Undying by Christy Healy – Book Review

Book Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Series: The Queens of Éire (Book 3)

Genre: Adult Historical Fantasy Romance

Spice: Medium

Summary:

Rory Ó Conchúir has always been aware of her dark destiny thanks to her magical blood that provides her visions of the future. Having been regarded as a monster by all but her half-brother, Niall, Rory grew up with a special affection for the idealistic Prince of Connacht. But years later, Niall has become desperate to defend his homeland like the great heroes of legend after the Albions have invaded Éire, and he’s turning to a dangerously tentative ally to help him do so.

Meanwhile, Rory finds herself far from her homeland, plotting her own revenge on the Albions. Her sights are set on Locke Machmurchada, the son of the hated traitor who gave the Albions a foothold in the first place. Locke, seeking any path to fix his father’s betrayal and save his people, proposes a marriage of convenience to the powerful, alluring Rory. But the two can’t seem to trust each other and are watching for a betrayal at any moment.

As Éire heads for a deadly, epic battle against the Albions, Rory, Niall, and Locke’s actions will lead to a collision of old magics that could either save their homeland or destroy it.

Reaction:

Undying is the third and final installment in the Queens of Éire series, and I thought it was an exciting and clever read, filled with magic, love, and betrayal! The characters’ stories and emotional depth are amazing and really drew me into this fantastical retelling of the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland.

The novel starts with a non-linear plot just like the prior books in the series. That made it more difficult to tell what was going on at the beginning, but the focus on character introduction and growth pulled me through any confusion I had. That non-linear presentation made it feel like I was getting to know the characters gradually, where their deepest emotions and experiences were slowly revealed as the book progressed. The plot was also filled with betrayals and scheming, and I found it so exciting when I pieced everything from the different timelines together. I loved the focus on legends as all the main characters had an appreciation and took inspiration from their favorites. Having that theme interwoven throughout a novel based on Irish legends was so clever!

I felt like the settings in this book were majorly used as a tool to set the mood of the scenes and emphasize the Irish legends. While the main characters don’t necessarily carry over in this series, Éire and its creatures and legends are the constant that stitches the stories together. This book did have more of a focus on heroic legends, and less on the variety of mythical creatures compared to the prior books, and I wished that the map had included some more of the places that were important to this book.

I thought the characters were the strongest element of this novel. Rory was hard to relate to at first but became easier to understand and relate to as more of her backstory was revealed; I found myself getting hurt or scared or brave along with her. She also struggled with her past, her powers, and her future in a way that was consistent, believable, and relatable. I thought the similarities and contrasts between brother Niall and love interest Locke were clever, and I found myself constantly comparing the two and their relationships with Rory. They were both believers of legends and trying to prove themselves as protectors worthy of those legends.

I loved Rory and Locke’s dynamic in their marriage of convenience. It’s not the most romantic story with them bickering constantly, but their relationship feels reasonable for their situation, and it’s got a great slow burn build up to it. Being in one POV and not knowing where the other stood on their feelings or their conflicting plans to save Éire created so much tension, and I loved it!

In terms of comparisons to the other books in this series, this one didn’t tear me apart like Unbound did, but I related to Rory more than Riona in Unseen. It did feel like a perfect wrap up to the series as it celebrates the idea of legends themselves, and how they can echo and inspire across time. I also loved the cameos from prior main characters! While you can definitely read this one as a standalone, I recommend starting from the beginning of the series because each of the books were heart-wrenching, exciting, and filled with amazing complex characters!

Thanks to Whimsy Words PR and the author for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review.

What I enjoyed:

·       The way the characters grew on me over time. It’s like they only showed their exterior facades at the start and peeled back their layers like an onion throughout the novel.

·       Riona & Locke’s tension-filled relationship. From both a romantic and plot perspective, there was so much back and forth in my head over whether they would fall in love or sacrifice the other multiple times in the novel, which is quite rare in the recent slate of romantasies.

·       Rory is an amazingly complex character! Her magic causes her to be an outcast, but she has so much capacity to care for others. And even still, her magic is a great responsibility that she must learn to accept.

What I didn't enjoy:

·       I was really frustrated by the map not including some of the critical locations for this book!