Review Detail

The Legendary Scarlett and Browne live up to that name in the third and final book in the trilogy. Two years have passed, and Scarlett and Browne are still thieves, but they have more intentions than just getting rich. They target places that hold slave records to try to find what happened to Scarlett’s brother, Thomas, eight years ago and the thievery serves as a distraction as the friends they have made along the way help break slaves out of their pens at the auctions. They have a community hidden in the forest and all around are more mature and focused on their goals. Due to their antics, rebellion is brewing with the faith houses in the towns they have crossed paths with.
These themes are dark and heavy for the upper MG target audience, but perfect for YA audiences. The author does not shy away from terrible things happening along the way giving this book a realness into the dystopian future depicted. I thought it would end with the brother being found and safe, but there are many times I started to doubt how far the author may push the suspense. Thomas has been a driving force in the other books but we’ve never met him until now when there are breakaway viewpoints expanding on what has happened to him in his life of slavery for the last eight years.
Albert has always been haunted by Stonemoor and feels guilty for leaving others behind. Thanks to an unlikely alliance with his enemy, Mallory, he revisits the place for answers and closure. There is a resolution to that story arc but due to time constraints it is not the focus and the survivors have some freedom but not in the expected way.
The most amusing comedic swagger comes from Joe in this book providing much-needed levity in some of the action-packed danger they get into. I used an audiobook with part of the story which helped the characters come alive. The narrator did a great job with the different inflections for the characters although Alberts wasn’t my favorite to listen to even though it does fit his character.
Overall, our characters must come together to face their most ambitious and dangerous feats yet. With swagger and humor, we delve into a darker-themed book and emerge out the other side into the possibility of a better world. It is well worth the read and a keeper for your home library.