![]() Having carried the bulk of the story to date, Kaidu and Rat are almost sidelined over the first third of the finale, and while requiring explanation, picking through complex political negotiations is hardly as absorbing for a young adult audience as their adventures. It’s perhaps a necessary evil of a trilogy’s final volume that it’s relatively inaccessible to anyone who’s not followed events from the start. While the city’s desirable location as a means of passage means it’s changed hands many times over the centuries, Erzi’s ambitions don’t appear to have anyone’s best interests at heart. Since Kaidu’s arrival in the Nameless City much has changed, and in The Stone Heart, a new ruler, Erzi, stepped up, and plans to resurrect a dreadful secret in order to maintain his power. ![]() ![]() This was in a remote town, which he left for the Nameless City when he came of age, and that has a relevance regarding a surprising plot twist. ![]() Over the previous books Kaidu has come a long way, learning to believe the evidence of his eyes rather than his teachings, and Rat has been instrumental in that, displaying for Kaidu a wider life beyond his relatively privileged upbringing. The Divided Earth concludes Faith Erin Hicks’ imaginative bonding trilogy set in exotic feudal era China. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |