Snakebitten (Shadows of Eireland #3), by Joanna Maciejewska
12 Aug 2024The Book
Synopsis:
In the war, it was simple, “kill or be killed”. Now myth-touched Kaja will have to put her life on the line and partake in a dangerous game with the enemy.
After a series of setbacks and deaths, the Scathanna finally have a lead on their mysterious adversary. A name alone is hardly enough, but Cathal has a plan, so when Lady Eithne’s orders put Kaja back in the center of Trinity’s troubles, the Scathanna will make their move… hopefully before their enemy does.
Yet, Cathal’s mission verges on suicide, and when death comes courting, Kaja is desperate to find another dance partner, even if it means making deals with the Snake’s servants. Pitched against the mastermind of manipulation, Kaja will have to risk everything.
One false step in this dance, and the whole of Eireland will pay the price.
My Review
Snakebitten is the third and final book in the urban fantasy series Shadows of Eireland, written by Joanna Maciejewska. Without other leads to the Snake than a name, the Scathanna devise a risky plan that will put Kaja in the center of everything, a suicide mission that will require of the best of her abilities to be successful.
Among enemies, Kaja will need to plan each step, as the wrong one can end with a cataclysm for Eireland; but it won't be devoid of struggle, especially when she is put between the wall and the rock, having to craft a particular curse for the Snake if she wants to gain some time while the Scathanna try to prepare their next movement.
Stakes are higher than ever in the series, passing from "simply" the life of Kaja on our first book, to a menace that threats to end with the Eireland they know. The bonds between Kaja and her Scathanna mates are stronger than ever, and especially her relationship with Riogan will gift us some of the most intense moments in the whole saga. Maciejewska also takes the opportunity to flesh and detail more some of the Snake collaborators, giving them a layer of humanity and purpose.
The pacing is kinda fast, especially as the stakes are raised; but it is something that you could expect from the last instalment of a series. The emphasis is put on the destiny of our characters, but without being shy of including action scenes, especially towards the end, literally gluing you to the pages of the book.
Snakebitten is a solid conclusion to this contemporary urban fantasy saga, using the previous built-in from books 1 and 2 to deliver an excellent ending that will satisfy anybody that has been following Kaja from the start.
The Author/s
Joanna Maciejewska
Joanna might be a bit too cautious to do anything even remotely daring or dangerous herself, so she writes about daring adventures and dangerous magic instead. Yet, she found enough courage to abandon her life in Poland and move to Ireland, and then some years later, she abandoned her life in Ireland to move over to the US. She’s determined to settle there, once she finally chooses which state to reside in.
When she’s not writing or thinking about writing, she plays video games or makes amateur art. She lives the happy life of a recluse, surrounded by her husband, a stuffed red monkey, and a small collection of books she insisted on hauling across two continents.