Crystal Kingdom
Author: Amanda Hocking
Publisher: Pan MacMillian
Pages: 404
The world of the Kanin and the Trylle was based on Scandinavian folklore that described trolls as magical and beautiful, but wild and ill-tempered. I wanted to write about trolls in large part because I didn’t see anybody else writing about them. I love other paranormal fare, but I wanted to try something a little different, especially since I’d already written about vampires and zombies. I also grew up very terrified of trolls (thanks to Stephen King’s Cat’s Eye), and I tend to write about the things that scare me the most.
* Bryn is such an amazing heroine. What made you choose a heroine and not a hero and is Bryn loosely based on anyone?
Bryn isn’t based on anyone I know personally, but I did take some inspiration from Gina Carano, who is an actress and former MMA fighter. I chose to write her as a heroine and not a hero, because girls and women can be just as badass as boys, and I thought Bryn was the perfect character to show that off.
* Konstantin Black reminds me a little of Sirius Black from the Harry Potter novels. Has anyone ever thought that before?
No one has told me that before, but I can see a few similarities. The character of Konstantin was conceived more as a gender-swapped Milady de Winter from Alexandre Dumas’s The Three Musketeers.
* You left book 2 of the trilogy with a massive last chapter that had everyone begging for book 3. Do you like teasing your readers like this?
I wouldn’t say I enjoy it per se, but I do think there’s something fun about cliffhangers. The excitement that builds and speculating what’s to come. It’s fun for me as a reader and as a viewer, when it happens in books and TV shows, so I hope that readers enjoy them too.
* Now that you have finished the Kanin trilogy do you think you will return to the world of Trylle again?
I’m not sure. I won’t rule out the possibility, because the world is so vast, and I’ve only really focused on two of the five tribes. But at the moment, I don’t have any immediate plans to.
* Lastly what is your favourite book and what is the book you most recommend to people?
My favorite book is Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, and I do recommend it people a lot, but it also depends on what people are looking for. My all time favorite YA book is probably Forever by Judy Blume, and I’ve been recommending Courtney Sommers to everybody.
Author: Amanda Hocking
Publisher: Pan MacMillian
Pages: 404
Can the truth set her free?
Bryn is on the run and in trouble. She's been framed for murder and is forced to turn to her oldest enemy Konstantin for help. Together they investigate her alleged crime and discover a staggering royal plot that spans three kingdoms- but they need proof to clear her name.
Then death also strikes the Kanin clan's royal family, and this time both Bryn and the Skojare tribe are falsely implicated. As the Kanin's queen pushed for war with the Skojare, Bryn's boss Ridley tracks her down and she dreams they might finally be together. However, they must first expose the villain at the heart of their kingdom and somehow stop the conflict.
But as Bryn learns the starling truth about Konstantin, who will ultimately win her heart?
My Review
Thoughts on the book: Crystal Kingdom is the stunning final book in Amanda Hocking's Kanin Chronicles and is the perfect ending to a thrilling series. Ice Kissed ended with
'So what do you say white rabbit?' Konstantin asked. 'Friends?'
and in Crystal Kingdom that is the first sentence of the book so we literally take off right from where we ended. In Crystal Kingdom we get to see some more of the different tribes and how they associate with each other what their culture is like. I think my favourite troll tribe would have to be the Skojare or Trylle tribes. They both seem really friendly and are willing to help out another tribe when they believe that they are being wronged. After reading about the Trylle tribe in the Kanin series I can't wait to read the Trylle trilogy next.
All of the loose ends and questions that I had from the previous two books were answered and I believe the series ending was the best that I could have asked for. I fell in love with so many characters over the three books and surprising me most, was the fact that I fell in love with Konstantin Black in the final book. He really surprised me with how devoted he was the Bryn and helping her in any way that he could. I don't want to wreck the ending but what Konstantin does in the final moments of the battle for the Kanin will win everyone's heart and have you feeling bad for questioning and hating him for most of the first two books. We also loose a major character that's death scene will have you reaching for the tissues and stepping away from the book to gather your thoughts. We also get snippets of what is happening in Kanin while Bryn is on the run through letters that Ember had written her throughout her exile.
I think Crystal Kingdom was by far my favourite book in the trilogy and I really can't wait to read more books from Amanda. I really hope that she does delve back into the world of trolls and writes some more series set in this wonderful exciting world.
Favourite quote/part:
Rating: 5/5
Q&A with Amanda Hocking
* You don't read many books about trolls. What made you want to write
about them and what was your inspiration in creating them in the way
you described your trolls? The world of the Kanin and the Trylle was based on Scandinavian folklore that described trolls as magical and beautiful, but wild and ill-tempered. I wanted to write about trolls in large part because I didn’t see anybody else writing about them. I love other paranormal fare, but I wanted to try something a little different, especially since I’d already written about vampires and zombies. I also grew up very terrified of trolls (thanks to Stephen King’s Cat’s Eye), and I tend to write about the things that scare me the most.
* Bryn is such an amazing heroine. What made you choose a heroine and not a hero and is Bryn loosely based on anyone?
Bryn isn’t based on anyone I know personally, but I did take some inspiration from Gina Carano, who is an actress and former MMA fighter. I chose to write her as a heroine and not a hero, because girls and women can be just as badass as boys, and I thought Bryn was the perfect character to show that off.
* Konstantin Black reminds me a little of Sirius Black from the Harry Potter novels. Has anyone ever thought that before?
No one has told me that before, but I can see a few similarities. The character of Konstantin was conceived more as a gender-swapped Milady de Winter from Alexandre Dumas’s The Three Musketeers.
* You left book 2 of the trilogy with a massive last chapter that had everyone begging for book 3. Do you like teasing your readers like this?
I wouldn’t say I enjoy it per se, but I do think there’s something fun about cliffhangers. The excitement that builds and speculating what’s to come. It’s fun for me as a reader and as a viewer, when it happens in books and TV shows, so I hope that readers enjoy them too.
* Now that you have finished the Kanin trilogy do you think you will return to the world of Trylle again?
I’m not sure. I won’t rule out the possibility, because the world is so vast, and I’ve only really focused on two of the five tribes. But at the moment, I don’t have any immediate plans to.
* Lastly what is your favourite book and what is the book you most recommend to people?
My favorite book is Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, and I do recommend it people a lot, but it also depends on what people are looking for. My all time favorite YA book is probably Forever by Judy Blume, and I’ve been recommending Courtney Sommers to everybody.
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