If you haven’t read the first three books in the Song of Shattered Sands series in order, please stop reading here. This is the fourth book in the series, which must be read in chronological order. You can read the first review right here. The events in A Veil of Spears are continued in Beneath the Twisted Trees. Eda keeps working on her strategy to liberate the Asirim from their curse. Although this is Eda’s story, The Song of Shattered Sands is recounted from the perspectives of several other individuals, giving us a more complete understanding of both what is happening in Sharakhai and what is happening in the nearby desert.
In Beneath the Twisted Trees, we learn more about the gods’ strategies and the reasons behind their steadfast determination to hold the Kings to their word and to finally get rid of Nalamae. In an effort to understand the significance of Yusam’s prophesies, King Ishan becomes increasingly more involved in the activities taking place in Sharakhai. In addition to trying to understand precisely how eda fits into the future of Sharakhai, Ishan wants to connect his personal objectives with the most likely avenues for success.
While lost in the desert, Brama and Rümayesh join forces with the Queen of Mirea, but it is unclear whether this will make them enemies or allies. Still harbouring jealousies for Sharakhai, Mirea must contend with the might of the Kings and Meryam, their new Queen. Following her marriage to the phoney Kiral, Meryam has quickly climbed among the governing Kings. In contrast to the Mireans and Malasani, who want to fight and conquer the City by force, Meryam is using an intricate strategy to seize power from within.
Then there are Davud and Anila, who are no longer together. While Sukru begs her to complete an impossible duty, Anila is forced into a dangerous situation in which she must attempt to keep her family safe. Davud is still figuring out where he fits in the world. With their new partnership with Ramahad, they are now in greater danger because Ramahad is playing hide-and-seek with Meryam while trying to avoid being discovered and looking for a means to bring about Meryam’s demise. While trying to find a means to assist Anila, Davud finds himself in more problems. He is still looking for a teacher to guide him.
Last but not least, Emre’s chapters take a little longer to get started because he is still learning about diplomacy and how to be an ambassador to the thirteenth tribe. However, when he gains greater knowledge of authority and negotiation techniques, his chapters are no less terrifying. Emre learns that just because you don’t want the Kings to rule doesn’t necessarily mean that someone better will step in to take their place.
We can follow this wide ensemble of characters and see how their actions are intertwined because Beneath the Twisted Trees is rich in detail. Although the book’s size can be a little overwhelming, the stories flow smoothly from one chapter to the next. Numerous mini-cliffhangers keep you eager to see what happens to the various individuals. However, it also means that certain characters’ storylines go more quickly than others.
I really enjoy how intricate the plot is because it makes you wonder how these stories are interconnected and how the primary stories of the various characters can affect one another. determining who has the upper hand in each chapter as well as if they will be able to maintain it in the following. The fact that as the series progresses, the gods of this universe are getting more interested in the lives of the people around them, raising the stakes and creating an even more fantastical world than before. There are still many mysteries to discover and plans to make public.
It’s fascinating to observe how Eda and Emre have developed since they were first presented in Twelve Kings. Also, check to see if any of the other characters are still alive. The book Beneath the Twisted Trees explores the devastation caused by war and the effects your choices have on other people as well as on yourself. I’m eager to learn what will happen next in this series and how long the current situation will last given that our protagonists are about to face more difficulties.
The Review
Beneath the Twisted Trees
I was really excited when the latest book in this series came out and its just gotten better and better. The various characters are becoming more fully developed and the world keeps expanding. This is an epic series, where the author does an excellent job of getting you to turn the page and find out what happens next. It's one of my favorites and I highly recommend it because of the action, characters and world building.
PROS
- Best yet. Mild spoiler-ish alert.
- Another Great Book!
- A wonderful heart warming emotional read!
- Great addition to the series!
CONS
- Incestuous Relationship.
- Bizarre Romance.
- Entirely Illogical.
- Really disappointing. Graphic sex throughout.