The conclusion to a brilliant series I took a chance on a year or so ago. While Petra is a wonderful female lead character, Astrophil steals quite a few scenes in this final book and remains my favorite character. Quick reads all, but they pack a lot of emotion and suspense into their pages.

Not enough John Dee!

Aside from one authorial quirk I don't remember from the other books (constantly referring to Petra's companion as "the friends" -- just felt awkward), I thought this was an exciting, dramatic, and even moving conclusion to the Kronos Chronicles. Sometimes it felt a little too fast-paced, being crammed as it was with several storylines which didn't always get as much development as they should, but the payoff to all those stories coming together was still wonderful. Petra and Astrophil especially were in top form.

*Longer review later -- you guys know I'll get to it eventually. I'm really behind at all of life right now.*

help this book messed me up how dare you write such incredible characters

Hehehe Neel and Petra.


At first I was like NO they're being separated and you got to see more of Tomik and there was a moment there I liked him but then he started getting feelings and Neel.

Overall, my review, in one word, NEEL!!!

One word about this book - supercalifragilistic. Read it. Read the trilogy.

This book started slow as a transition to a bigger world, but it is my favorite among the three and it ended well. Some old characters will be returning and a new characters will be either on Petra's side or against her. Petra's character really developed in this book and the choices she made is good and not annoying like most female characters in YA novels and who is always clinging to her love interest, but the romance is not heavy here, more on focused on friendship since this book is more targeted on children.

Now I really can't wait for the ending of Kestrel's and Arin's story in [b:The Winner's Kiss|20443235|The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's Trilogy, #3)|Marie Rutkoski|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1450835652s/20443235.jpg|31175868]

I have wanted to read this book for quite a while. I had read the earlier two books in the series, The Cabinet of Wonders and The Celestial Globe and loved them both. The world created by the author is very believable and credible and the characters are multidimensional. This is an adventure fantasy tale that picks up where The Celestial Globe leaves off, with the three main characters, Petra, Tomik and Neel on a ship headed for Neel’s homeland. The first surprise in the story comes when we find out that Neel is the illegitimate son of the Queen and as she is on her deathbed she names him as her successor. (Quite a rise in status for an orphan street urchin.) Meanwhile, Petra wants to rescue her father who has been turned into a kind of walking dead vampire called a Gray Man and has to leave Neel to head back to Bohemia to take on that task. Tomik goes with her and the story takes on two paths for a bit. I don’t want to give away the ending, but war is coming between Neil’s country and the (horrible) new king of Bohemia. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens.

The Jewel of the Kalderash provides a pretty good ending to a fantastic series. Most of the loose ends are wrapped up, which I appreciate. The changing dynamic between Petra and her male friends is interesting to watch, and I like the way it turned out.

Spoiler

For those wondering, Petra's romantic feelings move increasingly toward Neel, not Tomik. I approve of that. It feels natural and, in my opinion, was slightly foreshadowed in the past 2 books.

Petra's magic continues to develop in interesting ways and plays more of a part in this book than in the previous two. New settings increase interest and add to the story. Two less major things I really liked about this book were Petra's continuing struggle with her fears and her depressed state because of her father's situation.

Spoiler

I think these really come out during a lot of the scenes in the mountains and snowy forest.

The portrayal of the repercussions of traumatic events in Petra's life adds a needed element of reality that so many books nowadays don't have, and seeing it handled appropriately for the intended audience--while still being present-- was quite refreshing.

Pretty much the only thing I had issues with in this book was that the goriness and creepiness levels went up a bit. It was nothing too graphic and didn't bother me, but it stood out because the previous two books were not quite as scary/gory. This might bother some younger readers, especially certain scenes during the last 1/3 or 1/4 of the book where inhuman creations are fought and sometimes killed.

Overall, Jewel of the Kalderash is a great book with a satisfying ending that has just the right amount of both closure and hope.

I was a little disappointed with the ending, but overall a great book

This has been such a fun series. Full of imagination and cultures. I enjoyed the magic, cultures and the background that Mrs Rutkoski created here.

It had a satisfying ending to an interesting, fun and funny triology.
The story and characters weren't complex, so everything was easy to follow. Same for the writing, which was light.

I definitely recommend this series to anyone who loves magic and tin metal spiders :)