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Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie StiefvaterMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I obviously really liked this one (points to star rating), more like 4.5 edging in on a full five. If book one was mostly Gansey's and book two mostly Ronan's, then book three, unsurprisingly is mostly Blue's (and Adam's).
It picks up where it left off with Maura going missing and Blue and the others trying to find her and of course, trying to find Glendower. Things take a weird skip to the right when Greenmantle the man who hired the Gray Man (see last book) to steal the greywarden (i.e. Ronan) and kill anyone in the way has hired on as a Latin teacher at the school.
Adam is busy getting in even more in tune with the Cabeswater and the leyline truly becoming, much like Ronan, it's magician. And him training with Persephone and awaiting the abuse trial against his father. As for Gansey, his mentor in all things Glendower, Professor Malory comes to the states and stays with the boys.
And things begin to happen with Noah. Some of them very scary and very fascinating.
Assume mild spoilers from here on in. Or the reason I didn't give it the fifth star (stingy me).
The boys and Blue spend a lot of time in caves (huzzah, love me a cave). They have scary times. They even find something but I'll not spoil that. I will say however, that the somewhat laissez faire attitude toward what they found rather bothered me. It seemed like it should have been a Bigger. Deal.
Greenmantle's storyline goes sideways too. He ends up not nearly as scary as he probably should have been given the set up last book and at the beginning of this one. His wife is another matter. That was rather disappointing.
I found the end vaguely confusing after the rescue mission. That seriously felt like it needed another chapter to deal with the aftermath rather than just 'let's take Malory to the airport.'
Speaking of Malory, while I really liked seeing him, he really does nothing plot-wise. Maybe it's behind the scenes and we'll see it in the last book. Still, I wanted something more.
I think my overall problem with it, and it's a minor one (seriously I really did like this book tons) is that it felt overstuffed. This is supposed to be happening in a matter of days but SO much is happening it doesn't feel like it could be days. We have everything I mentioned and more, like an even darker hint at Ronan's true family life, the links between Greenmantle and Ronan's dad, piddly crap at school etc etc. Blue's family life... and it felt like some things were rushed through (like what the heck happened at the trial. I know what outcome I expected but man that's something that needed following up on).
There are some very good, some very sad moments in this and a reminder that it's very possible not everyone will have a happy ever after. I could even see Blue as the last one standing (I sure as heck hope not) but we're reminded that Gansey is fated to die (I'm figuring if they do find Glendower and he is some wish granting faerie, that bringing Gansey back will be the wish). Reminded too that both Adam and Ronan are becoming less human and more one with the cabeswater every day. I could see an ending where Gansey (and Noah) are gone and Adam and Ronan are claimed by the Cabeswater. Maybe they'll be the next ones sleeping for centuries waiting for their rescuers to come awaken them.
But I really do hope all of them ride off into the sunset together and live long happy lives.
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