Review: The Islands of the Blessed

The Islands of the Blessed by Nancy Farmer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed it, but I didn't fall in love with it.

The plot is just what you'd expect after the first two novels. Jack and Thorgil resume their adventures with the Northmen and tie up conflicts left from "Land of the Silver Apples." Meanwhile, a new plot arises of a mermaid's angry spirit who is wreaking havoc on Jack's village. With the Bard's help, the two have to take on a creature far more powerful than themselves.

The plot was fast-paced enough to be interesting. The psychology of the Christians versus the Northmen was also an interesting element for an older teenager reading this.

What I didn't think this did well was wrap up the series. It was a self-contained story in itself, but after having gone through three books with Jack, Thorgil, and the Bard, I felt deprived in not knowing how they really ended up.

Not a bad read, but a let-down for an ending to the series.

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