The Pearl of the Soul of the World

I enjoyed this book very much. I am not a fan of how Ms. Pierce starts the story and then recounts later how the character got to the beginning of the book from the end of the previous book. (It was not too bad at the beginning of book 2, as she was quick to do the recounting.) However, in this book, for several chapters I was waiting to find out how Aerial ended up with the pin in her head. It was frustrating. I can see why she wrote it that way, but I did not find it enjoyable because I had to wait a very long time.

I liked Aerial's journey through this book, although I enjoyed her journey in book 2 more. I also came to really dislike Ravenna. She had not learned any lessons at all. I feel that she still treated Aeriel like a slave, especially at the end.

The remainder of this review may contain spoilers.

I know Ravenna tells Aeriel that a body does not make a person, yet I feel that some switch took place unknownst to the reader half-way through the book and that the Aeriel who finishes the story is not the Aeriel we have traveled with for the previous 2 and 1/2 books. I also think that particular message is undermined with the focus on the heart and eyes. Irrylath's love is not good enough because it comes from Aeriel's own heart. I am rather irritated by that notion. While the author can certainly make her book any way she pleases, I am resistant to the idea that only the heart and eyes are the parts of the body that matter.

While I don't believe there is only one person for each person, I also did not like that Ravenna discarded Irrylath's love as not good enough. Erin's love was more constant, and I loved that part of the storyline. But, I do not think that Irrylath's love would fade, just because he got his own heart back. With Aeriel gone, he is likely to eventually find love with Sabr, but if she had stayed, I don't think his love would have necessarily faded. I tend to think that if the author says so, they know their characters best, but somehow it does not sit well with me. This part of the ending reminded me strongly of the ending of Dragonspell by Katharine Kerr.

From the time we learned the third rhyme, I thought Aeriel would be the one to fulfill the entire verse. The author misled us into thinking that Ravenna's direct daughter would instead fill the last couple stanza's, and Aeriel's life would be happily ever after with Irrylath. Perhaps people would not be as upset with the ending if we did not feel mislead. In hindsight, of course, Aeriel must be the one to fulfill all the versus. We just want a completely happy ending where she can fulfill all the versus and have her man. Perhaps it is just that I see an immortal life as caretaker of the world a very lonely life, even if Aeriel is able to make a golem out of Erin as well.

I usually enjoy non-happily ever after endings. This was a very good ending, but I did not really like it.

I find some interesting themes in this trilogy. There is a certain feel of destiny to Aeriel's journey throughout the rhymes. The first book presents a possiblity of redemption for everyone, yet we see not everyone can been redeemed, especially if they do not want to. There is a qualifying of love. Perhaps that is what we do always, but I do not think it is a good theme. There is something else but I cannot remember what I wanted to say now.

It was very enjoyable and a rather quick read. Despite that this review probably sounds mostly like complaints, I like how much thought it provoked besides being a fun story.