An absolute must-read for fans of Shadow and Bone… empire… all of it is still out there. The empire whose code she had followed, whose prince she had promised to marry, whose schemes she had been swept up in since birth.
They tried to use her magic against her. To silence her.
So she will use her magic against them. To silence them. Forever.
The third and final chapter of The Once and Future Queen trilogy, this epic scifi fantasy adventure set in a dystopian world where the Romans still rule will enchant fans of Sarah J Maas and Cassandra Clare.
Praise for The Once and Future Queen Series:
‘OH MY HEART AND SOUL … I am still reeling … seriously I would put this series up with the big ones, like Throne of Glass and The Cruel Prince’ Richelle, 5* NetGalley review
‘OMG. I will forever be in love with this series … this author has me as a fan for life’ Penelope, 5* NetGalley review
‘Beautifully written and one of the best dystopian novels I’ve read … an epic journey you won’t forget. I would love to see this made into a film’ Zoe, 5* NetGalley review
‘I couldn’t put it down. There were times when I gasped, when I cried and when I felt my jaw drop. The world Clara O’Connor has woven together is so intricate and real and the storytelling is flawless. Absolutely my favourite series I have read this year’ Jessica, 5* NetGalley review
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I ended up liking this book but the first half could have gone faster.
Legend of the Lakes is an emotional rollercoaster of a finale for the excellent Once and Future Queen trilogy by Clara O’Connor.
What I Loved
I loved how much the main character, Cassandra/Catriona matured from the first book to the last. She started as a shallow, two-dimensional young adult who was very hard to connect to or even like. But through the second and third installments of the trilogy, she learned about love, experienced profound losses, and became a multidimensional, caring, and relatable young woman who can carry the reader through the despair of feeling like there is no way out to the highs of her successes.
The world-building through the trilogy is so comprehensive and sensory that it pulled me in instantly. Once you are outside the walls of Londinium, you forget that you are in a version of a current day world and think you are in a historical fantasy taking place in King Arthur’s time. Instead, Londinium, an ancient Greek-inspired dystopian world, reminds you that you are in the present through the technology they use but otherwise feels every inch ancient. It’s a fascinating juxtaposition of two very different civilizations that enhance the themes of power and corruption.
The magic system, found outside of the walls, is nature-based and is dying due to the corruption of the ley lines. The magic is not unlike folklore of Arthurian legend, but I enjoyed that the story stuck to what we know and added on to that system. The Lady of the Lake, other than giving Excalibur to Arthur, is an enigma, but through this story, I got a much deeper look at a possible version of the life and purpose of the Lady.
To Read or Not to Read
If you want to immerse yourself in an Arthurian-inspired fantasy world, you need to look no further than this immersive, emotional, and wondrous one found in the Once and Future Queen.
What an emotional roller coaster this trilogy was!!!!
I couldn’t put words together when I finished it and now days later, I still have a hard time coming up with what to say!
The continuity of the books has been pretty good, picks up right where the other ended and I like that. With that said, we (yes, I’m including myself with the characters ) are still trying to cope. Cassandra has a harder time than most and gets pretty ugly to those around her. As I said from the previous book, I don’t like how Cass 2.0 is and was hoping for an upgrade. Her actions and words don’t match her thoughts tans that’s so frustrating.
Gideon!!!!!!
My, my goodness…….it’s just so, so good…..but why is it over??? Honestly, that’s all I could think when I finished, why can’t it just go on!!! I am in love with these people, this story and this world and I just didn’t want it to end and as each book in the series just was better and better and this conclusion just brings it all home beautifully. After the tragic events at the end of The Curse of the Celts, we pick up immediately with Catriona, Gideon and Rion heading back to Carlisle for the birth of her child and her training to take up the mantle of the Lady of the Lake. Catriona’s entire journey through this book, all of the emotional trauma, the effects of using her magic, her connection to the Griffin are such a roller coaster of feelings, hurt betrayal, love, loss, duty and you feel every bit of it as she works to save herself and the people of the North. But I wasn’t prepared for Gideon to be the heart and soul of this book, and his journey from snarky, aloof warrior to devoted father, lover and husband was heart-warming, heart-breaking and he has become one of my favorite characters. The push, pull, give, take of his relationship with Cat and all the revelations of his past and how they affect all he does are wonderfully written and I love their story. Such great twists, betrayals and Calchas has become one of my most hated villains, the glee and joy as he manipulates all around him is just marvelously done. I cannot recommend this series enough, the world is beautifully realized, the combination of Roman and Druid worlds, plus characters you truly care for make this an absolute must read!!