Date of Publishing: October 7th, 2014
Author: Kerstin Gier
Publisher: Square Fish
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction
This is the last book in The Precious Stone Trilogy by Kerstin Gier and considering how amazing this entire series is, I’m not surprised that this trilogy has been translated in multiple languages. The story follows Gideon and Gwen as they try to figure out their complicated family trees while navigating time sensitive events that can potentially get them killed. Not to mention the two time travelers that have been on the run since a long time and just happen to be related to Gwen in the most unexpected of ways, I must say I did not see the plot twist coming.
The humor used throughout the series and especially in this book had me cracking up and really helped with my mood. I especially loved Xemerius. I think he’s my favorite character of the trilogy and I wish I had a ghost pet like him. Why isn’t there such a thing as ghost pets in real life? I’m pretty sure my Mom would’ve allowed me to keep one as a child. I LOVE YOU, XEMERIUS!
My juvenile obsessions aside, another thing I absolutely loved in this trilogy was how the writer worked with the concept of time travel. I’m not usually a fan of science fiction but this author combined it with historical fiction, a genre which I love, and the next I know I’m reading a masterpiece with a trope that was not my favorite but now has become one.
Not to mention the impeccable writing style through which the author has crafted the story. Kerstin Gier’s writing style is really easy to follow and the storyline is, despite the time jumps, has a smooth flow that takes you on a crazy ride.
And I love Gideon, I mean what’s not to love, he’s perfect. And his relationship dynamics with Gwen is the perfect blend of romance and comedy. I loved how sweet and caring he is towards Gwen, at the same time he’s good at hiding his feelings as well as we see in the initial chapters.
I also enjoyed the family dynamics, especially when it came to Gwen and Charlotte. Things do take a turn for the crazy for Gwen but her love for her family never wavers, which is something that endeared me to Gwen all the more.
Furthermore, the fact that Gwen is not portrayed as perfect is something that I appreciated a lot. I hate how the main characters are often portrayed as perfect in every aspect i.e. being the strongest, the smartest, the prettiest and the luckiest just grates on my nerves, so a character that makes mistakes every now and then and has flaws just like all of us is just so satisfying to read about.
Despite the story having high stakes and danger, the overall atmosphere of the book was light. If I had to give it a color, I’d give it silver, which is my favorite, hence the reason for me loving this book and this entire series. The plot twists were some of the most amazing I’ve encountered as I wasn’t expecting them, so hats off to the author for that. Maybe somebody else would’ve seen the plot twists coming but not me.
Though I’ve already talked about him, I can’t help but mention him once again because he made the story so much more enjoyable and that’s our ghost pet, Xemerius. He was just downright perfect. With all his crazy jokes and insults, he had me cracking up and hungry for more of him. Not to mention how he sticks up for Gwen and insults her at the same time, I wish I had a Xemerius in my life.
Overall, I highly enjoyed this book and the series as a whole. If you haven’t read this series yet, then I’m telling you to go to a bookstore or Amazon, wherever you buy your books from, and purchase this series immediately because it’s fantastic and you will not be disappointed. I highly recommend these books and though I’m late as always on getting to this series, I’m glad I did and can’t wait to read the other books by this author.
Nothing More Beyond 