a fool for coming to war with such a bad leg.
Ash has managed to govern her fate. The white dragon is dead, the red dragon dead by Bluebell's hands (and is a tale across taverns through the whole land), and so Ash is no longer in her self-driven exile. Rose is with whom she loves, and happy. Ivy is... Ivy; the less said about her sad and silly ways the better, but is in charge of the port town after the ending of the second book and is, at least, a decent mother. Willow is growing to be one of the most interesting characters out there - filled with annoying religious fervour but possibly the only one in the land who can someday beat Bluebell...
As stated in my review of the second book, the development of the characters, especially the younger, is a joy to experience. Ivy and Willow are so utterly annoying and yet so believable in what drives them. The Ivy of the first book needed a good kick, but by the second you actually wish someone was on her side to guide her better, because she's making such a hash of things when left to her own devices. Could we, by the end of this book, actually care for her as much as Ash and Rose? We can only read to find out...
That's where we are when we start this book. Things aren't going too well. Willow is now married to Bluebell's most talented enemy - Hakon, who now believes in Willow's religious faith due to her trickery in the second book. Together they have taken over land and are slaughtering whoever they come across. Lately, four of her best warriors, who she had sent in hopes of bringing Willow back to the family. The only reason the fifth came back to Bluebell was to tell of the horrors he witnessed.
Rowan, Rose's oldest child, suddenly appears on her doorstep one night saying she's run away from King Wengest but isn't willing to say why around Heath, her actual father. They take her in, and she gets to meet her little half-brother (who is actually King Wengest's get, ironically) and things in this corner start to get interesting. In the second book Rowan is coming into her powers after a brief stay in the other world (where she aged several years, in a different timestream) and now, matched with her little brother's uncanny knowledge we may learn more about so much - hopefully about the Ærfolc.
What's truly masterful is how Wilkins brings the threads of the plot together so cleverly to have all sisters returning to the same place, at the same time. It takes a huge amount of work to make this fit, believable, and necessary, and I love it. What's also impressive is how it's hard to figure out which character is the most interesting. Bluebell should be the easy answer and I love her dearly, but Rowan is... wow. I especially love her interactions with her aunts, how sassy she is, and what she gets away with.
Kim Wilkins is a marvel at setting up such an engaging world, plot, and beyond all else, characters. This series is right up there in my top five series of all time, and probably always will be. I would love for there to be more in this world, but this series is a trilogy and it's done damn well.
Again, four years have passed since the previous book. Sisters of the Fire saw King Æthlric dead which means we now see King Bluebell - something she has been preparing for her whole life, but still doesn't feel ready for; both she and Ash blame themselves for their father's death, even though he was old, it was a long time coming, and he was a fool for coming to war with such a bad leg.
Ash has managed to govern her fate. The white dragon is dead, the red dragon dead by Bluebell's hands (and is a tale across taverns through the whole land), and so Ash is no longer in her self-driven exile. Rose is with whom she loves, and happy. Ivy is... Ivy; the less said about her sad and silly ways the better, but is in charge of the port town after the ending of the second book and is, at least, a decent mother. Willow is growing to be one of the most interesting characters out there - filled with annoying religious fervour but possibly the only one in the land who can someday beat Bluebell...
As stated in my review of the second book, the development of the characters, especially the younger, is a joy to experience. Ivy and Willow are so utterly annoying and yet so believable in what drives them. The Ivy of the first book needed a good kick, but by the second you actually wish someone was on her side to guide her better, because she's making such a hash of things when left to her own devices. Could we, by the end of this book, actually care for her as much as Ash and Rose? We can only read to find out...
That's where we are when we start this book. Things aren't going too well. Willow is now married to Bluebell's most talented enemy - Hakon, who now believes in Willow's religious faith due to her trickery in the second book. Together they have taken over land and are slaughtering whoever they come across. Lately, four of her best warriors, who she had sent in hopes of bringing Willow back to the family. The only reason the fifth came back to Bluebell was to tell of the horrors he witnessed.
Rowan, Rose's oldest child, suddenly appears on her doorstep one night saying she's run away from King Wengest but isn't willing to say why around Heath, her actual father. They take her in, and she gets to meet her little half-brother (who is actually King Wengest's get, ironically) and things in this corner start to get interesting. In the second book Rowan is coming into her powers after a brief stay in the other world (where she aged several years, in a different timestream) and now, matched with her little brother's uncanny knowledge we may learn more about so much - hopefully about the Ærfolc.
What's truly masterful is how Wilkins brings the threads of the plot together so cleverly to have all sisters returning to the same place, at the same time. It takes a huge amount of work to make this fit, believable, and necessary, and I love it. What's also impressive is how it's hard to figure out which character is the most interesting. Bluebell should be the easy answer and I love her dearly, but Rowan is... wow. I especially love her interactions with her aunts, how sassy she is, and what she gets away with.
Kim Wilkins is a marvel at setting up such an engaging world, plot, and beyond all else, characters. This series is right up there in my top five series of all time, and probably always will be. I would love for there to be more in this world, but this series is a trilogy and it's done damn well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2019
Never knew that I could like characters so much with the name bluebell and snowy...
November 19, 2019
What a fabulous end to an amazing series. My emotions are raw, but it was worth the ride.
November 10, 2024
So sad this book didn't come out in the US. But! You can find the audiobook so I listened to this one.
December 7, 2021
3.5 stars
September 27, 2024
I think this book wrapped up its own plot really well. The end entails the fate of all the sisters as well as many side characters. However, the problem is that it doesn't wrap up the entire series well. There are still so many unfinished plots/unanswered questions started by the first two books, such as:
-What happened to Unweder after Ash left him? I'm guessing he died because he needed Ash's blood to sustain his body, but we don't know that for certain.
-Bluebell kills a female dragon to prevent Ash's prophecy from coming true, only for them to spot a male dragon later. So, why didn't Ash's prophecy come true?
-It's revealed in the first book that the sisters have an aunt who is older than their father, meaning she's the rightful ruler of the Kingdom. However, it is never explained why their father took the throne from her, even though she's mentioned throughout the book as Rose is staying with her.
-Ivy hooked up with Wegnest in the first book and Rose either never finds out or is perfectly fine with this. Both of which leave a plot to be expanded on.
-[SPOILERS] Willow brings Maava, a terrifying God who can shoot invisible lightning from his hands into being, but he still can't turn Avani into a boy? What.
-[SPOILERS] If Maava is real, did Willow actually hear angel voices? Were the angels not just a religious delusion? If yes, then that takes away a lot of Willow's character and complexity.
On top of that, I feel as though many of the characters had drastic changes:
-Ash's prophecy was a central storyline in the first two books, but she no longer has the ability to see the future in this book.
-Heath at one point becomes a really terrible person. He returns to his old self later and he's relatively normal beforehand, but the way he treated Rowan when she was coming into power was horrible.
-[SPOILERS] Wengst had some major character development and I'm glad he and Rose talked, but I honestly didn't really want Rose to kill him. I feel like Rose's reason for killing him and how she did it completely came out of left field. First of all, throughout all of the books, Rose harps about the fact that despite Wengst not being a good husband, he is a good father to Rowan. Yet suddenly, she needs to kill him because he wouldn't be a good father to Lindon? That doesn't make any sense. I would've accepted this if Rose just killed him out of grief, but she literally spends a long time making the shirt to kill him. So, she planned this the entire time. On top of that, how the hell did she use undermagic? Rose does not have any magic whatsoever. While I didn't want Rose to go back to Wengst, I would rather they have worked out some co-parenting situation in the end.
-[SPOILERS] I have mixed feelings about Bluebell getting pregnant. On the one hand, she's still super cool and mothers are super badass and stuff. On the other hand, this makes literally no sense. Bluebell hates babies and vehemently does not want to have children for the entire series, but suddenly she gets pregnant and is fine with the idea? No, it makes no sense and directly contradicts her character.
-[SPOILERS] I hated the fact that the Gods were revealed to be 'real' in this book. The other two books took a more neutral stance on the whole Trimartyr vs. Common Faith and I really liked that. Sure, the Trimartyr faith had more zealots and things, but they also had good people and were the only religion to teach reading and writing. The Gods not being 'real' helped this as because no one knew which Gods were real, they were free to believe what they wanted. However, this book goes the total opposite way with Trimartyrs being terrible, horrible people with an evil God. It lacked any of the nuance about religion and the people that follow it that was seen in the first two books.
-[SPOILERS] Willow becomes so two-dimensional in this book. Willow is incredibly complex in the other two books, having a sense of superiority over her sisters and yet holding an extreme amount of religious guilt as heard in the angel voices. While we see her zealous behavior in this book, we don't see much of her guilt and the angel voices are only referenced in passing. She becomes comically evil instead of the nuanced, complex villain she once was.
-What happened to Unweder after Ash left him? I'm guessing he died because he needed Ash's blood to sustain his body, but we don't know that for certain.
-Bluebell kills a female dragon to prevent Ash's prophecy from coming true, only for them to spot a male dragon later. So, why didn't Ash's prophecy come true?
-It's revealed in the first book that the sisters have an aunt who is older than their father, meaning she's the rightful ruler of the Kingdom. However, it is never explained why their father took the throne from her, even though she's mentioned throughout the book as Rose is staying with her.
-Ivy hooked up with Wegnest in the first book and Rose either never finds out or is perfectly fine with this. Both of which leave a plot to be expanded on.
-[SPOILERS] Willow brings Maava, a terrifying God who can shoot invisible lightning from his hands into being, but he still can't turn Avani into a boy? What.
-[SPOILERS] If Maava is real, did Willow actually hear angel voices? Were the angels not just a religious delusion? If yes, then that takes away a lot of Willow's character and complexity.
On top of that, I feel as though many of the characters had drastic changes:
-Ash's prophecy was a central storyline in the first two books, but she no longer has the ability to see the future in this book.
-Heath at one point becomes a really terrible person. He returns to his old self later and he's relatively normal beforehand, but the way he treated Rowan when she was coming into power was horrible.
-[SPOILERS] Wengst had some major character development and I'm glad he and Rose talked, but I honestly didn't really want Rose to kill him. I feel like Rose's reason for killing him and how she did it completely came out of left field. First of all, throughout all of the books, Rose harps about the fact that despite Wengst not being a good husband, he is a good father to Rowan. Yet suddenly, she needs to kill him because he wouldn't be a good father to Lindon? That doesn't make any sense. I would've accepted this if Rose just killed him out of grief, but she literally spends a long time making the shirt to kill him. So, she planned this the entire time. On top of that, how the hell did she use undermagic? Rose does not have any magic whatsoever. While I didn't want Rose to go back to Wengst, I would rather they have worked out some co-parenting situation in the end.
-[SPOILERS] I have mixed feelings about Bluebell getting pregnant. On the one hand, she's still super cool and mothers are super badass and stuff. On the other hand, this makes literally no sense. Bluebell hates babies and vehemently does not want to have children for the entire series, but suddenly she gets pregnant and is fine with the idea? No, it makes no sense and directly contradicts her character.
-[SPOILERS] I hated the fact that the Gods were revealed to be 'real' in this book. The other two books took a more neutral stance on the whole Trimartyr vs. Common Faith and I really liked that. Sure, the Trimartyr faith had more zealots and things, but they also had good people and were the only religion to teach reading and writing. The Gods not being 'real' helped this as because no one knew which Gods were real, they were free to believe what they wanted. However, this book goes the total opposite way with Trimartyrs being terrible, horrible people with an evil God. It lacked any of the nuance about religion and the people that follow it that was seen in the first two books.
-[SPOILERS] Willow becomes so two-dimensional in this book. Willow is incredibly complex in the other two books, having a sense of superiority over her sisters and yet holding an extreme amount of religious guilt as heard in the angel voices. While we see her zealous behavior in this book, we don't see much of her guilt and the angel voices are only referenced in passing. She becomes comically evil instead of the nuanced, complex villain she once was.
January 30, 2022
I enjoyed both Sisters of the Fire and Queens of the Sea alot more than the first book.
I really enjoyed certain aspects, such as all the characters coming full circle with their respective individual and joint journeys. Bluebell, Ash, Rose, Ivy, Rowan, Heath, Snowy all had their hurdles to overcome, even side characters Avaranni/Goldie, Linden, Niamma's stories were interesting.
I especially enjoyed Goldie's arc and she had her revenge at the end book with her cousins and aunt by her side and the budding friendship or something more between Niamma/Rowan was beautifully done.
Though there are few things that I'm not okay with.
I was actually sad to see Wengest meet his demise at his wife Rose's hands, he clearly was still in love with her but what I loved was that all the characters are flawed and have both good and bad potential, could Rose have persuaded him to relent a little in his ways or his mind about taking Linden away from her considering all that had transpired?
The battle was too short in my opinion, between The Horse God, Great Mother and Maava!
I expected more conflict or conversation between them in the final battle or more of an insight from their perspectives, especially how Maava manipulated Willow to so easily turn against her family and shape her into what she became: a religious tyrant.
Though she probably had these traits long before she found Maava and later became a religious fanatic over time she grew to become mad, cruel, often willing to do great harm to innocent people if it served her purposes.
Throughout history, there have been religious wars over differences of faith, knowledge, and science and the list goes on, but it would've been nice to see, instead of wiping out Maava and Willow, couldn't they somehow be redeemed?
I know its not always possible (and maybe I'm a sucker for happy endings and healing old wounds, bridging the gap, whatever...)
I liked Ivy's evolution in this book, after suspicion that the man she thought she loved turned abusive and controlling, she continued to make excuses and repeated his words "you're stupid, you can't do this without me, people hate you" .... and she believed them and her to be at fault until she realizes she cant continue to make excuses when she's forced to step out of her comfort zone when the safety of her children and Goldie are being threatened; and with Ivy finding her true strength as did Goldie and Ivy's boys found their own inner strength they never knew they had. It was awesome seeing people on Ivy's side and actually help, to see that unity among women and finding that you're not alone.
I don't wanna say anymore without giving any spoilers, but yeah well done to Kim Wilkins for merging all the characters's individual and joint journeys into one massive conclusion!
I really enjoyed certain aspects, such as all the characters coming full circle with their respective individual and joint journeys. Bluebell, Ash, Rose, Ivy, Rowan, Heath, Snowy all had their hurdles to overcome, even side characters Avaranni/Goldie, Linden, Niamma's stories were interesting.
I especially enjoyed Goldie's arc and she had her revenge at the end book with her cousins and aunt by her side and the budding friendship or something more between Niamma/Rowan was beautifully done.
Though there are few things that I'm not okay with.
I was actually sad to see Wengest meet his demise at his wife Rose's hands, he clearly was still in love with her but what I loved was that all the characters are flawed and have both good and bad potential, could Rose have persuaded him to relent a little in his ways or his mind about taking Linden away from her considering all that had transpired?
The battle was too short in my opinion, between The Horse God, Great Mother and Maava!
I expected more conflict or conversation between them in the final battle or more of an insight from their perspectives, especially how Maava manipulated Willow to so easily turn against her family and shape her into what she became: a religious tyrant.
Though she probably had these traits long before she found Maava and later became a religious fanatic over time she grew to become mad, cruel, often willing to do great harm to innocent people if it served her purposes.
Throughout history, there have been religious wars over differences of faith, knowledge, and science and the list goes on, but it would've been nice to see, instead of wiping out Maava and Willow, couldn't they somehow be redeemed?
I know its not always possible (and maybe I'm a sucker for happy endings and healing old wounds, bridging the gap, whatever...)
I liked Ivy's evolution in this book, after suspicion that the man she thought she loved turned abusive and controlling, she continued to make excuses and repeated his words "you're stupid, you can't do this without me, people hate you" .... and she believed them and her to be at fault until she realizes she cant continue to make excuses when she's forced to step out of her comfort zone when the safety of her children and Goldie are being threatened; and with Ivy finding her true strength as did Goldie and Ivy's boys found their own inner strength they never knew they had. It was awesome seeing people on Ivy's side and actually help, to see that unity among women and finding that you're not alone.
I don't wanna say anymore without giving any spoilers, but yeah well done to Kim Wilkins for merging all the characters's individual and joint journeys into one massive conclusion!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2021
Unfortunately, this is the book in this series that I have liked the least. The previous two books in this trilogy have been so focused on the family relationships and I guess this one is as well but in a completely different way.
We still have the points of view of the five sisters, and see the ways in which they relate with each other. But things have now come to a crux where fighting is the only thing able to happen between Willow the trimartyr follower and the rest of her sisters who follow the old faith.
Ivy has a really hard time with the man she thought she loved in the last book. At times, this narrative was incredibly difficult to keep reading.
Once again, there is a time jump of about five years. Rose is joined by her younger brother who is described as fitting an autistic diagnosis, but without the actual word in this fantasy landscape.
That was the first and last thing liked about this book. Around the point that we got to Ash losing her magic because she fell in love, and Bluebell not sarcastically telling her that she had to give that up for the good of Thyrsland, I completely lost interest. Every human and emotional element seemed like it was systematically taken out of this book in favour of the war. For people who like a good war book, this one might be for them.
We still have the points of view of the five sisters, and see the ways in which they relate with each other. But things have now come to a crux where fighting is the only thing able to happen between Willow the trimartyr follower and the rest of her sisters who follow the old faith.
Ivy has a really hard time with the man she thought she loved in the last book. At times, this narrative was incredibly difficult to keep reading.
Once again, there is a time jump of about five years. Rose is joined by her younger brother who is described as fitting an autistic diagnosis, but without the actual word in this fantasy landscape.
That was the first and last thing liked about this book. Around the point that we got to Ash losing her magic because she fell in love, and Bluebell not sarcastically telling her that she had to give that up for the good of Thyrsland, I completely lost interest. Every human and emotional element seemed like it was systematically taken out of this book in favour of the war. For people who like a good war book, this one might be for them.
December 26, 2021
Finally! I waited so long to reach this conclusion, I was trying to hold out for the US cover and buying the physical edition but I'm really not sure if that will ever be released at this point. So I snatched up the audiobook when I got the chance. I have loved the series very deeply and it holds a special place in my heart since it helped introduce me to the rich worlds of adult fantasy and was one of the few series I could find at the time with complex female leads. While the series is far from perfect it is filled with a vast complex world and characters, complete with religious strife political upheaval, war, family drama, and love always love. The world building is rich and thorough, somewhat Norse inspired. The characters are varied and flawed, their relationships deep and ever-changing. At times this series is like reading a Norse epic and others like a whirlwind romance, but most of all it is a saga spanning years and wars won, loves found and lost. I can't recommend it highly enough for someone looking for an epic Fantasy full of incredibly real characters and mythic adventures. I'll miss Thrysland and always hope to return there someday.
June 17, 2019
I could not believe my luck when I saw this book on NetGalley. Many thanks for the advanced copy.
Whew! What a ride! This is a fantastic conclusion to a highly enjoyable series by Kim Wilkins. I have loved the story of Bluebell and her sisters and particularly enjoyed the story lines of Ivy, Ash and Rowan. The setting, religions and magic were beautifully realised, with information provided in a natural, unobtrusive way.
I'm so happy to have read this series and can't wait for more from Ms Wilkins.
Whew! What a ride! This is a fantastic conclusion to a highly enjoyable series by Kim Wilkins. I have loved the story of Bluebell and her sisters and particularly enjoyed the story lines of Ivy, Ash and Rowan. The setting, religions and magic were beautifully realised, with information provided in a natural, unobtrusive way.
I'm so happy to have read this series and can't wait for more from Ms Wilkins.
August 1, 2019
A very satisfying end to a dazzling series. More about this wonderful book later. In the meantime, get your hands on the fantastic adventures of the five royal sisters.
A great series for lovers of Mercedes Lackey, Robin Hobb, and Kate Elliott
A great series for lovers of Mercedes Lackey, Robin Hobb, and Kate Elliott
June 19, 2023
A worthy finale to a sweeping fantasy saga. Every one of the five sisters this story follows is distinct and well developed, their stories weaving together to culminate in a fierce, brutal battle that the trilogy built slowly towards. Dealing with confronting issues at times, the story is equal parts gritty, warm and compelling, and i enjoyed it.
October 22, 2020
Was für eine epische Reihe und was für ein befriedigendes Ende! Mittelalter Fantasy mit Drachen und Riesen und Magie - aber ohne sexualisierte Gewalt und ohne Frauen, die sich rumschupsen lassen. I <3
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May 17, 2023[retrospective review]
Why I read this:
Enjoyed books 1 and 2 in this series.
My Impression:
I thought I had written a review for this title but it seems not! All I can say is this series is consistent until the end, entertaining and an excellent series to escape into. [see my reviews of 1 & 2].
Why I read this:
Enjoyed books 1 and 2 in this series.
My Impression:
I thought I had written a review for this title but it seems not! All I can say is this series is consistent until the end, entertaining and an excellent series to escape into. [see my reviews of 1 & 2].
March 9, 2020
Lovely.
March 28, 2020
Kim is a badass when it comes to writing multilayered female characters. Fully human, flawed characters you simultaneously love and want to roll your eyes at. That is all.
December 20, 2021
Such an epic, amazing, perfect end to a series that I love.
June 24, 2022
Great ending to a great trilogy!
May 26, 2023
5 🌟! I so enjoyed this trilogy. Massively underrated!
June 21, 2024
I loved this series. I just wish I could have found this final book in a format other than audiobook. But, at least I did find it.
Read
August 10, 2025What a finale to an absolutely amazing series with four sisters as four interesting, flawed, loving, warring main characters.
June 29, 2021
This book deserves 100 stars. Far and away the best book I have ever read. And I can only say that the Harper Collins US publishers made a really big mistake and did a terrible disservice to US readers by not taking the option on this book after buying the first two. I see it will be available as an audio book in the future but that is not the same in my book (no pun intended)
However I was lucky enough to be able to read it in print thanks to the extreme generosity of the author who provided me with a copy. I will be forever grateful to her for allowing me the pleasure of entering once again the world of Thrysland and finding out what happens to each of the incredible sisters as they unite in love and loss to conquer something bigger than themselves. Each character was so dear to me I could never pick a favorite though Ash will always stand out from the rest. Most of all it is what the story had to tell me about life and how to live it (whether it be a fantasy world or our all to real one) that will stick with me most. Kim Wilkins in the epilogue you gave me words to live by and I thank you.
However I was lucky enough to be able to read it in print thanks to the extreme generosity of the author who provided me with a copy. I will be forever grateful to her for allowing me the pleasure of entering once again the world of Thrysland and finding out what happens to each of the incredible sisters as they unite in love and loss to conquer something bigger than themselves. Each character was so dear to me I could never pick a favorite though Ash will always stand out from the rest. Most of all it is what the story had to tell me about life and how to live it (whether it be a fantasy world or our all to real one) that will stick with me most. Kim Wilkins in the epilogue you gave me words to live by and I thank you.
August 15, 2023
Four more years have passed for King Aethlric's five wildly different daughters. Ivy is now duchess in name only, ground down by her abusive boyfriend. Rose hides away with her uncanny son while her daughter grows into her own powers. Ash lost her magic while Bluebell lost her capital city to their zealot sister Willow, so the pair goes on a desperate quest to unlock the deepest mysteries of their realm. Against all odds, the disparate sisters are drawn back together again for one final confrontation that will reshape their lives and their land. Heaps of violence to go with the continued character growth and world-building.
September 1, 2019
I have so enjoyed the first two books in the Blood and Gold trilogy by Kim Wilkins and felt ambivalent about reading the final one, Queens of the Sea, because I knew that on completion, my time with the amazing warrior queen, Bluebell and her dysfunctional and fascinating family must come to an end. But what a magnificent closure it has been.
In this concluding novel, the simmering war between the followers of the old gods and those of the new, violent Trimartyr god, comes to a brutal and bloody conclusion. The time for “mad” Willow, one of Bluebell’s sisters and Ivy’s twin, to rise has arrived and she grasps her opportunity with wild and unforgiving hands, turning on those she once called her people and even her own kin in a murderous grab for power at all costs.
Having lost her city through terrible deceit and betrayal, Bluebell and her remaining sisters, some of whom have their own personal demons and burdens to carry, must turn not only to the gods they know and love, but place their faith in what has always been believed to be myths and legends in order to even have a chance of defeating Willow and the Crow King, Hakon.
But with Ash divested of her powers, and Rowan, Rose’s estranged daughter uncertain whether she should embrace hers or not, and Ivy struggling to find the strength to leave her abusive lover, and arguments and tensions erupting among remaining tribes, Bluebells allies are no longer as dependable as they should be. Forced to seek help across the seas, Bluebell’s voyage is not only fraught with personal risks, but with the very real chance she could lose her kingdom and, worse, the faith of her people, forever.
As the Trimartyr’s unleash a reign of terror upon Bluebell’s people, promising more if their queen dare retaliates, time and trust – in herself and others – is running out for Bluebell and the kingdom that is her legacy.
Beautifully written, this is a page-turner par excellence from the mistress of the cross-genre tale. The pace is perfect, the characters alternately flawed and formidable but always possessed of a realness that makes you invest in them in a myriad of ways. A combination of fantasy and history, in this series – and this final instalment especially - Wilkins has drawn on her own deep knowledge of Celtic and Nordic history and myth to give readers a thrilling story that will live in the mind and satisfy the senses long after the last page is finished. Brilliant.
In this concluding novel, the simmering war between the followers of the old gods and those of the new, violent Trimartyr god, comes to a brutal and bloody conclusion. The time for “mad” Willow, one of Bluebell’s sisters and Ivy’s twin, to rise has arrived and she grasps her opportunity with wild and unforgiving hands, turning on those she once called her people and even her own kin in a murderous grab for power at all costs.
Having lost her city through terrible deceit and betrayal, Bluebell and her remaining sisters, some of whom have their own personal demons and burdens to carry, must turn not only to the gods they know and love, but place their faith in what has always been believed to be myths and legends in order to even have a chance of defeating Willow and the Crow King, Hakon.
But with Ash divested of her powers, and Rowan, Rose’s estranged daughter uncertain whether she should embrace hers or not, and Ivy struggling to find the strength to leave her abusive lover, and arguments and tensions erupting among remaining tribes, Bluebells allies are no longer as dependable as they should be. Forced to seek help across the seas, Bluebell’s voyage is not only fraught with personal risks, but with the very real chance she could lose her kingdom and, worse, the faith of her people, forever.
As the Trimartyr’s unleash a reign of terror upon Bluebell’s people, promising more if their queen dare retaliates, time and trust – in herself and others – is running out for Bluebell and the kingdom that is her legacy.
Beautifully written, this is a page-turner par excellence from the mistress of the cross-genre tale. The pace is perfect, the characters alternately flawed and formidable but always possessed of a realness that makes you invest in them in a myriad of ways. A combination of fantasy and history, in this series – and this final instalment especially - Wilkins has drawn on her own deep knowledge of Celtic and Nordic history and myth to give readers a thrilling story that will live in the mind and satisfy the senses long after the last page is finished. Brilliant.
February 21, 2019
I’m very excited to read the next book!
The first two were interesting, and I’m ready for the final scene. Who knows what’s going to happen?
The first two were interesting, and I’m ready for the final scene. Who knows what’s going to happen?
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