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The Bitter Kingdom (Girl of Fire and Thorns, 3) Hardcover – August 27, 2013

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 3,106 ratings

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“I love this series to pieces and so should you.”—Marie Lu, bestselling author of Warcross

The third book in Rae Carson’s award-winning and New York Times–bestselling trilogy! In the deeply satisfying conclusion, seventeen-year-old sorcerer-queen Elisa travels into the unknown realm of the enemy to win back her true love, save her country, and uncover the final secrets of her destiny. Perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce and Brandon Sanderson.

The champion must not waver. The champion must not fear. The gate of darkness closes.

Elisa is a fugitive. Her enemies have solen the man she loves, and they await her at the gate of darkness. Her country is on the brink of civil war, her own soldiers ordered to kill her on sight.

Elisa will lead her loyal companions deep into the enemy’s kingdom, a land of ice and snow and vicious magic, to rescue Hector and win back her throne. Her power grows with every step, and the shocking secrets she will uncover could change the course of history.

Don’t miss The Empire of Dreams, Rae Carson’s action-packed return to the world of The Girl of Fire and Thorns!

 
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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Carson brings her well-wrought trilogy (The Girl of Fire and Thorns, 2011, and The Crown of Embers, 2012) to a satisfying conclusion as Elisa, bearer of the godstone that brings her both power and extreme danger, searches for her true love, Hector, captive of Franco’s troops. Traveling with her trusted new maidservant as well as their prisoner, Storm, and the besotted Belen, Elisa must practice duplicity without falling victim to that of others. Romance, bravery, and suspenseful political wranglings drive and inform the characters on all sides. Readers new to the series should begin at its start, but, luckily, they’ll have the whole series ahead of them as Elisa races to free Hector and take her rightful place of power. Grades 9-12. --Francisca Goldsmith

Review

"A marvelous and refreshing twist on literary tropes... A smashing ending." - Kirkus (starred review)

"Tackles classic fantasy tropes, springing off into unusual and refreshing directions... A thrilling climax." -
Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Greenwillow Books; Illustrated edition (August 27, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 448 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062026542
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062026545
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 years and up
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ HL760L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 8 - 9
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.37 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 3,106 ratings

About the author

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Rae Carson
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Rae Carson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of award-winning fantasy and science fiction. She lives in Arizona with her husband.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
3,106 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoyed the story's interesting plot and strong theme. They found the book engaging and a satisfying read. The characters were described as strong and relatable. Readers enjoyed the series as a whole and found it to be their favorite fantasy trilogy. They appreciated the intricate world-building and writing quality.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

188 customers mention "Story quality"175 positive13 negative

Customers enjoyed the story's quality. They found the plot interesting and relatable, with satisfying conclusions at each plot point. The story was described as an epic journey with heart-stopping highs and lows. Readers appreciated the strong theme and world building. Overall, they felt the book was well-written and concluded a great trilogy.

"...Small decisions become monumental and make you stop and savor/reflect, only to be followed by moments of humor to make the emotions dissipate...." Read more

"...It is the forge that shapes her into a strong woman. All that stuff is exciting and emotional and wonderful, yes, and keeps the reader interested...." Read more

"...for an epic adventure though enemy lands, and a battle to save a kingdom with magical elements, and a bitter sweet romance, then THE BITTER KINGDOM..." Read more

"...I think the beautiful complexity matched with the simplistic strength of the story will appeal to young adults as well as adult readers...." Read more

155 customers mention "Readability"155 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it satisfying and well-written. The story is described as enchanting and addictive. Readers appreciate the character development from the perspective of the main character.

"...satisfying and make me both happy and sad--happy because the book is just so good, and sad because...this journey is over...." Read more

"...So overall pretty good and an awesome fantasy series. I would recommend this book to older teens, not under the age of fifteen...." Read more

"...All that stuff is exciting and emotional and wonderful, yes, and keeps the reader interested. But nothing is really fluff...." Read more

"5 Stars Magically enchanting, and wonderfully addicting, THE BITTER KINGDOM delivers an explosive conclusion that will leave you..." Read more

106 customers mention "Character development"103 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the character development. They appreciate strong female and male characters. The introduction of Red is also appreciated. However, some readers felt the book was too long.

"...Characters continue to work together and aid one another in ways that make me admire Carson even more, and the plot is richer and fuller than I..." Read more

"...But I love the character development and, despite it being too fast, the end was good...." Read more

"...-Hector. Sigh. Hector. Such an honorable man. I loved his strength of character, his self-control, his doubt, and his desire to both protect but..." Read more

"...was as elegant and suspenseful as ever, and the characters had so much growth and development that it was heart-warming to see the strength they..." Read more

101 customers mention "Series quality"101 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the series. They find it an amazing trilogy with heart and a great conclusion. The second book is considered the best, while the third volume is considered satisfactory. Overall, customers praise the series for its quality and consider it their favorite YA fantasy series.

"...Each book exceeds the last. Even her e-novellas have depth and merit, well worth your $2.99...." Read more

"...love the character development and, despite it being too fast, the end was good...." Read more

"...and though it didn't end the way I thought, it still rocked this series to the very core and has me eagerly anticipating more from Rae Carson...." Read more

"...All in all, a very lovely end to a great series. It was well worth the wait and the read." Read more

88 customers mention "Pacing"81 positive7 negative

Customers find the book engaging with its depth and world-building. They find the characters relatable, believable, and interesting. The story grabs their attention from the beginning and keeps them hooked through all three books and the short stories available on Kindle.

"...Each book exceeds the last. Even her e-novellas have depth and merit, well worth your $2.99...." Read more

"...Not graphic, but a little more than some books...if that makes sense. Language; I don't think so...." Read more

"...Her moments of self doubt are believable and not sappy and I didn't want to kill her by the end of the books because she has so much self doubt and "..." Read more

"...it's thickened plot, to it's breathtakingly hypnotic romance, and non-stop action and adventure, and magical background that solidifies this series..." Read more

61 customers mention "Writing quality"55 positive6 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality of the book. They find the character development good and complete. The trilogy is well-written, easy to read, and thought-out. Readers appreciate the amazing quotes and scenes in this last installment.

"...Carson is incredibly gifted at writing...." Read more

"...These scenes are minor and subtly written but they are there. I couldn't decide if it would keep me from letting my daughter read it as a teen...." Read more

"...The writing was as elegant and suspenseful as ever, and the characters had so much growth and development that it was heart-warming to see the..." Read more

"...It has a little bit of everything and is incredibly well written. I'm extremely sad to see this series end, but it ended perfectly...." Read more

31 customers mention "Strength of character"31 positive0 negative

Customers find the character inspiring and a strong female role model. They appreciate her growth throughout the series, praising her loyalty and friendships. The book is filled with struggles and morals, and readers enjoy watching her develop and gain confidence.

"...She is queen at playing with reader emotions. Elisa is such a strong female role model, and it's great to see a girl kicking butt and saving the guy..." Read more

"...I felt her surprise as she grew physically stronger, cheered for her through the struggles and loved that she became strong through both the..." Read more

"...As one of the most powerful animagus to ever live, she knows she now has the power to protect her kingdom from the Inviernos and their magic...." Read more

"...Carson hit the perfect balance between love and duty. I loved the way Carson ended the book with regards to the love story...." Read more

23 customers mention "Strength"23 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the strong characters. They find the heroine shrewd, loyal, and unfailingly loyal. The heroine's strength continues to grow with each book. The series is solidified by a magical background that enhances the story. The characters have normal human frailties, but they are still able to persevere through difficult times.

"...- Elisa's character growth from a insecure, binge eating princess to a strong, capable and brilliant queen is both believable and emotional...." Read more

"...stop action and adventure, and magical background that solidifies this series to it's fullest...." Read more

"...She is strong, she won't be broken, she doesn't scare easily, and if she does, she uses that fear to take back what is hers and find a way to..." Read more

"...Elisa really shines in this book. She’s tougher, trained to fight and hold her own a bit. Still as smart as ever. “I have a plan.”..." Read more

Two books in one?
2 out of 5 stars
Two books in one?
I love this series. And was so excited to see how it ends. That is until I got to page 344. Page 345 starts with an excerpt of a totally different book. Specifically, Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere (pages 333 -364). On page 377, I am back to The Bitter Kingdom. I am a huge fan of Mr. Gaiman, but I would really love to know what happens in my missing pages. I really don’t want to purchase a brand new book for these missing pages. But it looks like that might be my option?
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2013
    From desert to snow, Rae Carson has delivered an epic fantasy series that encompasses dangerous terrain and is fully satisfying, gripping, and thrilling. Appropriately named THE BITTER KINGDOM on many levels, picking up the final novel for the first time left a bitter taste in my mouth. This book broke my heart--in all the best ways. Over the course of the series, Rae Carson has gotten better and better. Each book exceeds the last. Even her e-novellas have depth and merit, well worth your $2.99. Carson has become one of my favorite high fantasy authors, and I'm already anticipating a new series by her. I'm devastated that the series has ended; it's like I've lost a cherished best friend. The series ends on a high note, and if you haven't yet made the leap, I envy you. Seriously, I envy you. You get to read these amazing books for the first time. One of my friends is reading the first book now on my suggestion, and it makes me so envious. I seriously want to cry every time I think about the fact that I'm finished this series. I feel so barren without it in my life! Thank goodness for the ability to re-read!

    ***There are spoilers from the end of The Crown of Embers (Girl of Fire and Thorns) in this summary, so if you haven't read it yet, please check out this review instead or of the first book, The Girl of Fire and Thorns.***

    Elisa has come so far and changed a great deal over the course of the series. She's gone from being a whiny princess who sits around and eats non-stop without a care in the world to a young queen willing to risk everything in order to protect her loved ones and an entire kingdom. With the way THE CROWN OF EMBERS ended, I thought THE BITTER KINGDOM would revolve around the rescue of Hector, and while it begins that way, it's not the true purpose of the novel. Characters continue to work together and aid one another in ways that make me admire Carson even more, and the plot is richer and fuller than I imagined it could be. Everything comes full circle, and while new questions are raised in unexpected ways (I would love a companion series centuries in the future that pick up on the fruition of Elisa's Purpose), nothing is left hanging. The resolutions are satisfying and make me both happy and sad--happy because the book is just so good, and sad because...this journey is over. I still can't quite comprehend that; I'm pretty sure I'm in withdrawal. I already need to re-read this series and have been sitting on the final novella!

    I don't want to give anything about the plot away, but it amazes me to see the way Carson opens up new characters. We explore villains and their motivations. We learn a bit about their culture. We have gone from steaming hot deserts to frigid, snow-capped mountains. The journey is more sparse this time around; you can tell in the lack of food description alone! Elisa and company have endured so much over the course of the series, and will suffer through even more before encountering destiny.

    Carson is incredibly gifted at writing. Small decisions become monumental and make you stop and savor/reflect, only to be followed by moments of humor to make the emotions dissipate. She is queen at playing with reader emotions. Elisa is such a strong female role model, and it's great to see a girl kicking butt and saving the guy for once--especially when he's okay with that! So refreshing. And Hector...how I adore Hector. He has to be a favorite of mine. When I re-read THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS before reading THE CROWN OF EMBERS for the first time, I saw a hint of something, but I wasn't sure until later in TCOE...much as I was rooting for it to be the case. After everything Elisa has endured, she deserves happiness and true love, and Hector is just right for her. I've even fallen in love with secondary characters from the series, however, and it's like they've all become close friends. You understand what makes them tick and what they care about. This deepens upon reading the e-novellas, though they're not necessary to the main plot. I can't say it enough: Carson is superb at character development.

    There's a lot of gushing in this review, and little summary, since there are so many spoilers by now. I apologize. I love this series so much, though, and if you haven't read it or finished (Hey, I wasn't in True Love on my first go-round, either! Just in Serious Like) yet, you owe it to yourself to give the Fire and Thorns Trilogy a genuine chance...especially since you have a chance to win the whole series below!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2014
    I have mixed feelings on this book. I loved it, but I also felt meh about it. There were so many plots going on at once, I felt like this series should have been at least four books, not three. That's not necessarily the author's fault however. First time authors are lucky to get a three-book deal. I just felt like dealing with the Invernos should have been the third book and dealing with the civil war should have been the fourth book. But I love the character development and, despite it being too fast, the end was good. I do wish more main characters had died for realism purposes however. Some things were a little too convenient. However I like how by this book she is completely independent and although she relies on others at times, she does not let them define who she is as a person anymore. So overall pretty good and an awesome fantasy series.

    I would recommend this book to older teens, not under the age of fifteen. There are a few older themes.

    Violence; yes, not as graphic as the other books.
    Sex; Yes. This isn't surprising if you read the first two books, since she debated about it enough you could have seen that coming a mile a way. Not graphic, but a little more than some books...if that makes sense.
    Language; I don't think so....
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2013
    Despite my best efforts at self-control, telling myself to slowly savor it, I finished this last book in the series in a day. I just keep saying, "just one more chapter" and suddenly it was over. I was so sad to see this trilogy end, but I enjoyed every moment of it and I plan to enjoy every re-reading of these three books. The Fire and Thorns trilogy is one of those rare things -- a book series that has close to perfect pacing and realistic character growth combined with a truly engaging story. Modern YA books can be fraught with dangers, mostly for the reader. They can be cliche, mind numbing fillers that might possibly blind a reader with it's stupid story lines and "strong but yet somehow very silly heroines" (Yes, Bella Swan I am looking at you). Here is a line up of the good and the short list of the "don't think to much about this" parts of the series (warning: Spoilers):

    Good:
    - Elisa's character growth from a insecure, binge eating princess to a strong, capable and brilliant queen is both believable and emotional. I felt her surprise as she grew physically stronger, cheered for her through the struggles and loved that she became strong through both the strength of friends and her own ability to see her strengths. I also loved that she didn't magically become a super model or a ninja. She worked for every bit of her new found warrior skills and toned yet rounded body. She was willing to see herself truly and accept both her strengths and weaknesses. Her moments of self doubt are believable and not sappy and I didn't want to kill her by the end of the books because she has so much self doubt and "he can't possibly like me" and "woe is me" inner thoughts. Bonus.

    -Hector. Sigh. Hector. Such an honorable man. I loved his strength of character, his self-control, his doubt, and his desire to both protect but honor and respect his queen and love. Hector sees Elisa deeply and respects her abilities. We need more men like him in literature. And in real life really. I loved the moments of interaction with Elisa and Hector and in The Bitter Kingdom, Hector's POV are well paced and provide perfect moments of insight into both Hector's mind and to what is happening outside of Elisa's experience.

    - Belen, Mara, Red, Storm and all the other characters are well developed and as much fun to read as Elisa herself. Even minor characters are well thought out and are introduced perfectly into the story line. Elisa is a sensitive ruler who is willing to make the hard decisions mostly because she has the backing of her friends. She is not too proud a leader to listen and they are not too proud to give well placed wisdom.

    - The story itself is compelling and the politics of war and peace are very well laid out into a believable ending. No simple happy ending is slapped onto this story. It is well developed politically, well fought and satisfying in the end.

    -Thank you, Rae Carson for keeping the long looks between Hector and Elisa well paced and not over done. The looks did not diminish Elisa to a gawker and Hector to eye candy as can often be expected in YA books. Elisa is a girl with a plan and doesn't just wait around staring at broad shoulders for decisions to be made. This gives power to the Hector and Elisa scenes that leave tingles while keeping their relationship real without all the "misunderstandings" and silliness that tends to bog down and kill many potentially good books.

    -Also thank you for not including insta-love, love triangles, or any of the other current romantic writing techniques that seem to be so popular now. Just because it is popular does not mean it is a good idea. While this series does include romance it is not a romance series. It is primarily a series about a girl's journey to defining herself on her terms not on others terms. In the end she learns that not even the Godstone defines her. She learns to be herself. All the other stuff - wars, ships, Godstones, etc. - is just the bonus part of her journey. It is the forge that shapes her into a strong woman. All that stuff is exciting and emotional and wonderful, yes, and keeps the reader interested. But nothing is really fluff. And nothing is instant or pops out of nowhere because the author was too lazy to do the hard work of making a real story.

    "Don't think to much on this":
    - The belly button Godstone. This does seem silly placement but I really don't know where a better place to put this would be. By the second book I was accepting of this minor detail though is still seemed jarring occasionally.

    - The backstory on the Inviernos. Not as well fleshed out as I would like. One reviewer complained it was a bit colonialistic, harking to the days of Spanish conquistadors in the Americas. I don't know. It did seem a compelling mystery with a slight hint at a sci-fi kind of interaction. The idea that machines/science somehow were involved in combining and changing the DNA of Inviernos and Joyans hints at a time when the Joyans were more advanced that they are now. Somewhere along the line they lost that history and advanced science which considering their short history on the planet seems a bit questionable. In fact, it sounds a bit like Joyans dropped from the sky like space explorers but somehow it was blamed on the hand of God. Confusing. The whole who has a Godstone first, etc. got a bit confusing but I didn't find it irritated too much possibly because I was enjoying Elisa's journey too much. It was more of a hmmm, I don't know, that sounds dodgy . . . .oh but moving on. . .

    -The underground mine adventure was a bit LOTR like in its execution. I don't mind people borrowing from other literature because it is a time honored tradition (and I love LOTR) but I kept pulling up LOTR scenes in my mind while reading these chapters. Not super distracting but still. . . I couldn't decide if I liked this or if it was distracting to THIS book and its story. . .

    - From about 1/4 of the way through the first book till almost the end this is a non-stop adventure. It seems that if you think about it too much these people should fall down dead from exhaustion or sickness or something. They heal a bit fast, in my non-expert opinion, even non-Godstone people. They are kind of super human. They have their moments of "hey, we should probably rest cuz we haven't slept in days" but those moments seem a bit far apart considering some of the things they encounter. I liked it. But don't think about it too much.

    - Be warned that people die in this series. While death is dealt with in a sensitive and realistic manner - not overdone or too gory, this is still a country at war and death is a part of that. Elisa, as a sensitive soul, struggles with the realities of war and death, especially in her name or for her protection and cause, and she asks questions of how to minimize the damage to people caught in the cross fire of war. And how to mourn those you love. This can be both a plus and a minus to some.

    - Also, for readers who care, especially parents, be warned that there are references to birth control and hints at sex. These scenes are minor and subtly written but they are there. I couldn't decide if it would keep me from letting my daughter read it as a teen. Probably not because it could start a conversation and in fact I wish more scenes in other books were as subtle as these scenes. It is proof that subtle scenes can be more powerful than explicit scenes that share too much information. Miley Cyrus is proof of that. Too much info just ends up being a cultural joke. It's ok to have a little class.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Camila Veiga
    4.0 out of 5 stars Real good.
    Reviewed in Brazil on February 8, 2019
    Similarities to Queen of the Tearling aside, a great book. Elisa is a strong, smart and interesting character. Worth the reading, no doubt about it.
  • Tamar
    5.0 out of 5 stars I highly recommend this trilogy
    Reviewed in Canada on July 20, 2017
    Rae Carson is an underappreciated YA author that I would rank up there with Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games). She is a beautiful sophisticated writer and I look forward to reading other books by her! This is the third book in the trilogy and it was a great series! I highly recommend these books.
  • パタポン
    5.0 out of 5 stars シリーズ1~3まで読み、満足です。
    Reviewed in Japan on October 30, 2023
    1巻からハラハラしながら一気に読みおわりました。
    戦い等のアクション成分が半分、恋愛や友情の成分が半分くらいで、全体を通して少女の成長が描かれています。
    良い本でした。
  • Gayathiri Ajay
    5.0 out of 5 stars 5 Brilliant Stars!!
    Reviewed in India on June 20, 2018
    An Epic conclusion to a brilliant Fantasy series...
    The writing was amazing and is easily one of my favorite series in this genre
  • Michelle
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable read .
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 28, 2015
    Exciting from the first chapter. Couldn't put it down .Didn't know there were three books I'd read two and three .