Den of Wolves

I can't believe it's over. When I heard that this was to be the final Blackthorn and Grim novel, I was devastated. I absolutely loved Dreamer's Pool, and eagerly awaited each sequel. With this series, Juliet Marillier crafted yet another remarkable world with flawed characters. She treads brilliantly between fairy tale and reality, never forgetting the human aspect and emotions. Sadly her publisher wanted her to move on to another storyline, thus the end of my friends.

Emotions aside, I really enjoyed Den of Wolves. The story started slow, but the pace eventually picked up and had me chomping at the bit for more. I constantly wondered whether the story would bring closure to the tale of Blackthorn and Grim, or if there'd be a number of unanswered questions. With each turning page, I grew more and more concerned. How could all these threads be tied together in such a short timeframe? Knowing this would be the last book, I could see where Miss Marillier had to quickly combine all the plots. It felt slightly rushed compared to her other novels, but she did a marvelous job tying together everything.

What I loved most about Blackthorn and Grim was the hidden fairy tale/folk tales within the stories. It was like a story within a story. I loved seeing Blackthorn and Grim evolve as characters, and their friendship grow as they worked to help those around them.

I'll miss my friends, but I look forward to whatever world Miss Marillier crafts next.

The forest knew everything. News passed on a breath of wind, in the call of an owl, in the small pattern of a squirrel's paw prints. The trout in the stream learned it. The lark soaring high above saw it. The knowledge was in the hearts of the trees and in the mysterious rustling of their leaves. It was a deep-down wisdom, as solemn as a druid's prayer.

Als ik spreek over gezellige fantasy, dan is dit het allerbeste wat dit subgenre te bieden heeft. Ik hou zo veel van Marilliers schrijfstijl en hoe ze een sfeer van sprookjesachtige verwondering weet te creëren.

“When you felt sad or angry or hopeless, a story could help. A story could lead you into a different world for a while.”

Dit laatste deel (boehoe) van Blackthorn en Grimms verhaal was alles wat ik ervan wilde, terwijl ik tegelijk ook niet wou dat het gedaan was.
In Den of Wolves krijgen we opnieuw een wonderlijk mysterie voorgeschoteld, waarvan de contouren vrij eenvoudig te raden zijn, maar er toch in slaagt in om uniek, verrassend en meeslepend te zijn. Mijn favoriet van de drie blijft Tower of Thorns, door de veel nauwere betrokkenheid van onze hoofdpersonages, waardoor het ook een pak emotioneel geladener was, maar elk boek in deze serie brengt dezelfde tevredenheid wanneer alle puzzelstukjes prachtig in elkaar klikken.

Feather bright and feather fine, none shall harm this child of mine.

♥ Blackthorn & Grimm, oh wat heb ik graag over hen gelezen. Hun aangrijpend begin, hun meeslepende reis en oh zo ontroerend einde. Een einde dat perfect is in al zijn stille kameraadschap en liefde.

‘I'll go on any path you want,' Grim said. ‘Might give you a push sometimes, keep you walking straight. But whatever happens, I'll be right there beside you. Rain or shine. Shadows or light. Step for step. Always.'

Fantastic conclusion to a trilogy that got better with each book. Answers a lot of lingering questions, satisfies Blackthorn and Grim shippers, and leaves a tiny window open for future books featuring these memorable characters.