Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Candlewick (2013), Hardcover, 528 pages
Description
Fantasy. Romance. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: The climactic conclusion of Printz Award winner Melina Marchetta's epic fantasy trilogy! Separated from the girl he loves and has sworn to protect, Froi and his companions travel through Charyn searching for Quintana and building an army that will secure her unborn child's right to rule. While in the valley between two kingdoms, Quintana of Charyn and Isaboe of Lumatere come face-to-face in a showdown that will result in heartbreak for one and power for the other. The complex tangle of bloodlines, politics, and love introduced in Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles coalesce into an engrossing climax in this final volume..
User reviews
LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A wonderful story comes to an end in a beautiful and captivating way.
Opening Sentence: There’s a babe in my belly that whispers the valley, Froi. I follow the whispers and come to the road.
The Review:
Melina Marchetta’s Quintana of Charyn has
In the conclusion of the beloved Lumatere Chronicles, Marchetta continues with the story of Froi, Quintana, Isaboe, and Finnikin. Separate paths have led them into different stories, all to unite in the very end. Froi has learned so much about who he really is, and despite being Lumaterian or Charyn, Froi understands who his family is, blood or not. Quintana has escaped the metaphorical chains of imprisonment, no longer bound to the evils of her home country. Isaboe continues to rule her country, slowly mending the wounds to thrive like it once did. And Finnikin has moved mountains for his queen, but has not found his self worth. Each one of these characters fill the pages with amazing journeys, allowing the reader to once again be enveloped in the beautiful story that is from Marchetta’s mind.
Quintana has grown so much as a person. I once disliked her, until I knew who she was, and in Quintana of Charyn, I found out who she really is. She has quickly become one of my favorite characters, not just for her tenacity and colorful personality. Quintana has changed in this book, and Marchetta has chosen to show a different side of her. She is protective and very capable of love and affection. It’s amazing to see her transform.
I love Froi. Without him, the Lumatere chronicles would be dull and boring. Froi is the action and adventure that belongs in every fantasy story. He is also the love and romance that accompanies the action and adventure. Froi definitely brings all of the stories together. From Isaboe and Finnikin to Quintana and everyone in Charyn, Froi is the common link.
Marchetta’s world of Lumatere and Charyn is fantastic and alluring. I constantly wish that both far away lands were real, allowing us, the readers, to visit the places and people that Marchetta so wonderfully describes. Marchetta writes about relationships, in every sense of the word. Throughout Quintana of Charyn, as well as the other two books in the Lumatere Chronicles, Marchetta has gone on a journey, introducing different characters and how they relate to one another. Sometimes it was filled with love, others it was with despair. As I read each page, I felt the complexity of each relationship, linking from one more character to another.
Specifically in Quintana of Charyn, Marchetta talks about the differences of Charyn and Lumatere. While the previous two books showcased life in one land, Quintana of Charyn walked that fine line of symmetry and contrary details. Both lands have their hardships and their reasons for celebrations, and Froi, Quintana, Isaboe, and Finnikin brought them all together for a resolution that I was content with.
I cannot say enough about Marchetta’s Quintana of Charyn. She captivates me with every word written on each page. I have already read this story many times over, and each time I have learned something new or felt an emotion that I didn’t the time before. I’m sad for the series to end, but happy that I was able to read it in my lifetime. I urge you to do the same, you will not regret it.
Notable Scene:
Finnikin tightened his grip. ‘I don’t follow your orders and I don’t follow Bestiano’s,’ he said. ‘I’m just a fool who comes from that road you call Lumatere.’
He silenced the man’s shout with a hand, pressing the dagger closer to his throat. But suddenly he heard the rustle of leaves underfoot behind him and felt the tip of steel pressed into his back.
‘Drop the dagger,’ he heard a hoarse whisper say. ‘Drop it now!’
Gargarin of Abroi tried to turn in Finnikin’s arms and Finnikin sensed his desperation. The knife he held to the Charynite’s throat drew blood as Gargarin struggled. Behind Finnikin, the sword dug deeper into his back.
‘I said drop it!’
Mercy!
And just when Finnikin thought the moment could get no worse, he heard his father’s voice. Cold. Hard. Anguished.
‘Put down the sword, Froi, or I’ll slice your head clear from your body.’
FTC Advisory: I purchased this copy of Quintana of Charyn. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A wonderful story comes to an end in a beautiful and captivating way.
Opening Sentence: There’s a babe in my belly that whispers the valley, Froi. I follow the whispers and come to the road.
The Review:
Melina Marchetta’s Quintana of Charyn has
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been one of the most anticipated books of my TBR list, for this year. The third book of the Lumatere Chronicles is by far one of my favorite books. Not only does Marchetta continue with the wonderful world, but she also progresses with the powerfully written characters of her story. The series is brilliant, and will most likely stand the test of time. I won’t write any spoilers, but I’ll gush about the wonderfully important things.In the conclusion of the beloved Lumatere Chronicles, Marchetta continues with the story of Froi, Quintana, Isaboe, and Finnikin. Separate paths have led them into different stories, all to unite in the very end. Froi has learned so much about who he really is, and despite being Lumaterian or Charyn, Froi understands who his family is, blood or not. Quintana has escaped the metaphorical chains of imprisonment, no longer bound to the evils of her home country. Isaboe continues to rule her country, slowly mending the wounds to thrive like it once did. And Finnikin has moved mountains for his queen, but has not found his self worth. Each one of these characters fill the pages with amazing journeys, allowing the reader to once again be enveloped in the beautiful story that is from Marchetta’s mind.
Quintana has grown so much as a person. I once disliked her, until I knew who she was, and in Quintana of Charyn, I found out who she really is. She has quickly become one of my favorite characters, not just for her tenacity and colorful personality. Quintana has changed in this book, and Marchetta has chosen to show a different side of her. She is protective and very capable of love and affection. It’s amazing to see her transform.
I love Froi. Without him, the Lumatere chronicles would be dull and boring. Froi is the action and adventure that belongs in every fantasy story. He is also the love and romance that accompanies the action and adventure. Froi definitely brings all of the stories together. From Isaboe and Finnikin to Quintana and everyone in Charyn, Froi is the common link.
Marchetta’s world of Lumatere and Charyn is fantastic and alluring. I constantly wish that both far away lands were real, allowing us, the readers, to visit the places and people that Marchetta so wonderfully describes. Marchetta writes about relationships, in every sense of the word. Throughout Quintana of Charyn, as well as the other two books in the Lumatere Chronicles, Marchetta has gone on a journey, introducing different characters and how they relate to one another. Sometimes it was filled with love, others it was with despair. As I read each page, I felt the complexity of each relationship, linking from one more character to another.
Specifically in Quintana of Charyn, Marchetta talks about the differences of Charyn and Lumatere. While the previous two books showcased life in one land, Quintana of Charyn walked that fine line of symmetry and contrary details. Both lands have their hardships and their reasons for celebrations, and Froi, Quintana, Isaboe, and Finnikin brought them all together for a resolution that I was content with.
I cannot say enough about Marchetta’s Quintana of Charyn. She captivates me with every word written on each page. I have already read this story many times over, and each time I have learned something new or felt an emotion that I didn’t the time before. I’m sad for the series to end, but happy that I was able to read it in my lifetime. I urge you to do the same, you will not regret it.
Notable Scene:
Finnikin tightened his grip. ‘I don’t follow your orders and I don’t follow Bestiano’s,’ he said. ‘I’m just a fool who comes from that road you call Lumatere.’
He silenced the man’s shout with a hand, pressing the dagger closer to his throat. But suddenly he heard the rustle of leaves underfoot behind him and felt the tip of steel pressed into his back.
‘Drop the dagger,’ he heard a hoarse whisper say. ‘Drop it now!’
Gargarin of Abroi tried to turn in Finnikin’s arms and Finnikin sensed his desperation. The knife he held to the Charynite’s throat drew blood as Gargarin struggled. Behind Finnikin, the sword dug deeper into his back.
‘I said drop it!’
Mercy!
And just when Finnikin thought the moment could get no worse, he heard his father’s voice. Cold. Hard. Anguished.
‘Put down the sword, Froi, or I’ll slice your head clear from your body.’
FTC Advisory: I purchased this copy of Quintana of Charyn. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member bell7
As the third book in a trilogy, there will be ***spoilers*** following for Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles.
Quintana is in the caves with Phaedra and the exiled women of Charyn, hiding to protect the baby inside her. Froi is with the priests in Charyn, healing from his wounds and
Melina Marchetta has become one of my "drop everything and read" authors when a new book comes out. Her stories are complex and she writes compelling, sympathetic characters I enjoy getting to know. I wanted to sit down and read great chunks of this book, just sitting and turning the pages, otherwise it drove me crazy to finish a chapter with a cliffhanger as she switched focus to other characters in other places. My only complaint is that I didn't understand why Froi had to wander quite so much; it seemed to serve no other purpose than to keep him and Quintana apart for tension in the story and, much like the camping scenes in Harry Potter 7, I just wanted it a teensy bit tighter and purposeful. That aside, this is a strong YA fantasy trilogy, and I definitely consider rereading it.
Quintana is in the caves with Phaedra and the exiled women of Charyn, hiding to protect the baby inside her. Froi is with the priests in Charyn, healing from his wounds and
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impatient to be free to look for Quintana. Meanwhile, in Lumatere, Isaboe and Finnikin work to protect their people from the countries surrounding them that could still destroy them. All are afraid that Bestiano may win control over Charyn in the ensuing chaos after the king's death.Melina Marchetta has become one of my "drop everything and read" authors when a new book comes out. Her stories are complex and she writes compelling, sympathetic characters I enjoy getting to know. I wanted to sit down and read great chunks of this book, just sitting and turning the pages, otherwise it drove me crazy to finish a chapter with a cliffhanger as she switched focus to other characters in other places. My only complaint is that I didn't understand why Froi had to wander quite so much; it seemed to serve no other purpose than to keep him and Quintana apart for tension in the story and, much like the camping scenes in Harry Potter 7, I just wanted it a teensy bit tighter and purposeful. That aside, this is a strong YA fantasy trilogy, and I definitely consider rereading it.
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LibraryThing member stephxsu
Princess Quintana, carrying the child that prophecy predicts will be the one to break Charyn’s 18-year curse of barrenness, is in hiding. Numerous groups are trying to seek her out, whether it’s to kill her or take her unborn child in the power struggle for Charyn’s throne. But no one is
How do you follow up perfection? It’s usually impossible—but this is Melina Marchetta we’re talking about, and she can do anything she wants to when it comes to writing. Still, when she actually managed to write a second book in a trilogy that was so astoundingly amazing, it was going to be a hard one to follow up for sure. While QUINTANA OF CHARYN didn’t do it for me as Froi of the Exiles did, it was still an overall satisfying ending to one of the most emotionally draining and ambitious YA fantasy series in recent publishing history.
QUINTANA OF CHARYN made me think for the first time in this series of why I like these characters when most of them can be so horrible, to themselves and to one another. Because in this installment, I think I was removed enough from their situations to be appalled at how they talked to and treated one another. If they were real, they’d be given restraining orders. We’d think they are off their rockers. We’d hiss in their faces about how they should be ashamed of themselves, about how saying you’d be willing to destroy yourself and others out of your love for her is more scary than romantic. Marchetta’s characters often seem like they’re acting out a dangerous dramatization of romance, one that borders on mentally abusive.
So how come Marchetta gets away with writing arguably abusive characters that we (hopefully) intelligent readers support fiercely, when we’re the ones who skewer portrayals of abusive characters as love interests in YA fiction? I don’t know. I’ve been turning this over and over in my head ever since I finished reading, and I still haven’t figured out why I’m okay with loving Froi, Quintana, Lucian, Isaboe, and the others, when in any other circumstance I would’ve condemned the sympathetic portrayal of such characters. Is it because I sympathize with their horrifying childhoods and feel that their experiences explain the way they interact with one another? (But the children of abusive upbringings can grow up to be positive role models.) Is it because they are good with no one except the few that they love with all their broken hearts? Possibly. Quite possibly that.
Reading what I’ve written, this probably doesn’t qualify as an actual review, more like my musings on my confusion over my feelings for the book. Stylistically and emotionally, QUINTANA was a lot like Froi of the Exiles for me: in the beginning I was frustrated with how unlikable so many of the characters were, and in the last hundred pages I was tearing up at every sentence on the page. While it didn’t have that Punch for me as Froi did, it’s still Melina Marchetta. It’s still the Lumatere Chronicles. It is so worth reading and falling for.
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looking for her more desperately than Froi, father of Quintana’s child, and whose recent discoveries about his own family history make him more confused than ever about his loyalties toward Lumatere, Charyn, and Quintana.How do you follow up perfection? It’s usually impossible—but this is Melina Marchetta we’re talking about, and she can do anything she wants to when it comes to writing. Still, when she actually managed to write a second book in a trilogy that was so astoundingly amazing, it was going to be a hard one to follow up for sure. While QUINTANA OF CHARYN didn’t do it for me as Froi of the Exiles did, it was still an overall satisfying ending to one of the most emotionally draining and ambitious YA fantasy series in recent publishing history.
QUINTANA OF CHARYN made me think for the first time in this series of why I like these characters when most of them can be so horrible, to themselves and to one another. Because in this installment, I think I was removed enough from their situations to be appalled at how they talked to and treated one another. If they were real, they’d be given restraining orders. We’d think they are off their rockers. We’d hiss in their faces about how they should be ashamed of themselves, about how saying you’d be willing to destroy yourself and others out of your love for her is more scary than romantic. Marchetta’s characters often seem like they’re acting out a dangerous dramatization of romance, one that borders on mentally abusive.
So how come Marchetta gets away with writing arguably abusive characters that we (hopefully) intelligent readers support fiercely, when we’re the ones who skewer portrayals of abusive characters as love interests in YA fiction? I don’t know. I’ve been turning this over and over in my head ever since I finished reading, and I still haven’t figured out why I’m okay with loving Froi, Quintana, Lucian, Isaboe, and the others, when in any other circumstance I would’ve condemned the sympathetic portrayal of such characters. Is it because I sympathize with their horrifying childhoods and feel that their experiences explain the way they interact with one another? (But the children of abusive upbringings can grow up to be positive role models.) Is it because they are good with no one except the few that they love with all their broken hearts? Possibly. Quite possibly that.
Reading what I’ve written, this probably doesn’t qualify as an actual review, more like my musings on my confusion over my feelings for the book. Stylistically and emotionally, QUINTANA was a lot like Froi of the Exiles for me: in the beginning I was frustrated with how unlikable so many of the characters were, and in the last hundred pages I was tearing up at every sentence on the page. While it didn’t have that Punch for me as Froi did, it’s still Melina Marchetta. It’s still the Lumatere Chronicles. It is so worth reading and falling for.
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LibraryThing member callmecayce
The third and (probably?) final book in Marchetta's Lumatere Chronicles is similar to the previous two, in that it's super hard to get into (it's a little slow, sometimes it's hard to remember characters from the previous books), but once it goes going, it's quite good. My favorite characters were
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sort of minor (though they played important roles): Lucian and Phaedra, and it was their fate that I was most interested in. That's not to say that the rest of the characters weren't interesting. And I, as always, found Frio to be a very intriguing character. Overall, I liked the series and would recommend it to fans of epic fantasy -- but I didn't love it. Show Less
LibraryThing member RivkaBelle
Review originally published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.com
ARC provided by publisher for review.
After Froi's attempt to escort Quintana to a place of safety goes horribly awry, it's as though the Princess has disappeared. Nobody knows where to find her, and the unrest in Charyn is getting more
As Froi struggles to balance his identity as a Lumateran with his identity as a Charynite, he finds himself - and his ragtag family unit - part of a gathering army preparing to find and "rescue" the missing Quintana. This group, fractured and flawed as all of Charyn, has a vision for the future of the country. A future that Froi is destined to be separate from, but determined to help create - for the sake of Quintana and the Little King. Quintana, meanwhile, has found refuge in the Valley, right under the nose of Lucian and Lumatere (and thus wholly and entirely 'safe' from the roving Charynites hunting for her). Hiding in a cave, waiting - fighting - for her life and a chance at comparative freedom, Quintana learns much about herself, and her world. Key in this growth is Phaedra, the complicated-former-sorta-almost-could-be-again wife of Lucian. Phaedra also grows during the time of hiding, growing stronger and more confident, finding her sense of purpose - as well as discovering love.
Love feels like a central theme, actually, stringing all the individual characters and their stories together. Isaboe and Finnikin, Lucian and Phaedra, Tessadora and Perri, Froi and Quintana, Gargarin, Arjuro and Lirah - all of these people discover that what is moving them, what is pushing them into battling their personal demons, ultimately is love. And the ultimate discovery is that Love is bigger than pasts, bigger than boundaries between countries, bigger than prejudices and misunderstandings. Love takes many forms, manifests in different ways, but is - after all - the most powerful force.
The Lumatere Chronicles are masterfully written fantasy, with carefully drawn, complex characters. It's a story that will work its way into your heart while you read, dominating your imagination and creating a bond between you and the people on the page. I'm almost sad to see the end of the series, but Marchetta wrapped everything up so beautifully - leaving a sense of fulfillment, as well as a knowing that the story "goes on" somehow.
ARC provided by publisher for review.
After Froi's attempt to escort Quintana to a place of safety goes horribly awry, it's as though the Princess has disappeared. Nobody knows where to find her, and the unrest in Charyn is getting more
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and more complicated. With Froi and Quintana separated, the story is more complex in its telling, and the chronology gets a little blurred. Marchetta does a great job of making everything work however, and seeing their individual journeys weave and interplay - despite the distance - adds depth. And emotional turmoil. (I almost think she was trying to destroy what was left of my heart).As Froi struggles to balance his identity as a Lumateran with his identity as a Charynite, he finds himself - and his ragtag family unit - part of a gathering army preparing to find and "rescue" the missing Quintana. This group, fractured and flawed as all of Charyn, has a vision for the future of the country. A future that Froi is destined to be separate from, but determined to help create - for the sake of Quintana and the Little King. Quintana, meanwhile, has found refuge in the Valley, right under the nose of Lucian and Lumatere (and thus wholly and entirely 'safe' from the roving Charynites hunting for her). Hiding in a cave, waiting - fighting - for her life and a chance at comparative freedom, Quintana learns much about herself, and her world. Key in this growth is Phaedra, the complicated-former-sorta-almost-could-be-again wife of Lucian. Phaedra also grows during the time of hiding, growing stronger and more confident, finding her sense of purpose - as well as discovering love.
Love feels like a central theme, actually, stringing all the individual characters and their stories together. Isaboe and Finnikin, Lucian and Phaedra, Tessadora and Perri, Froi and Quintana, Gargarin, Arjuro and Lirah - all of these people discover that what is moving them, what is pushing them into battling their personal demons, ultimately is love. And the ultimate discovery is that Love is bigger than pasts, bigger than boundaries between countries, bigger than prejudices and misunderstandings. Love takes many forms, manifests in different ways, but is - after all - the most powerful force.
The Lumatere Chronicles are masterfully written fantasy, with carefully drawn, complex characters. It's a story that will work its way into your heart while you read, dominating your imagination and creating a bond between you and the people on the page. I'm almost sad to see the end of the series, but Marchetta wrapped everything up so beautifully - leaving a sense of fulfillment, as well as a knowing that the story "goes on" somehow.
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LibraryThing member A_Reader_of_Fictions
This series is over. MY BODY IS NOT READY. I just want to live forever with these characters. Is that wrong? Sometimes reading is a painful hobby. I get so close to and so emotionally tied to the happiness of fictional characters, but then their books end and I emerge, blinking and lonely, into the
As ever, Melina Marchetta excels at world building. The whole of this world is so real to me, and I have such an understanding of their prejudices and customs. Those are, I think, what Marchetta does to really make the communities seem so real. There are always the stereotypes of whatever group, and they have their truth, but underneath there's so much more. For example, the Lumaterans are a much more physically affectionate culture. Happy occasions are shared with the whole of the community, like the scene with the proposal at the end of Finnikin of the Rock and another, similar scene in Quintana of Charyn. Of course, even within the Lumaterans, the people of the Rock aren't quite like those of the Mont, and, oh, Marchetta does this all beautifully.
In Quintana of Charyn, Marchetta really delves into the political situation in Charyn. With the death of the king, Charyn was thrown into chaos as various factions attempted to take control. The whole country is on the verge of a massive civil war. Neighboring Lumatere fears that such a war could overflow into their borders, especially since they already have a tense relationship with the Charynite exiles living in the Lumateran valley between the two countries. Political sounds boring, but it's not because battles and relationships in jeopardy.
For me, though, it's all about the characters. They're so beloved of me, this whole large cast of flawed, beautiful, grumpy people. Watching them find love and acceptance, move past the curses of their people, has meant so much. To speak to why I love each one of them would make this review of a length utterly unacceptable, so let me just hug them all in my head and proclaim that I would read as many books about these people as I could.
Though I loved this one nearly as much as Froi of the Exiles, I do have two issues with Quintana of Charyn. The first is a reiteration of my reason for not finding Froi of the Exiles quite perfect. Marchetta has created well-drawn, lovable characters, but I think her own love for them has kept her from making the book as dark as it would need to be for perfection. Everything wraps up a bit too conveniently.
The other issue is a change to the writing style in Quintana of Charyn. Where the rest of the series was entirely in roving third person limited, Marchetta makes the odd choice of adding in first person for Quintana. While Quintana's narration is hauntingly beautiful, written in a sort of savage poetry, I do not understand this decision. Perhaps if Quintana has ALWAYS been in first, but to add this, and for so few sections, in the final book in the series, makes absolutely no sense to me, and was really unsettling as a reader.
Quintana of Charyn is a solid conclusion to the Lumatere Chronicles, even if it does leave me wanting more because Marchetta probably couldn't write enough about these characters for me to tire of them. The final installment will not leave fans disappointed.
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real world. They leave me slightly changed, but are none the different for my love of them. Quintana of Charyn did not quite surpass Froi of the Exiles for me, but it is still an immensely satisfying read that I will surely revisit someday.As ever, Melina Marchetta excels at world building. The whole of this world is so real to me, and I have such an understanding of their prejudices and customs. Those are, I think, what Marchetta does to really make the communities seem so real. There are always the stereotypes of whatever group, and they have their truth, but underneath there's so much more. For example, the Lumaterans are a much more physically affectionate culture. Happy occasions are shared with the whole of the community, like the scene with the proposal at the end of Finnikin of the Rock and another, similar scene in Quintana of Charyn. Of course, even within the Lumaterans, the people of the Rock aren't quite like those of the Mont, and, oh, Marchetta does this all beautifully.
In Quintana of Charyn, Marchetta really delves into the political situation in Charyn. With the death of the king, Charyn was thrown into chaos as various factions attempted to take control. The whole country is on the verge of a massive civil war. Neighboring Lumatere fears that such a war could overflow into their borders, especially since they already have a tense relationship with the Charynite exiles living in the Lumateran valley between the two countries. Political sounds boring, but it's not because battles and relationships in jeopardy.
For me, though, it's all about the characters. They're so beloved of me, this whole large cast of flawed, beautiful, grumpy people. Watching them find love and acceptance, move past the curses of their people, has meant so much. To speak to why I love each one of them would make this review of a length utterly unacceptable, so let me just hug them all in my head and proclaim that I would read as many books about these people as I could.
Though I loved this one nearly as much as Froi of the Exiles, I do have two issues with Quintana of Charyn. The first is a reiteration of my reason for not finding Froi of the Exiles quite perfect. Marchetta has created well-drawn, lovable characters, but I think her own love for them has kept her from making the book as dark as it would need to be for perfection. Everything wraps up a bit too conveniently.
The other issue is a change to the writing style in Quintana of Charyn. Where the rest of the series was entirely in roving third person limited, Marchetta makes the odd choice of adding in first person for Quintana. While Quintana's narration is hauntingly beautiful, written in a sort of savage poetry, I do not understand this decision. Perhaps if Quintana has ALWAYS been in first, but to add this, and for so few sections, in the final book in the series, makes absolutely no sense to me, and was really unsettling as a reader.
Quintana of Charyn is a solid conclusion to the Lumatere Chronicles, even if it does leave me wanting more because Marchetta probably couldn't write enough about these characters for me to tire of them. The final installment will not leave fans disappointed.
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LibraryThing member lilibrarian
The last bookin the Lumatere Chronicles, following Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles. Quintana is in hiding, waiting to give birth to her child, as she is hunted by various factions in her kingdom, and by Froi, the child's father.
LibraryThing member Capnrandm
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
allthingsuf.com
QUINTANA OF CHARYN is the kind of book that inspires haunting the internet, keeping an eye out for pre-orders and strategizing to outsmart regional publication dates. Here in this last story, the rhythms of the trilogy transmuted to
The stage starts with political intrigue. Charyn convulses with warring factions and political agendas, and the reality of ruling Lumatere means Finnikin’s happily-ever-after is as fraught and beautiful as the events that lead up to it. But if the politics provide the backdrop, the true stars are the returning characters. Despite the ferocious cover and title, Quintana’s point of view doesn’t dominate this book. Rather, this is the story of Froi trying to protect his family. Lumateran or Charyn, both blood and adopted, Froi battles to bring some measure of safety and happiness to them all. Marchetta has strung so many threads over the course of these books, written so many beautiful and heartbreaking relationships, and she forsakes none of them in QUINTANA OF CHARYN. In this culminating story the true measure of her genius is revealed as the little hints and events from past books create a natural cascade. Anger, love, and grief, forgiveness, healing, and hope, this book had me strung tight between tears and laughter the whole way through.
The politics of this series are complex enough that I wouldn’t recommend skipping a single book, let alone how important the slow build of these relationships is to this most satisfying of conclusions. Fans of Game of Thrones will find sweeping intrigue and politics with a bit more humanity, fans of fantasy will find a rich mysticism that blurs the lines between death and life, and fans of romance will find relationships so real, so heart-wrenchingly beautiful and painful and glorious, that the day to day events following a storybook happily-ever-after are just as rewarding as any glamor and drama that preceded it. I gave QUINTANA OF CHARYN 5 bats, but in reality this rating needs to be shared across the entire series. Marchetta has created something haunting and lovely in these books, terribly sad and undeniably real, and this last installment delivers the full fruit of the promise that has built from page one.
Sexual Content: References to rape, non-explicit sex scenes.
allthingsuf.com
QUINTANA OF CHARYN is the kind of book that inspires haunting the internet, keeping an eye out for pre-orders and strategizing to outsmart regional publication dates. Here in this last story, the rhythms of the trilogy transmuted to
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something new. If FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK gave me Finnikin and Evangeline, if FROI OF THE EXILES broke my heart and reassembled the pieces around Froi and Quintanta, QUINTANTA OF CHARYN is the story of all of these characters. Of their kingdoms and politics, of their past loses and vengeful anger, of the danger and passion that no sword can fend off.The stage starts with political intrigue. Charyn convulses with warring factions and political agendas, and the reality of ruling Lumatere means Finnikin’s happily-ever-after is as fraught and beautiful as the events that lead up to it. But if the politics provide the backdrop, the true stars are the returning characters. Despite the ferocious cover and title, Quintana’s point of view doesn’t dominate this book. Rather, this is the story of Froi trying to protect his family. Lumateran or Charyn, both blood and adopted, Froi battles to bring some measure of safety and happiness to them all. Marchetta has strung so many threads over the course of these books, written so many beautiful and heartbreaking relationships, and she forsakes none of them in QUINTANA OF CHARYN. In this culminating story the true measure of her genius is revealed as the little hints and events from past books create a natural cascade. Anger, love, and grief, forgiveness, healing, and hope, this book had me strung tight between tears and laughter the whole way through.
The politics of this series are complex enough that I wouldn’t recommend skipping a single book, let alone how important the slow build of these relationships is to this most satisfying of conclusions. Fans of Game of Thrones will find sweeping intrigue and politics with a bit more humanity, fans of fantasy will find a rich mysticism that blurs the lines between death and life, and fans of romance will find relationships so real, so heart-wrenchingly beautiful and painful and glorious, that the day to day events following a storybook happily-ever-after are just as rewarding as any glamor and drama that preceded it. I gave QUINTANA OF CHARYN 5 bats, but in reality this rating needs to be shared across the entire series. Marchetta has created something haunting and lovely in these books, terribly sad and undeniably real, and this last installment delivers the full fruit of the promise that has built from page one.
Sexual Content: References to rape, non-explicit sex scenes.
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LibraryThing member ashooles
This was probably my least favourite of the three books, but at the same time, I still loved it. It was a very nice ending to what has been a wonderful series. I was lucky enough to meet Melina a few months ago and able to discuss my favourite parts of this series with her. This was wonderful.
LibraryThing member devilish2
All the characters from the previous two in the series, all still portrayed well. There are some good twists in the plot. It still seems a little jerky in places, with emotions/reactions running a little higher than the situations seem to call for. But overall, enjoyable with an appropriate ending.
LibraryThing member jacquiemak
What a wonderful end to a brilliant series. Although this book was probably the weakest of the series as it was slow-moving during the middle, the ending remains strong. What really stands out to me is the way the author has a way of weaving the depth of humanity and its struggles into her fantasy,
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making it such an emotional ride. Her words are beautiful and poetic, and the characters are real. Lumetere and Charyn have become places that I feel I've seen in person and have been to before….that's how real her storytelling is. I will miss Isaboe, Finnikin, Froi, Quintana, Phaedra, Lucien, Gargarin, Arjuro, Lirah,… the list is long and there are no wasted characters in this book. I have much respect for the author, Melina Marchetta…bravo! Show Less
LibraryThing member ashleyk44
A wonderful end to an amazing series - Marchetta is an author who makes you fall in love with her characters, however flawed they may be.
LibraryThing member waclements7
****One sort of spoiler****
I do have a confession to make here. The third book came out in September of last year in Australia, so I bought it then because I was unwilling to wait until April 2013. When I do anything like that it always involves this odd little ritual of calling my bank and telling
I do have a confession to make here. The third book came out in September of last year in Australia, so I bought it then because I was unwilling to wait until April 2013. When I do anything like that it always involves this odd little ritual of calling my bank and telling
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them I’m going to be buying something from Australia, in this case. If I don’t, they put a hold on my card because they think someone has stolen it and the purchase is dubious. I had to do it before I went to Canada for a week too. Now, while I appreciate their concern, I’m slightly insulted by the fact they don’t think it’s possible that I could have popped over to Australia and bought it in person there. That would never, ever happen (it would be fun), but they don’t have to remind me of that fact. I can dream. I picked up Finnikin of the Rock on a lark because it was in the shelf in front of me at the library. I devoured it in one day. I loved everything about it, the way it was written, the way the character interacted so believably, all the little mysteries that started to clear up, the willingness of people to give others a second chance even when they had done something awful, with the knowledge that it still wouldn’t be forgotten, just shelved. The world Marchetta creates is so lifelike and real, the groups of people so distinct. I know she does a lot of research looking for places she thinks resemble what she imagines her world to look like (so she gets to go to some pretty cool places). None of the characters are flawless. They can work to remedy their flaws, but they still never get rid of them completely. There are fantastic characters in the last book, two of my favorite being the estranged elderly twin brothers who live across the courtyard from each other, come out to see each other every morning, then go back inside. Quintana is quite the character herself, very complicated, and as more is revealed about her childhood, etc., it’s easier to see that yes, she still may be a little crazy, but there’s a pretty darn good reason for it. This is also a book about forgiveness, and realizing the consequences of one’s actions—things happened in the first book that had long reaching effects they were never aware of until the third book. I absolutely love these books, and Marchetta has written others as well, some of which have won prizes and are very well acclaimed. I have tried to read those, but I can’t get into the real world stories, for some reason. I think it shows her talent that she can do an excellent job in YA fiction, even though it’s not my taste, and then write a YA fantasy series written so differently I have no issues with it at all, and that these are some of my favorite YA fantasy books (although there is a lot of crossover these days). Show Less
LibraryThing member mtlkch
One of my favorite series ever
LibraryThing member alcarinqa
Finnikin of the Rock amazed me, Froi of the Exiles swept me away and left me heart broken and Quintana of Charyn took my breathe away and left me in tears. Melina Marchetta’s talents in writing mesmerising contemporary fiction is beautifully translated into the fantastic landscape of Skuldenore
Quintana and Froi are separated from one another: the Princess is on the run from the blood thirsty forces in Charyn and Froi searches for her desperately so he can protect her. It’s wonderful to have chapters written from Quintana’s point of view: in Froi of Exiles I always wished I could tell what she was thinking, and now we know! Quintana is awesome, I really liked her tenacity and way of thinking, even if she is arrogant. Aside from those two, the book is told from the perspectives of Lucian of the Monts, Queen Isoboe of Lumatere and her Consort Finnikin. All the stories are woven together masterfully and create an epic novel that is impossible to put down.
The events in this novel brought tears to my eyes, even as the next chapter made me giggle uncontrollably. It is an emotional read, with ties pulling all the characters in different directions, and I feared for many of my favourites before it was over. I think Quintana of Charyn is paced impeccably and unfolds beautifully, it had me on the edge of my seat when my favourite characters were in trouble, and giddy with glee when things worked out well for them.
Although it is the third and final book of the series, Quintana of Charyn expanded on the fantastical world it is set in by introducing new cities and characters. One of the best things is that even as we leave Skulendore behind, the future of Charyn, bright with hope, has been painted clearly through the meticulous planning and work that is undertaken by the characters. The book concludes the series wonderfully and leaves no loose ends, which I loved, and overall I think it is the perfect finish to what has been an incredible journey!
I loved this book so much that I’ve reached the end of my eloquence about it! I loved everything about it, the plot, the setting, the characters, the action. Quintana of Charyn is a must read for fans of the series, but I also encourage readers of all tastes to try The Chronicles of Lumatere series since it truly has something for everyone.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.
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with this series.Quintana and Froi are separated from one another: the Princess is on the run from the blood thirsty forces in Charyn and Froi searches for her desperately so he can protect her. It’s wonderful to have chapters written from Quintana’s point of view: in Froi of Exiles I always wished I could tell what she was thinking, and now we know! Quintana is awesome, I really liked her tenacity and way of thinking, even if she is arrogant. Aside from those two, the book is told from the perspectives of Lucian of the Monts, Queen Isoboe of Lumatere and her Consort Finnikin. All the stories are woven together masterfully and create an epic novel that is impossible to put down.
The events in this novel brought tears to my eyes, even as the next chapter made me giggle uncontrollably. It is an emotional read, with ties pulling all the characters in different directions, and I feared for many of my favourites before it was over. I think Quintana of Charyn is paced impeccably and unfolds beautifully, it had me on the edge of my seat when my favourite characters were in trouble, and giddy with glee when things worked out well for them.
Although it is the third and final book of the series, Quintana of Charyn expanded on the fantastical world it is set in by introducing new cities and characters. One of the best things is that even as we leave Skulendore behind, the future of Charyn, bright with hope, has been painted clearly through the meticulous planning and work that is undertaken by the characters. The book concludes the series wonderfully and leaves no loose ends, which I loved, and overall I think it is the perfect finish to what has been an incredible journey!
I loved this book so much that I’ve reached the end of my eloquence about it! I loved everything about it, the plot, the setting, the characters, the action. Quintana of Charyn is a must read for fans of the series, but I also encourage readers of all tastes to try The Chronicles of Lumatere series since it truly has something for everyone.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.
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LibraryThing member SamMusher
Just as compulsively readable as Froi, with the light moments that Finnikin often lacked, and an entirely satisfying end to this trilogy. Introduced one of my favorite characters in the whole chronicle, and further developed Finn, Isaboe, and the rest as flawed but lovable. Only 4 stars, though,
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because too many of the "conflicts" keeping lovers apart were contrived, especially at the end. The final hiccup felt like that moment at the end of an original-series Star Trek episode when everyone on the bridge laughs while they play goofy mishap music. I also got tired of how many characters hit first and asked questions later (if at all). Sure, that's Froi's personality, but did it have to be everyone's? Show Less
LibraryThing member Menshevixen
"Pressed a kiss" is to Quintana as "ignominious" is to The Scarlet Letter. Aside from that, a great finish to Finnikin and Froi's stories.
LibraryThing member Dairyqueen84
This final book in the Lumatere Chronicles trilogy focuses on Quintana, Froi’s love and pregnant with the future king of Charyn. This book opens where the last book ended with Froi injured and looking for Quintana. He has to save her from being captured by the usurper in Charyn and killed and her
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unborn child from being stolen. He is reunited with Finnikin and the other Lumaterans from the earlier books, but Finnikin and Isaboe, Queen of Lumatere, may or may not help him in his search for the savage princess. Through battles, political machinations, treks to previously unseen lands in the world of Skuldenore, and Quintana’s confinement in hiding, the story unfolds revealing the back-story of minor characters as well as the main characters. Marchetta excels at characterization and taking one’s emotions on a rollercoaster ride. This trilogy will appeal to both boys and girls as it has both strong female and male characters and a complex mix of action, adventure, humor, and romance. A fitting and satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Show Less
Awards
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2014)
CCBC Choices (2014)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Teen — 2013)
Original publication date
2012
Physical description
528 p.; 6.64 inches
ISBN
0763658359 / 9780763658359