The Crimson Crown - Seven Realms #4 - Cinda Williams Chima

Release Date: October 23th 2012
Publisher: Hyperion
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 608
Format: Hardback 
Source: Bought

" Didn't you ever wish you could have a ... a partner? A friend? Somebody you could say anything to - where you didn't have to pick and choose words like a merchant at market? Someone who wants you for yourself?"

A thousand years ago, two young lovers were betrayed—Alger Waterlow to his death, and Hanalea, Queen of the Fells, to a life without love. 

Now, once again, the Queendom of the Fells seems likely to shatter apart. For young queen Raisa ana’Marianna, maintaining peace even within her own castle walls is nearly impossible; tension between wizards and Clan has reached a fevered pitch. With surrounding kingdoms seeking to prey on the Fells’ inner turmoil, Raisa’s best hope is to unite her people against a common enemy. But that enemy might be the person with whom she's falling in love.

Through a complicated web of lies and unholy alliances, former streetlord Han Alister has become a member of the Wizard Council of the Fells. Navigating the cut-throat world of blue blood politics has never been more dangerous, and Han seems to inspire hostility among Clan and wizards alike. His only ally is the queen, and despite the perils involved, Han finds it impossible to ignore his feelings for Raisa. Before long, Han finds himself in possession of a secret believed to be lost to history, a discovery powerful enough to unite the people of the Fells. But will the secret die with him before he can use it? 

A simple, devastating truth concealed by a thousand-year-old lie at last comes to light in this stunning conclusion to the Seven Realms series.

Wow, where to begin? I’ve been so excited to read this book and so anxious to find out what will happen to my favorite characters. I honestly don’t know where to begin to describe how much I loved this book and how it was everything I expected and so much more. I’ve been dragging this book around with me the whole week, mostly to school, reading in every free moment I could get. (Imagine me in a lab coat reading in front of a computer where I’m supposed to assess mass spectrometer spectra and getting weird looks from the assistants. One even asked me why I was hugging a book like my life depended on it.)

First of all: the romance. As opposed to other Young Adult star-crossed lovers, this is a romance I could relate to. It's new, fresh and young. There's some insecurity, some lust and lots and lots of longing. Although these characters are very young, they live in a world that forces them to grow up long before their time. That’s what gives this relationship so much more maturity and credibility, mixed with a few reckless and headstrong traits that are common in adolescence.

Another thing I really loved about the Seven Realms is the fact that Raisa isn’t pinned down by her love for one person (or ends up in a love triangle), because I’ve read too much of that in YA lately. Raisa is a beautiful teenage girl and she’s enjoying it! She steals a few kisses from handsome boys, falls in love with her childhood friend but has to let him go. It takes a while before she can truly admit to herself she’s in love with a streetlord. But that’s how we girls experience our teenage years, we have crushes, our hearts get broken and sometime we get lucky, overcome all obstacles and find someone we want to be with and who actually wants to be with us too. THIS is the love story we all want to read. And that’s what we got in the Seven Realms books.

What else did I adore about this book? I really loved the sense of  humor. I caught myself laughing out loud on a few occasions.  And Raisa, oh Raisa. She has grown so much since “The Demon King”. She’s on top of my favorite, kick-ass heroines list and I doubt she’ll get replaced anytime soon.

There were more than a few climatic battles that made my heart race and made me very, very anxious. I was constantly worrying about all the characters I love and fearing for their lives. This story keeps you on the edge of your seat almost the whole way through, you never know who’s going to survive and who’s going to meet the Breaker.

This was a perfect ending to an amazing series that has wormed its way into my heart and will stay there until I grow old and withered. 

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