Review Detail

After the explosive ending of book two, our cast of characters needs time to heal and regroup in A GRIM AND SUNKEN VOW. This book was unlike other fantasy books I am used to. Usually, in this genre, if the characters face enormous trauma, then they smash their feelings down deep so they can get right back to plotting the downfall of their enemy. However, Ashley Shuttleworth takes time to explore the shock and depression that each character faces in the wake of the massacre of the Viridian family.
Each character blames themselves and licks their wounds on their own for a while during the book. It feels believable as each struggle to reconnect with the group and heal enough to face what is next. They also are gaining the skills they need to be able to thwart Riadne’s ultimate goals even if she wins many of the battles along the way.
In this book, we finally get Lethe’s backstory. We also finally find out why he has been orchestrating these terrible events while protecting our cast of characters. Celadon and Lethe bond and it is revealed they have a deeper connection to each other than either realized at first. This was a relationship that did not resonate with me like the others. Lethe has been half villain throughout the books and his backstory is a bit repugnant so it is not easy for me to see him as attractive or a love interest.
Nausicaä’s actions also were hard to understand. I get that she wants to be by Arlo’s side and she will do anything to accomplish this. However, I was still surprised and dismayed that she allowed herself to become Riadne’s henchman to the extent that she did.
All the books have hinted that Arlo is more important than she realizes. It is nice to start to understand what her missing memories may be hiding. The ending ends on quite a cliffhanger. It says that she is willing to become the villain to set everything right. That has me curious about what might happen in the fourth book.
Overall, this book focuses on themes of mental health and healing from depression and trauma. There is an action fantasy setting to create the situation to explore these themes. I think it has taken me three books to realize that the mental health aspect is the focus more than the action story.