The Heartwood Crown

The Sunlit Lands #2

by Matt Mikalatos

After destroying the Crescent Stone, Madeline returns home, bringing Shula and Yenil with her. As her health continues to deteriorate, Madeline feels the Sunlit Lands calling her back. Meanwhile, Jason, Darius, and the rest of the inhabitants of the Sunlit Lands fight for survival and freedom. The magic that fuels the land is failing, threatening to destroy them all. Will Madeline’s return save the land and its people? Matt’s signature humor and epic storytelling are once again on full display in The Heartwood Crown .

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Christian Fiction, Christian, Adventure, Fiction, Audiobook

416 pages, Hardcover

Published August 6, 2019

About the author

Matt Mikalatos writes in a variety of genres, and also writes for film and TV. He lives in the Portland, Oregon area with his wife, three daughters, and a gigantic rabbit named Bruce.

Reviews

[Alaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

WOW this one did not disappoint. I had so mean feelings while listening to this. One might think that I finally made a soul for myself. Yet, I still got bored during some parts.

Now, I'm not going to lie. The ending of The Heartwood Crown was completely and utterly bittersweet. I had no idea that it was going down this path and yet, I couldn't look away. I'm really happy that this didn't hit the second book syndrome and just had a few dragging moments instead of chapters.

I see that there's a little novella or something after this one and I'm completely down to read the holiday one. Mostly because I have a feeling that I'm going to miss these characters. Heck, even Jason grew a bit on me in this one. Still hate the narrators voice for him though and that will never change.

Ugh, I need the next book STAT.

[Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book more than 5 Stars, I certainly would. As I read the last quarter of the book, I felt anxiety attack after anxiety attack happen along with so many different emotions. I cried, I was happy, sad, pissed off, content, resolved, surprised...and that's only a few.

Yes, there were a few times in the story that it got a bit slow...but it doesn't take anything at all away from the whole story, especially where the author went with the story.

I am sad to say goodbye to a few of the characters...but maybe the author will continue with some companion books!

[Tressa (Wishful Endings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

THE HEARTWOOD CROWN picks up fairly closely after the first book. Readers will get to see what's going on with the characters they're familiar with from the first book and get to know some additional characters. The plot is still not resolved, but there are also additional challenges these characters face and must overcome. Another entertaining world to step into!

In the first book, we don't get much of Darius's perspective, but in this second book he's a main player. I really liked this additional POV as his experience has been very different from Madeline's and Jason's. The characters have also grown to a couple of different groups with their own motley crews. The world is still in unrest after what happened in the first book, so these characters have to deal with that and face new threats. I liked getting to see more regions of the fantasy world. The first book is almost entirely set in the Elenil city, whereas this one is set in a couple of different locations and you get a bigger picture of the different people and places. I also liked the consistent contrasts in this series. There is magic that can do just about anything, but it carries a price. Then there's Madeline with her illness and literally no hope of her surviving it. Darius has his own things to work through and is angry, but doesn't see how he can create injustice as he seeks revenge. Jason is still the fun-filled life of the party with his jokes and goofy personality. It's a good mix of personalities, emotions, and adventure, making for an enjoyable story from beginning to end.

Just a few complaints. There is still a fairly strong agenda being pushed in this series although I felt it was a little less info-dump and not quite as strong as the first book, which I appreciated. I like forming my own opinions and not being told what to think. I also felt there could be more character development, as there's no way you can remain unchanged with what these characters face. I like my characters complex and sometimes they felt one dimensional in this book.

In the end, was it what I wished for? This was another entertaining fantasy with likable characters and an intriguing plot. Recommended to young adult and middle grade fantasy fans!

Content: Some violence.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a positive review nor affect my review in any way.

[JR. Forasteros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book does everything a sequel should. It expands the world, giving us a larger picture of the land we already know. It moves the characters forward in interesting and important ways (without cheating). It gives us shocking new revelations. It leaves us wanting more.

Give me book 3 now, please!

[Dax · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mikalatos continues to make a world full of vibrant stories, histories, mythos, poetry, and lore. All of the characters breath life onto the page as you suffer and fight alongside them. He creates such a believable world by bringing horrible truths from our own; he speaks to slavery, bigotry, hatred, wars fought and bombs dropped, bullets never stopping to ask what God you worship, or even the gains from institutional racism. He makes you stop and question what is happening around you and how you are a part of the problem and it is up to you on whether or not you are a part of the solution. Will you let hate and fear run your life or will you take a stand to change?

[Abigail Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was much like the first in that I had trouble sorting out what Mikalatos was trying to say politically. There were definitely political themes intertwined in the plot, but it was difficult to tell what solution Mikalatos was offering.

Also like the first book, I found many of the characters to be immature. However we do see more sacrifice and genuine good advice than the first book. There was a confrontation about living with pain that I found insightful. I also loved the dynamics between Jason and Baileya. I’m interested to see what happens with them in the next book.

One aspect that I was very surprised by was Shula’s thoughts about God. I had no idea that this book was published by an imprint of Tyndale publishing, and never would have guessed it from the first book. Shula is angry at God about events that have happened in the past. It’s interesting because none of the other characters ever really consider God, and we don’t really get a positive view of God from Shula’s experience. But...if this book was published by an imprint of Tyndale, then I am somewhat expecting it to come up in the next book and will otherwise be royally confused.

Anyways, I’ll stop rambling. It was interesting, sometimes insightful, sometimes amusing, sometimes annoying, sometimes confusing. I’m hoping that the third book satisfies my confusion.

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuing the story, this one was a bit slower than the first book, but I loved seeing how the characters had grown throughout as more secrets are revealed. Wonderful worldbuilding. I couldn't help but love Jason for the humor that he brings to the story and the situations he finds himself in. Social issues are an underlying thread in this book as well.

[Christina D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Heartwood Crown is the second book in the Sunlit Lands Series by Matt Mikalatos. But don't worry if you haven't read the first book, The Crescent Stone. There's enough back story in this one for you not to be completely lost, but seriously, the first one is so good, you should plan on reading it first.



The story of The Heartwood Crown picks up a short time after The Crescent Stone ends. Many of the characters have settled into various parts of their life. Madeline, Shula and Yenil are back on earth, trying to live as normal a life as possible but the Sunlit Lands and their struggles from there keep creeping back in. After a visit from an unusual guest, Madeline knows that she has to return.



What she didn't know were the difficulties that her friends Jason and Darius had been facing in the days after the attack on the Elenil people that control the magic of the Sunlit Lands. The end of magic as the people of the land know it is at hand and Madeline must decide if she will be the one to help usher in the new age.



This story does an excellent job of entertaining but beyond that, Mikalatos brings up issues that we all struggle with. He handles very difficult topics such as love, self-respect, and forgiveness in a way that allows the reader to identify their own struggles and come to a decision of if they can tackle them or at least admit their presence and how they may be affecting day to day life.



This is a young adult fiction but the themes and storyline capture the reader from a much broader age range. It is an excellent second installment and I look forward to reading any additional adventures that the Sunlit Lands may have for us.





I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for the purpose of review. I'm never required to leave a positive review but always thankful when I can.



PS Matt, If you're reading this, is it possible that The Sword of Six Worlds is going to combine with this series? Signed, A Validus Fan Who's Still Waiting For More

[C.J. Darlington · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's time to head back to the Sunlit Lands. Our friends from The Crescent Stone are waiting. There's Jason, who's sworn to always tell the truth. Madeline, dying but determined to do what's right even to her last breath. Shula, a literal girl on fire determined not to love but unable to resist its pull. Darius, who's fighting battles within as much as out. A full cast of people determined to fulfill their destinies and ready for the continuation of their adventures.

Themes of heartache, revenge, and love fill the pages. Most importantly love. Mikalatos weaves a tale about sacrificial love between friends that is so needed in this hard world. Pull up a chair and a cup of coffee (or tea) and get ready for another tale of the Sunlit Lands. Questions will be answered. Journeys completed. And you'll find yourself lost in this imaginative world full of faeries, unicorns that look like rhinos, tree people, and more.

[Emily Golus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so glad to return to the beautiful and enigmatic world of the Sunlit Lands. The world-building is complex and unique, and the characters have such depth.

The first book explored themes of injustice and oppression in a unique way. Heartwood Crown deepens and expands these themes, exploring the question of how to fight injustice without losing who you are in the process. Where’s the line between bravely committing to right wrongs and letting revenge consume you?

Things set up in the first book have unexpected twists and payoffs in the sequel that are delightful and poignant.

The ending was heartbreaking at times and yet so deeply satisfying. I read both books on Kindle Unlimited but will be purchasing hard copies of both—these go in my permanent collection!

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jason wird von allen Seiten gejagt, weil er das Gleichgewicht der Magie gestört hat, und auch die meisten anderen Figuren des ersten Teils kommen wieder vor. Ich hab am Anfang relativ lange gebraucht, um wieder reinzukommen - die ersten Kapitel waren mir einfach ein bisschen egal. Aber das letzte Drittel war wieder sehr packend.

[Ethan Marstella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Expanded and grew all of the characters, added depth, nuance, and complexity to visions of justice and love. Excellent second book, sorry to have to wait a whole year for the third.

[Josh Olds · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Attention: contains spoilers for The Crescent Stone (The Sunlit Lands #1)*

Okay. The most difficult part of writing a review for The Crescent Stone was not spoiling the great big twist that serves as the book’s thematic hook. What is the book about? Well…hard to say in too much detail because it concerns the book’s big plot twist. So, if you haven’t read The Crescent Stone, STOP NOW. The rest of you, continue…

The Heartwood Crown begins in what looks like victory. The Crescent Stone has been destroyed and with it the magic that kept Elenil society thriving at the Scim’s expense. Madeline, having rejected her year of service, accepts her disease back into herself and escapes with Shula and Yenil. Shula was a human bound in service to the Elenil, originally from Syria. Yenil is a young child, one of the Scim. Madeline’s parents accept her return rather casually, not even really questioning the addition of Shula and Yenil to the family. (Is there something up with that? There’s gotta be something up with that?)

Jason is still in the Sunlit Lands living his best life, which, for him, means being a wanted man by nearly every race of people and having accidentally gotten engaged to Baileya. (It’s a long story. That story is called The Crescent Stone.) Darius is there as well, seeking his revenge on the leader of the Elenil. The destruction of the Crescent Stone was supposed to be the key to righting the wrongs in the Sunlit Lands, but, by and large, society continues on as normal.

We get a lot from Darius’s perspective in The Heartwood Crown, which builds even more depth to the story through a strong third point of view. His big struggle is how we are to go about enacting justice and correcting wrongs and that personal struggle gets writ large throughout the events of the story.

What seemed like loose threads, red herrings, and rabbit trails in The Crescent Stone get tied up or explored here. In particular, I enjoyed Mikalatos’ portrayal of the necromancers. I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t even begin to see it coming. It isn’t often a book takes me completely by surprise in a good way, but Matt seems to be able to do it consistently.

The story does get a bit heavy and bogged down. It’s doing a lot of work to 1) play off the events of book one and expand the world; 2) tell its own self-contained story; and 3) set up the plot threads and events necessary for the conclusion in The Story King. Too often, middle novels in a trilogy act as journey novels—they simply get us from the beginning to the end. Mikalatos does that, but gives readers a story that stands in its own right, bowing but never breaking under the weight.

Weighty is the word I keep coming back to. The weight of the world is on Mikalatos’ shoulders in The Heartwood Crown. The weightiness of the issues he confronts, issues that matter to both the Sunlit Lands and our own world. And also just the weightiness in a literary sense of world building as the world of the Sunlit Lands expands. To tell the story of everything is a difficult task, indeed, and Matt has to make choices of which stories best serve the overall narrative.

I would have liked to have seen a bit more time spent on Madeline’s storyline. It’s ostensibly the main storyline, but never really felt like it. It also felt a bit slow and plodding (though, hey, the main character does have a disease that prevents her from breathing easily, so action isn’t quite on the menu.) There’s a lot of complexity and lore that gets dumped in this particular storyline and maybe it could have been stretched out a bit into book three. (But there’s also good publishing industry reasons why it wasn’t.)

Jason continues to be a favorite. I’m not convinced I like the storyline where Baileya’s family is trying to kill him for being engaged to her. It doesn’t seem necessary and is always sort of interjected into the plot as almost a recurring gag without going anywhere. But yeah, I’m going really deep here to find anything to criticize and when I have such a strong opinion about a relatively minor story point, it’s safe to say that I’ve fallen in love with the story.

The Heartwood Crown isn’t the kind of book you read casually. I mean, you can. It can be just entertainment for you. You can read it like that and it is better entertainment than most books you’ll find. But really read it. Soak it in. Read it undistracted. It took me a month to read these books because, halfway into book one, I committed to only reading them when I knew I had at least an hour block of not being distracted. This is a story that deserves your complete attention. Its magic is real. Its power is undeniable. Settle in and let the story flow over you.

[Katarina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Heartwood Crown is book two in The Sunlit Lands series. I recently picked this series up again after an almost 6-year hiatus. I reread the first one before starting on this one, so I was caught up.

I had a very hard time making it through this book. The places where the main characters were Jason and Madeline were fun to read. I was not as interested in the two new main characters. It makes sense that Mikalatos had to add a couple more main characters since Madeline died at the end though.

A bit more about the characters:
Jason has such an interesting world-view because so much of his life is impacted by his vow to speak only truth and to speak it all the time. I enjoyed seeing him get away with things specifically because he spoke the truth and people couldn't believe him (e.g., when he manages to escape from Bazead when he keeps telling him "there is no one chasing us" and Bazead starts to think there is actually someone behind them). Jason and Madeline also have a very strong friendship and it is nice to see them together.
Madeline, although very much wronged by the Elenil and her parents, consistently acts for the greater good. She refuses to give up her scruples even when it would help to save her life (e.g., saving a dying Elenil instead of using her life-force to heal herself). A
Delightful Glitter Lady (aka "Dee") lives up to her name and is utterly delightful. She acts like a friendly dog and is very protective of Jason and his friends. She is not a main character, but she is one of my favorites, hence her being listed in my review.
Shula, who we were introduced to in book one, becomes a main character. We learn more about her backstory, why she chose to come to the Sunlit Lands and we get to see how she starts to care more and more about Madeline and Yenil and starts to move forward with her life after the traumatic events that led to her entrance to the Sunlit Lands.
Darius, who we also met in the first book, also becomes a main character. Darius's life was traumatic as well, just in a different way from Shula's. Where Shula grew up in a war-torn country and had a loving family who was taken from her quite suddenly, Darius grew up in the US as a victim of racial injustices. Throughout the book, he tries to help the Scim people the way that no one helped him during his childhood. His desire for revenge against the Elenil for the wrongs they have committed against the Scim people end up outweighing his desire to see Madeline one last time, and he ends up missing his chance to say goodbye to her one last time.
We also learn a bit more about Hanalil, Madeline's parents, Mary Patricia Wells, and Break Bones.

The world building continued to evolve and we learned more about the different people of the Sunlit Lands. I thought the "necromancers" were a particularly fun twist. Overall, this was a decent book. Not my favorite, but not bad either.

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madeline, Shula and Yenil are in the United States. Madeline's health is steadily declining while Yenil is getting used to going to school, and Shula is adjusting to life in the US.
Darius is seeking revenge on the archon and will go to any lengths to get it.
Jason and Baileya are working to avoid all the numerous groups trying to kill them while also helping their allies gain freedom from the Elenil.
All of them have a role to play in fixing the broken magic of the Sunlit lands and freeing peoples from the tyranny of the Elenil. Figuring out what that role is may be difficult, and their paths will be fraught with danger.

I have had numerous students asking me on a regular basis since March "When will The Heartwood Crown get here?" Well, their long wait is now over. Our order has finally arrived. There's quite a bit of personal issues explored here. Madeline finds out why she is sick, dealing with her imminent death, and her relationship with her parents. Darius explores his need for vengeance and how that is related to dealing with racism all his life and his view of self based on the literature he reads. Jason is dealing with being a hunted man, feeling guilty that his engagement was an accident, and his self-image based on his past. Shula is dealing with losing her family in the past and adjusting to a new culture and feeling kind of purposeless. Yenil is adjusting to going to a human school and dealing with bullies. We find out some of Mrs. Raymond's secrets, as well as Hanali's plots and past. And we get to explore some new places in the Sunlit lands with Darius and Jason. I thought this was the final book in the series, but there is most definitely another book in the series. There's a lot left unresolved after this book! The back of this book says it will be called The Story King, and now I'll have students asking me repeatedly when it is coming. That's a good thing. This is a well done fantasy portal story that explores issues of race, culture, justice, revenge, mental health, religious beliefs, and things that not many fantasy stories will tackle. The Christian elements are woven in tactfully and it is more an exploration of faith and elements of the story that make you think rather than preaching or anything. It is done so very well. The world building is fascinating with how magic impacts the world and Mikalatos is slowly letting more and more secrets about the world slip out that make you go "OH!" Highly recommended for fantasy fans who want a little more to chew on than normal.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content beyond a kiss. There are several battles, skirmishes, etc that do result in injuries and deaths. Some can be healed with magic and some are permanently dead. No injuries graphically described.

[Danielle Syers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel back into the Sunlit Lands has hit every cord that it needed to continue the story of our friends Shula, Madeline, Jason, etc. Our friends from The Crescent Stone have been waiting to show off their next plight to their readers. Many of the characters have found their way back to earth to live their lives just like everyone else, but will it stay that way? Will everything they wished to happen actually happen or does something happen to make that wish no longer viable? The Heartwood Crown certainly answers that for us in a way that breaks a reader in two, steps on their feelings, and throws them back into the chaos.

There are many themes and ideas that come into this sequel such as love, heartache, self-respect, loss, and more. There is a bigger focus on love then there was before, in my own opinion, but it is accepted and loved for what it is. Madeline has many things to think about within this book that has many twists and turns to keep the reader occupied. This can be utilized for many grades and many different groups of people—it would be a great book club book.

I had never originally read the Sunlit Lands book series until I picked this one up—once I started reading, I needed to read the first book. However, there is enough here in this second book that you do not necessarily need to go back to the first book. There is a lot of backstory that can help you understand what is happening cover to cover. I would suggest this book for a book club or even independent reading as it is not a difficult read and definitely has the hi-lo aspect to it that all students can get with.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review, but was not required to ever leave a positive review.

[Pristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Heartwood Crown opens up pretty much where the Crescent Stone left off. We have Madeline still stuck with her disease on earth, and Shula and Yenil with her. Jason and Darius are still in the Sunlit Lands with the Scim and the Elenil. One day, Madeline gets a visit from a mysterious priest, and it turns out that Madeline’s parents had gone to the Sunlit Lands with this priest guy and some of their other friends. Not everybody made it back alive though. Madeline’s parents chose to have their memories wiped, as it turned out that there’s a special kind of berry called an addle berry they can eat that makes them forget everything. Madeline’s furious, and decides to go back to the Sunlit Lands with Shula when Yenil has a accident at school, unleashing her war-skin on the other kids. When they get back, everything’s in chaos. Darius is on a mission to kill the archon and free the Scim. Jason, witty and humorous as ever, is trying not to get killed by Baileya’s family, the Elenil, and even some of the Scim, who still hate him. When Madeline, Jason, Shula, and Baileya meet up, Baileya is forced to stab Gilenyia to defend herself when the Elenil attack. Madeline tries to heal Gilenyia, but Gilenyia is beyond the reach of Elenil magic. A strange Aluvorean named Patra Koja reaches out to Madeline and tells her to bring Gilenyia to him to be healed. Patra Koja heals her, and when Shula asks if anything can be done for Madeline’s sickness, he says that her sickness is not natural and was brought on by a curse. He is able to bring the people who brought the curse upon her to Madeline though. It turns out it’s Hanali, not surprisingly, and Madeline’s mom. Madeline decides to bring her mom and Yenil, as she thought she could deal with Hanali later. Her mother said that the only reason Hanali let Madeline’s mother and father leave the Sunlit Lands is that he made a deal with them. And this deal was that if they had children, they would give the child to Hanali when they turned sixteen. Madeline’s parents tried to remember to not have children, but when they drank the addle berry wine, they forgot. So that was how Madeline got her disease. It was hard for her to forgive her mother, but she did do it. One of the Aluvoreans, named Lin, tells Madeline that she is the chosen one, as apparently she had the Queen’s seed planted in her by some other Aluvoreans. And her chosen responsibility is that she will be the one to wear the Heartwood Crown, a crown made out of heartwood, and has the ability to reset the magic of the Sunlit Lands. That’s a good thing, as the magic has previously been controlled by the Elenil, and they made it unfair for everybody else. This way, Madeline will get to reset it and all the magic will be distributed fairly between all of the Sunlit Lands. BUT, there’s a catch. IF Madeline chooses to wear the crown, she will die. She will have to cross a river to an island where the crown is, and when she crosses, she will die after she fulfills her mission. While Madeline is struggling with this decision, Darius is in Pastistia, with the Pastitisian king, King Ian. Darius and Hanali are there to try and get the king to help them overthrow the archon, so Hanail can be the new one. Darius has a burning desire for justice and revenge upon the archon, and wants to see the Scim rightfully restored to their share of the magic. When Darius receives a message from Madeline begging him to come to her, he has a tough decision to make. Will it be love or duty for him? And likewise for Madeline, will it be bringing healing to the Sunlit Lands but sacrificing the last few weeks of her life? Or will it be choosing to prolong her life and live out her days in agony, knowing she decided to leave the Sunlit Lands in disrepair?

Worldviews. As I mentioned in the Crescent Stone review, Mikalatos is a Christian author. There is also a “God” figure, the Majestic One, and a “Jesus” figure, the Peasant King, which, to me, is God the Father and God the Son in the Trinity. There are no other prominent worldviews mentioned here. In the Heartwood Crown, the “necromancers”, or the Pastisians, also got a bit more of the spotlight. *spoiler alert* They aren’t really necromancers, their big secret is that they can read. The rest of the Sunlit Lands, including the Elenil, are illiterate, so the Pastistians do have an advantage, the power of knowledge. The reason why the Elenil call them necromancers is that the Pastistians claim they can listen to the dead and that is true, because some of the books they have are written by people that have since passed on.

Violence: There are some battles. Nothing gory or overly descriptive, just the right amount of detail. *spoiler alert* Jason had Baileya’s family trying to kill him, because that’s the terms of a Kakri engagement. Don’t ask me why, I don’t really know. It’s a Kakri thing.

Romance: I’d say it’s neither low nor high. There was definitely some more detail and background on Madeline and Darius’ relationship. *spoiler alert* Baileya broke off her engagement to Jason, lots of complicated reasons there.

Racism: There was one part when Madeline was telling somebody else about her dating relationship to Darius and how her parents originally didn’t want her to because he was black. But her parents eventually warmed up to him. Darius also had a conversation with another character about how he felt when his teachers or other people thought he would do something wrong or whatever he did right was uncommon for “a black person”.

Rating and Recommended age level: 5 stars! This was even more hilarious then the Crescent Stone if possible, and Jason outdid himself with all the wisecracks and witty comebacks. Mikalatos did a really good job with this. I do think it addressed some heavier topics then the Crescent Stone, so I”m going to put the age level at 12-13+. Don’t worry, it’s not anything bad, just the whole racism and violence thing is probably only good for 12 and up. Definitely a good YA read for teens and even adults. I highly recommend this. *Also, if you want more of Mikalatos’ fiction, there’s a free e-book you can get on his website.*

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have ever read! And this is high praise from me because I read 100s of books every year and have done so ever since I can remember. Where do I begin? I read the first book in this series because I was contemplating purchasing it for my 2 grandsons but wanted to make sure it would hold their interest. Well, I got pulled into the story and had to buy this sequel to see how the story progressed. I love the allegory in this novel - it is so amazing and speaks to so many different political and moral situations in this country. I believe my grandsons will enjoy reading this series and it's going to be part of their Christmas present. I love that this book covers racism, different incidents that have occurred in U.S. history and examines them from several viewpoints. I could go on and on but - read this book! You will not be sorry. It will have you examining your thoughts/views on several things that have happened in history and are happening today. I even cried while reading this. Excellent book, fantastic writing!

[Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t have to take my word for it...

To create a world in a world has many trappings for authors and readers alike to get lost away from the path of narrative. To create a world that has its own collection of fantasy fiction along side our own and then create another world inside the created world that has varied groups with their own stories, and wow, the paths for exploring become more colorful and clear without being the same paths we have traveled over and over again in fantasy.
Please read this book if you are reading this review and discuss the topics and very real histories the main characters are being shaped by with the people you are around however old they or you are.
Know your history, know our history, so that together we can chose what history we make for our future generations and pass them down tools (narrative ability and understanding) so that they may grow and build on the foundation we continue to build and grow alongside.

[Meagan | The Chapter House · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Another solid book in the Sunlit Lands series! I really enjoyed getting to experience Darius’s POV in this read, and also felt like Jason and Madeline really grew as characters.

As another review mentioned, there is a bit of an agenda in the series; I hadn’t really noticed it in the first book, but more so here (maybe I was paying more attention?). I think the discussions are important, I just come to different conclusions than the author. :)

Highlights for me were the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, and the appendix. Super cool to get more material there!

I was also really intrigued by why the Pastisians were labeled as “necromancers”—perception and reality were very different!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yalllllllllllll this trilogy! Its always a mystery as to where this story is going. I don't know anymore and its infuriating but also amazing! This book talks about racism and philosophical thinking on how reality is and how to deal with it. The author brings in different views about issues but implements them into a fantasy dimension. Its hard to explain you will have to read it. It is sort of a realistic fantasy story. The second book explained a lot more but also revealed more questions. It also sort of gave more satisfaction for one of the characters because that first book was a hard ending. I am reading the last book now and I am amazed at how this story has been intricately written.
Ps. Jason is my favorite character

[Michelle Ami Reyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Heartwood Crown is an incredible exploration of social justice, cross-cultural relationships and cultural identities in a fantasy land full of wit and depth and humor. This book is the second in Matt's SunLit Land Series (following the Crescent Stone) and, honestly, it's a must-read for anyone seeking to engage these issues with nuance and complexity. There's a wide cast of characters, including an African American boy, a Syrian refugee girl, a Chinese American and a whole lot more. Matt gives us the best of fantasy with his magical, alternative world in which we can imagine possible new paths forward in our own. I highly recommend this book!

[Bru · Rating 1 out of 5]

That’s it. Im DNF this because I am just really tired of all these monologues about society and history lessons. I am not a fan of political fantasy so I don’t know why I dragged myself on to make it halfway into the book. I’m not interested in Shula or Yenil and that whole thing where the guy was fighting with his girlfriend and Yenil turned beast mode at school. Im not even rooting for Madeline, she makes awful decisions. I had to quit after darius 4 page explanation about King Arthur? Sorry Matt

[Mark S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit tedious, but worth the read

I enjoyed both of the books in this series so far. However, it did feel like a task to read sometimes. I finished it because I wanted to know what happened in the end.

I must say that the obvious parallels to racism in America were some times a bit too much. It was heavy. Yet, I find myself using the metaphor to better understand this give and take, take, take world. It was worth it for that alone.

[Shannon Hugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does hoping for justice tomorrow guarantee injustice today?

Do we wait for everyone to do the right thing or allow a few to force us into it?

Can individual righteousness save a society?

Obviously, this one had some thought provoking discussions around justice. Jason is still my favorite character. I don't feel desperate for the final installment, but I do hope to find a free audio version to finish the series.

[M.E. Garber · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's really hard, IMO, for a second book in a series to hit the same "WOW factor" that the first book did. I mean, you got that shocking wow from not knowing it was coming, right? So now you kinda expect it. And yet, The Heartwood Crown gave me that dramatic WOW all over again. This book is so good, you've just got to read it--the whole series! Unabashed 5 stars from a 5-star tightwad.

[Jess Corban · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really enjoyable, engaging read that deftly delved into some tricky, current hot-button topics. Definitely a worthy sequel to book one! My only criticism was that some of the internal monologues went loooong for my taste. Almost too much internal development. But the plot twists and endearing characters made up for it IMO. Highly recommend!

[sage bonebrake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good book. I loved the first one, and was overjoyed to find there was a second. I found myself immersed back in the world I love so much. I do wish it had been cleared up more at the end, and I wish some of the characters could have stayed with us, but I’m keeping up hope that there will be another!

[Berryparfait · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written with secondary characters whose stories and personalities are well thought out and individually great. Story is woven together in such good detail that you don’t see all the pieces till the end and even then it fits perfectly. A great book, and hope for a third.

[Johnny Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Heartwood Crown follows up the Crescent Stone nicely. There were moments when the presentation of inequality and justice came across heavy handed. The concept of the necromancers was very well done.