The Islands of the Blessed (Sea of Trolls #3)

In this third and final installment of the series, Jack and Thorgil join the Bard for one last adventure–this time to put a mermaid’s spirit to rest. While the story certainly had its moments, in the end it was disappointing as a conclusion to the series.

I noticed a slower pace and wandering plot in the second book, but it became much more pronounced in this one. I remember looking down at one point and realizing I’d read 25% of the book, but still had no idea what the main conflict of the plot was going to be. This continued throughout the book, as several themes and plot arcs were introduced, given significant space in the text… but then lacked real significance for the overall plot (such as the Tanners or the princess/bride incident). The ending was abrupt, with no closure to much of the tension in the series (Thorgil and Jack’s relationship, Brutus as king/redemption for Brutus, etc.). I was glad it didn’t go the everyone-dies direction, but most of my satisfaction was in that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, not that it was good.

The religious aspect of the book was ultimately disappointing to me. I appreciated in the Sea of Trolls that Christianity was allowed to stand with the rest, and that even the Bard put in a good word now and then. But by the end of the novel, Christianity/the Christian characters had gotten their wrists slapped more than anyone else. Perhaps the most frustrating moment to me was when Jack calls on the life force at the end of all things, so to speak, he does so almost directly quoting St. Patrick’s prayer (I Arise Today)–but without any of the Christian elements. This is such a minor thing, and insignificant in the scope of the plot, but it really got under my skin. Christianity played such a significant role in this time period–not just as a religion, but as a preservation of culture and literature. But by the end, Brother Aidan was the only Christian character who was in any way mature. Though I adored him, his goodness was greatly overshadowed by the simplicity and/or cruelty of other “Christian” characters. Such representation was frustrating by the end.

I would still recommend the series, but I feel like the sequels disappoint after such a great beginning.