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Shadow Skye #3
The Burning Swift
The epic conclusion to the critically acclaimed Shadow Skye series, a rich fantasy adventure trilogy set in a mythical Scotland with positive disability and LGBTQ+ representation
When news reaches Skye of a deadly army approaching from the south, set on the destruction of every living Scotian, the clans rally to defend themselves. But against such a huge force, victory seems impossible. As Jaime risks his life with an ancient and forbidden blood magic, Sigrid returns to the wilds of Ingland in the hope of an alliance. Meanwhile, Agatha is forced on a journey to the very heart of the enemy, where death and betrayal waits in every shadow. With the fate of Skye in their hands, it will take all their courage, cunning and sacrifice to not only survive the final battle, but to save the future of Scotia... The breathtaking finale to the critically acclaimed Shadow Skye series, for fans of Philip Pullman and Garth Nix.
When news reaches Skye of a deadly army approaching from the south, set on the destruction of every living Scotian, the clans rally to defend themselves. But against such a huge force, victory seems impossible. As Jaime risks his life with an ancient and forbidden blood magic, Sigrid returns to the wilds of Ingland in the hope of an alliance. Meanwhile, Agatha is forced on a journey to the very heart of the enemy, where death and betrayal waits in every shadow. With the fate of Skye in their hands, it will take all their courage, cunning and sacrifice to not only survive the final battle, but to save the future of Scotia... The breathtaking finale to the critically acclaimed Shadow Skye series, for fans of Philip Pullman and Garth Nix.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2022
6 people are currently reading
357 people want to read
About the author
Joseph Elliott
28 books61 followersJoseph Elliott is a writer, teacher, and actor known for his work in children’s television. The Good Hawk is his first book. He lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
November 23, 2021
DRC provided by Candlewick Press via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.
Representation: gay white Scottish protagonist with anxiety, disabled white Scottish protagonist, gay white Scottish tertiary character.
Content Warning: anxiety, violence, death, internalised homophobia, sexism, misogyny, ritualistic self-harm.
The Burning Swift by Joseph Elliott is the marvellous conclusion of the Shadow Skye trilogy, an enthralling fantasy series set in a mythical Scotland, deserving of more notoriety than it gets.
After saving the girl who came to warn the clans of Skye, Agatha, Jaime and their friends will need to recruit allies and plan their defence against the incoming army of Norveg and Inglish soldiers set upon them by the evil and ruthless King Edmund and Konge Grímir.
I received a galley of the previous books in the series last year and I was extremely happy and excited to have been given the chance to read and review the series’ finale as well. As always, I will have a hard time reviewing because I adored the book and, while I do not get why, I often find it difficult to put thoughts to paper.
I loved this book even more than the first two. I thought it was a brilliant end to the series. Seeing Agatha’s, Jaime’s and Sigrid’s internal growth throughout the whole trilogy (even if Sigrid only turns up in the second book) was simply splendid and so were the adventures and the fighting scenes; the discourses about beliefs and how one should not impose one’s own views on others and instead learn to respect them delighted me.
The Burning Swift captivated me from start to finish and made me love even more the whole series. I do not only recommend everyone to read this exceptional trilogy, but I implore you to do so because I am fairly sure you will not be disappointed.
Representation: gay white Scottish protagonist with anxiety, disabled white Scottish protagonist, gay white Scottish tertiary character.
Content Warning: anxiety, violence, death, internalised homophobia, sexism, misogyny, ritualistic self-harm.
The Burning Swift by Joseph Elliott is the marvellous conclusion of the Shadow Skye trilogy, an enthralling fantasy series set in a mythical Scotland, deserving of more notoriety than it gets.
After saving the girl who came to warn the clans of Skye, Agatha, Jaime and their friends will need to recruit allies and plan their defence against the incoming army of Norveg and Inglish soldiers set upon them by the evil and ruthless King Edmund and Konge Grímir.
I received a galley of the previous books in the series last year and I was extremely happy and excited to have been given the chance to read and review the series’ finale as well. As always, I will have a hard time reviewing because I adored the book and, while I do not get why, I often find it difficult to put thoughts to paper.
I loved this book even more than the first two. I thought it was a brilliant end to the series. Seeing Agatha’s, Jaime’s and Sigrid’s internal growth throughout the whole trilogy (even if Sigrid only turns up in the second book) was simply splendid and so were the adventures and the fighting scenes; the discourses about beliefs and how one should not impose one’s own views on others and instead learn to respect them delighted me.
The Burning Swift captivated me from start to finish and made me love even more the whole series. I do not only recommend everyone to read this exceptional trilogy, but I implore you to do so because I am fairly sure you will not be disappointed.
November 20, 2021
I received an advance reader copy of this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
This is the 3rd, and most powerful, volume in the Shadow Skye trilogy by Joseph Elliott. I read the previous two books--the second in the series was also sent to me by the publisher--and I've genuinely enjoyed them all. The setting is a medieval fantasy realm loosely based on England and Scotland. Three children work to unite Scotia and the Isle of Skye against a dark threat that looms above them all. These books are packed with action! There is darkness and death, but also a thread of fierce friendship and optimism. The humor is laugh-out-loud at times, too.
The three perspectives are fantastic and immersive. Jaime so desperately wants to protect his clan--and he is also wrestling with strange feelings for a dear friend. Sigrid is a girl of Norveg with a wonderful horse and a profound urge to do what is right, even when it is very difficult. Then there is Agatha. Oh, Agatha. It's fantastic to see a girl with Down Syndrome as a major character in a fantasy book. She is impetuous, brave, and loves her human and animal friends absolutely. Agatha gets to learn more about her family in this book. I won't post spoilers, but I will say that I love how it was handled!
The final battle in this book is long, intense, and makes this near impossible to put down. I was glad when everything came to a conclusion, but sad, too, because I love these characters so much.
This is the 3rd, and most powerful, volume in the Shadow Skye trilogy by Joseph Elliott. I read the previous two books--the second in the series was also sent to me by the publisher--and I've genuinely enjoyed them all. The setting is a medieval fantasy realm loosely based on England and Scotland. Three children work to unite Scotia and the Isle of Skye against a dark threat that looms above them all. These books are packed with action! There is darkness and death, but also a thread of fierce friendship and optimism. The humor is laugh-out-loud at times, too.
The three perspectives are fantastic and immersive. Jaime so desperately wants to protect his clan--and he is also wrestling with strange feelings for a dear friend. Sigrid is a girl of Norveg with a wonderful horse and a profound urge to do what is right, even when it is very difficult. Then there is Agatha. Oh, Agatha. It's fantastic to see a girl with Down Syndrome as a major character in a fantasy book. She is impetuous, brave, and loves her human and animal friends absolutely. Agatha gets to learn more about her family in this book. I won't post spoilers, but I will say that I love how it was handled!
The final battle in this book is long, intense, and makes this near impossible to put down. I was glad when everything came to a conclusion, but sad, too, because I love these characters so much.
June 13, 2022
I don't know if this would have been better if I'd waited longer after the second book, which I found underwhelming, to pick it up. Alas, I didn't, so I just found myself burned out. I'm sad that I didn't love the end as much as the beginning.
December 27, 2021
I recently discovered the existence of NetGalley, I know, I know! And it seemed like an excellent idea to me. Obviously it would because I adore books and the idea of being in on a secret. So I signed up and waited for something I was interested in to become available and for me to get access too. Two days ago that day finally came.
I saw a link on Twitter to an early release of Joseph Elliot’s The Burning Swift and pounced. If you have missed the first two instalments of this trilogy then where have you been? The first two parts The Good Hawk and The Broken Raven were fabulous. The multiple narrative voices were all engaging and well characterised and the second part had me in tears at the end.
I finally had a moment to start reading earlier today and four hours later I was done (having been interrupted to play Top Trumps). And what a delightful, traumatic and uplifting four hours it was. Elliot never fails to evoke the ruggedness of the Highlands and Islands in his fictionalised Scotia and it calls to me as the real landscape does. The various settings are detailed and evocative. The characters are of the land in a very real way.
We continue with the multiple narrator style of the previous two novels and I remain hugely impressed with the way in which Elliot controls the narratives and leaves us waiting to discover what happens next in a masterclass of narrative structure.
The diverse voices of the text are realistic and delicately handled in their various struggles. These are characters at a difficult age in a difficult time in hugely difficult situations and they sound like genuine teenagers. The various relationships are sensitively happened and add real depth to the plot. This is a book that is genuinely representative of difference. It is embroidered through the text with the overriding message that we have more in common that that which divides us. I cried, I cheered, I laughed, I gasped.
On a personal note, as someone who wishes she knew more Scots Gaelic (the language I should know and that is the source of my son’s name), the integration of some Scots Gaelic was fabulous. I started recommending The Good Hawk to my KS3 students as soon as it came out. Now I will ensure that the trilogy is stocked in our library and on my reading lists.
The final part of The Shadow Skye trilogy is out on the 6th January 2022. Whatever rating you choose to use I give this book full marks!
I saw a link on Twitter to an early release of Joseph Elliot’s The Burning Swift and pounced. If you have missed the first two instalments of this trilogy then where have you been? The first two parts The Good Hawk and The Broken Raven were fabulous. The multiple narrative voices were all engaging and well characterised and the second part had me in tears at the end.
I finally had a moment to start reading earlier today and four hours later I was done (having been interrupted to play Top Trumps). And what a delightful, traumatic and uplifting four hours it was. Elliot never fails to evoke the ruggedness of the Highlands and Islands in his fictionalised Scotia and it calls to me as the real landscape does. The various settings are detailed and evocative. The characters are of the land in a very real way.
We continue with the multiple narrator style of the previous two novels and I remain hugely impressed with the way in which Elliot controls the narratives and leaves us waiting to discover what happens next in a masterclass of narrative structure.
The diverse voices of the text are realistic and delicately handled in their various struggles. These are characters at a difficult age in a difficult time in hugely difficult situations and they sound like genuine teenagers. The various relationships are sensitively happened and add real depth to the plot. This is a book that is genuinely representative of difference. It is embroidered through the text with the overriding message that we have more in common that that which divides us. I cried, I cheered, I laughed, I gasped.
On a personal note, as someone who wishes she knew more Scots Gaelic (the language I should know and that is the source of my son’s name), the integration of some Scots Gaelic was fabulous. I started recommending The Good Hawk to my KS3 students as soon as it came out. Now I will ensure that the trilogy is stocked in our library and on my reading lists.
The final part of The Shadow Skye trilogy is out on the 6th January 2022. Whatever rating you choose to use I give this book full marks!
August 8, 2022
For Audiobook version unlisted on Goodreads at time of review.
Edition: Nudged Audio Children's Books, W. F. Howes Ltd.
Release: 1 March 2022
Narrated by: Gary Furlong, Fiona Hardingham, Nina Yndis
ASIN B09QT44DHL
The adventurous conclusion to the Shadow Skye trilogy, sees blood magic, monsters, lost lineage, ancient secrets, and an epic battle unfolding. It's a satisfying conclusion to the story arc.
Reading online, I found that some detractors of the series were upset by one of the main characters, Jaime, being really homophobic. It's not how I read it, because I always assumed the character was gay, and was struggling to understand himself having being raised by a clan that considered non-heteronormative couples to be immoral. Having left home, encountering other groups of people for whom it was perfectly acceptable, left him utterly conflicted as to whether the teachings of his people were Right. As this was not the only difference between his home and other cultures, it rang true to me. If you only ever know one way of living it can make you distrustful of people with different beliefs, and this book made that crystal clear. Some traditions help us know who we are, and some of the old ways are not as relevant as they were, and ought to be questioned. Not-so-spoilery alert: love conquers all.
Once more Agatha finds herself imperilled and rises to the challenge by being brave and saving herself and, let's face it, pretty much everyone else she meets (and we find out more about her mysterious parentage).
Sigrid fights venomous death-rats, makes allies and helps to rally them to the cause, as the Two-Kings' Army advances upon the clans of the north.
I am seldom one who is interested in blow-by-blow battles and wars. It's supposed to be exciting but it bores me, however the big clash foreshadowed in the previous book, is interesting and not overly complex. There is tension and weird things keep happening which makes it a lot less about military strategy and a lot more dynamic.
This has been a fun romp, and would be appealing to a young/teen audience.
Edition: Nudged Audio Children's Books, W. F. Howes Ltd.
Release: 1 March 2022
Narrated by: Gary Furlong, Fiona Hardingham, Nina Yndis
ASIN B09QT44DHL
The adventurous conclusion to the Shadow Skye trilogy, sees blood magic, monsters, lost lineage, ancient secrets, and an epic battle unfolding. It's a satisfying conclusion to the story arc.
Reading online, I found that some detractors of the series were upset by one of the main characters, Jaime, being really homophobic. It's not how I read it, because I always assumed the character was gay, and was struggling to understand himself having being raised by a clan that considered non-heteronormative couples to be immoral. Having left home, encountering other groups of people for whom it was perfectly acceptable, left him utterly conflicted as to whether the teachings of his people were Right. As this was not the only difference between his home and other cultures, it rang true to me. If you only ever know one way of living it can make you distrustful of people with different beliefs, and this book made that crystal clear. Some traditions help us know who we are, and some of the old ways are not as relevant as they were, and ought to be questioned. Not-so-spoilery alert: love conquers all.
Once more Agatha finds herself imperilled and rises to the challenge by being brave and saving herself and, let's face it, pretty much everyone else she meets (and we find out more about her mysterious parentage).
Sigrid fights venomous death-rats, makes allies and helps to rally them to the cause, as the Two-Kings' Army advances upon the clans of the north.
I am seldom one who is interested in blow-by-blow battles and wars. It's supposed to be exciting but it bores me, however the big clash foreshadowed in the previous book, is interesting and not overly complex. There is tension and weird things keep happening which makes it a lot less about military strategy and a lot more dynamic.
This has been a fun romp, and would be appealing to a young/teen audience.
January 30, 2022
This was a great end to the trilogy. I enjoyed visiting an ancient Scotland and meeting such great characters as Agatha, Jamie, and Sigrid. The audiobook really added to the experience.
February 7, 2022
I was very pleased with the final installment of the Shadow Skye trilogy. I thought it wrapped up everything nicely and ended on a positive note. I absolutely adored the characters - Agatha is one who will stay with me for quite a while. The events in this book moved a bit quickly for me, but overall, I enjoyed this trilogy and look forward to reading another one of Elliott's books.
July 24, 2024
Grade: A
I had pictured in my head multiple ways to end but this was better than I had expected. The way each storyline was tied up so nicely made me happy and there was some lovely continuity and call-backs relating to the previous books in the series. I think what I appreciated the most was the character growth though. I felt fully invested in who the characters were and what they did, not just the main characters too and I can tell the author cared too by how they wrote this. Overall, a really fun series that I am glad I happened upon.
I had pictured in my head multiple ways to end but this was better than I had expected. The way each storyline was tied up so nicely made me happy and there was some lovely continuity and call-backs relating to the previous books in the series. I think what I appreciated the most was the character growth though. I felt fully invested in who the characters were and what they did, not just the main characters too and I can tell the author cared too by how they wrote this. Overall, a really fun series that I am glad I happened upon.
December 27, 2021
So I am a big fan of the first 2 books in this series (The Good Hawk & The Broken Raven). the mythical version of Scotland that Elliot has created is just beyond magical. Dark and mysterious, it's a wonderful place to read about.
So I was desperate to read this book, the third and final book in the series.
Boy, I was not disappointed!
I stayed up most of the night reading this, as I could not put it down! It was absolutely brilliant! Obviously, a continuation of the previous book, this is told from the point of view of 3 different characters, Jaime, Agatha and Sigrid. Each has their own unique voice, bringing their vibrant personalities to the story.
Sometimes the characters are interacting, but a lot of the time they are split up around Scotia and sometimes in Ingland. It was fantastic reading each part of the story and seeing it all come together in the end, each tale weaving together, each as important as the other.
there were lots of parts of this book that I had really hoped would happen (especially to do with Jaime and Cray's relationship). It was not a predictable story at all, and the conclusion was incredibly satisfying.
So I highly recommend this book, but obviously, read the first 2 books before you read The Burning Swift, because otherwise it will make zero sense.
my only complaint - and it is minor! - is that, there are a lot of different words used (based on gaelic and norweigan), and honestly, i haven't a clue how to pronounce any of them. one of the main characters in this book is called 'The Badhbh' ... not a clue how to say this one. But honestly, I just made up the pronounciations in my head and read them how i felt like reading them. I just prefer to have a pronounciation guide to help me out with names or words that I'm not clear on.
So I was desperate to read this book, the third and final book in the series.
Boy, I was not disappointed!
I stayed up most of the night reading this, as I could not put it down! It was absolutely brilliant! Obviously, a continuation of the previous book, this is told from the point of view of 3 different characters, Jaime, Agatha and Sigrid. Each has their own unique voice, bringing their vibrant personalities to the story.
Sometimes the characters are interacting, but a lot of the time they are split up around Scotia and sometimes in Ingland. It was fantastic reading each part of the story and seeing it all come together in the end, each tale weaving together, each as important as the other.
there were lots of parts of this book that I had really hoped would happen (especially to do with Jaime and Cray's relationship). It was not a predictable story at all, and the conclusion was incredibly satisfying.
So I highly recommend this book, but obviously, read the first 2 books before you read The Burning Swift, because otherwise it will make zero sense.
my only complaint - and it is minor! - is that, there are a lot of different words used (based on gaelic and norweigan), and honestly, i haven't a clue how to pronounce any of them. one of the main characters in this book is called 'The Badhbh' ... not a clue how to say this one. But honestly, I just made up the pronounciations in my head and read them how i felt like reading them. I just prefer to have a pronounciation guide to help me out with names or words that I'm not clear on.
August 9, 2025
Joseph Elliot is not afraid of killing characters off but doesn't do it more than necessary. Every death felt intentional and did something to drive the story forward without seeming like overkill, which is such a refreshing thing to see. I continued loving all of the different speech patterns and dialects through Jaime, Agatha, and Sigrid's POV's, in fact I think I loved them more this time. The contrast is so unique and fun and I had no issue with understanding any of them. I don't get to read a lot of books with eye dialect, and this one was done beautifully.
Mainly, I love the strong message of how strong a group of people can become through compassion, respect, and trust. Konge Grimr's plans crumbled incredibly fast in the end, and it was because he both thought very highly of himself and his skills, and didn't think that more than one or two groups would be able to get along long enough to help one another. But the way that so many clans and groups, charged by their desire to save the people they love and stand up against someone that has hurt so many, worked together so they could all live the way they wanted without fear of punishment? Perfection. The addition of animals like Gray (which, don't even get me STARTED on Gray and the Wildwolves) and Thistle-River remembering the kindness Agatha showed them and returning to help her? Perfection. The whole book was absolute perfection.
The moral of kindness, compassion, and tolerance was relayed in a very mature and hard-hitting manner. I cannot express how much I adored this series.
Only complaint is that Sigrid and Eydis had to go their separate ways :( bring them back
Mainly, I love the strong message of how strong a group of people can become through compassion, respect, and trust. Konge Grimr's plans crumbled incredibly fast in the end, and it was because he both thought very highly of himself and his skills, and didn't think that more than one or two groups would be able to get along long enough to help one another. But the way that so many clans and groups, charged by their desire to save the people they love and stand up against someone that has hurt so many, worked together so they could all live the way they wanted without fear of punishment? Perfection. The addition of animals like Gray (which, don't even get me STARTED on Gray and the Wildwolves) and Thistle-River remembering the kindness Agatha showed them and returning to help her? Perfection. The whole book was absolute perfection.
The moral of kindness, compassion, and tolerance was relayed in a very mature and hard-hitting manner. I cannot express how much I adored this series.
Only complaint is that Sigrid and Eydis had to go their separate ways :( bring them back
February 4, 2022
Trigger Warnings: anxiety, violence (war), death, homophobia (internal), sexism, misogyny, ritualistic self-harm
In the 3rd and final book of the Shadow Skye series, Agatha, Jamie, and Sigrid must do whatever it takes to stop the kings of Norveg and Ingland, who had joined forces to annihilate the people of Scotia. They turn to the Badhbh to help, but instead, he kidnaps Agatha and runs towards the kings. While Jamie and Sigrid try to unite the clans of Scotia and beyond their borders, Agatha receives unexpected support from people in Ingland.
What a way to end this wonderful trilogy! I had a hard time putting it down, I just wanted to revisit the trio and see what happens.
The multiple narrative voices of Agatha, Jamie, and Sigrid were still engaging and well characterized; I laughed, I gasped, I cheered. Agatha has always been my favorite but Sigrid and their moments too where I was laughing so hard. Jamie was and still is one of those characters I want to wrap up in a warm blanket and maybe give some hot cocoa to. These three characters are all teenagers, and they all went through so much. Jamie was always beating himself up over not being good enough and that’s a struggle that teenagers still go through to this day (and adults too to be honest)!
The characters were all together at the beginning, separated around Scotia and Ingland, and then brought back together again. Joseph Elliot did an amazing job at keeping every part of the story fascinating and engaging. I couldn’t read it fast enough to see how they all came back together to defeat the kings.
I can’t recommend this series enough - there’s diverse voices, mythical beasts, magic, LGBTQ+ romance, girls taking action, and so much more! I’ve been constantly trying to get the other two books into people's hands but now that the series is complete, I can really shove it into their hands and onto as many booklist recommendations as I possibly can! Please! Read this series!!
In the 3rd and final book of the Shadow Skye series, Agatha, Jamie, and Sigrid must do whatever it takes to stop the kings of Norveg and Ingland, who had joined forces to annihilate the people of Scotia. They turn to the Badhbh to help, but instead, he kidnaps Agatha and runs towards the kings. While Jamie and Sigrid try to unite the clans of Scotia and beyond their borders, Agatha receives unexpected support from people in Ingland.
What a way to end this wonderful trilogy! I had a hard time putting it down, I just wanted to revisit the trio and see what happens.
The multiple narrative voices of Agatha, Jamie, and Sigrid were still engaging and well characterized; I laughed, I gasped, I cheered. Agatha has always been my favorite but Sigrid and their moments too where I was laughing so hard. Jamie was and still is one of those characters I want to wrap up in a warm blanket and maybe give some hot cocoa to. These three characters are all teenagers, and they all went through so much. Jamie was always beating himself up over not being good enough and that’s a struggle that teenagers still go through to this day (and adults too to be honest)!
The characters were all together at the beginning, separated around Scotia and Ingland, and then brought back together again. Joseph Elliot did an amazing job at keeping every part of the story fascinating and engaging. I couldn’t read it fast enough to see how they all came back together to defeat the kings.
I can’t recommend this series enough - there’s diverse voices, mythical beasts, magic, LGBTQ+ romance, girls taking action, and so much more! I’ve been constantly trying to get the other two books into people's hands but now that the series is complete, I can really shove it into their hands and onto as many booklist recommendations as I possibly can! Please! Read this series!!
February 1, 2022
I approached this with trepidation, as I'd not read the previous two books in the trilogy, but fear not this worked perfectly well as a standalone.
It's a fantasy story, but set in the familiar territories of Skye, Scotia, Ingland and Norveg, and is packed full of interesting characters.
We have mythical beasts, magical swords, warring tribes but with an inclusivity that includes an LBGTQ romance. It's also not just about boys doing all the fighting - we have some really feisty girl power on display here. There really is something for everyone.
Even as an adult reader, I found it an exciting page turner. I particularly enjoyed the use of, what felt like, authentic ancient language which helped me feel fully absorbed in the tale.
I daresay I'll now make a point of going back and reading the predecessors of "The Burning Swift"
It's a fantasy story, but set in the familiar territories of Skye, Scotia, Ingland and Norveg, and is packed full of interesting characters.
We have mythical beasts, magical swords, warring tribes but with an inclusivity that includes an LBGTQ romance. It's also not just about boys doing all the fighting - we have some really feisty girl power on display here. There really is something for everyone.
Even as an adult reader, I found it an exciting page turner. I particularly enjoyed the use of, what felt like, authentic ancient language which helped me feel fully absorbed in the tale.
I daresay I'll now make a point of going back and reading the predecessors of "The Burning Swift"
October 3, 2022
I don't know why it took me forever to get through this book because I loved it. This is such a great series, with each book being just as good as the one before it. This is such a unique series with the different languages and cultures coming together. I also love how similar to our world the people and places are, its just so clever. I recommend this series to lots of people: anyone who likes stories about Vikings or similar eras, anyone who has experience or who is interested in stories with characters who are disabled, stories with animals and magic, there are so many facets to this series. Elliott is a new author, but he hit a home run with this series.
May 11, 2024
Degenen die probeerden de stam waar alles om draait van hun eiland te verdrijven, waren eigenlijk de oorspronkelijke inwoners ervan. Wauw, dat was eventjes 🤯 , zeker doordat ik het las tijdens de genocide in Gaza.
En dat is maar een fractie van wat het laatste deel van de trilogie te bieden heeft. Er is intergenerationeel trauma, alternatieve levenswijzen, achterdocht, vooroordelen, seksisme, ableism of hoe dat ook heet, het zit er allemaal in. Om uiteindelijk te eindigen zoals elke trilogie hoort te eindigen, zeker in jeugdboeken: soort van goed, maar vooral erg hoopvol.
En dat is maar een fractie van wat het laatste deel van de trilogie te bieden heeft. Er is intergenerationeel trauma, alternatieve levenswijzen, achterdocht, vooroordelen, seksisme, ableism of hoe dat ook heet, het zit er allemaal in. Om uiteindelijk te eindigen zoals elke trilogie hoort te eindigen, zeker in jeugdboeken: soort van goed, maar vooral erg hoopvol.
June 19, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed the previous two books in this trilogy and this concluding volume proved to be the best of the three. The book is told in alternating narrated chapters between the three predominant characters. The story is gripping and fast moving. So much is brought together from the previous books, some quite surprising, but is deftly told by Elliott with a great sense of pacing and suspense. I highly recommend this exceptional trilogy.
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October 5, 2021Joseph Elliott’s exciting Shadow Skye trilogy concludes with The Burning Swift. It’s set among the inhabitants of a remote Scottish island, who face an impending invasion by Viking and English forces. The Burning Swift will be published in January 2022 by Walker Books US. Video review at https://youtu.be/XyKIF7DAKws
June 17, 2022
Such an amazing book my goodness!!! Jaime & Cray are just absolutely adorable and I LOVE them so much.
Agatha is awesome and incredibly brave, so is Sigrid!!! I love Agatha’s ability with speaking to animals.
I did NOT expect Agatha’s mother to be who she was either, so an extra well done to Joesph Elliott there!!
Overall I absolutely LOVED this book and would definitely recommend.
Agatha is awesome and incredibly brave, so is Sigrid!!! I love Agatha’s ability with speaking to animals.
I did NOT expect Agatha’s mother to be who she was either, so an extra well done to Joesph Elliott there!!
Overall I absolutely LOVED this book and would definitely recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2023
this series has been an unexpected, but wonderful part of 2023. I picked up the first book on a whim and fell in love with Agatha and Jaime and (in book 2) Sigrid. The setting was so transportive, and the narration immersed me into each characters' perspective. I will miss reading these books but I know I'll think of them often!!
March 15, 2024
I really enjoyed the conclusion to this trilogy. I was glad to see Jamie grow in confidence after a dark patch, it was good to see Agatha befriend all kinds of animals and it was good to see Sigrid’s journey and the positive choices she makes. The secondary characters also work well and the plot moved swiftly. I enjoyed the switch between view points.
January 9, 2022
A perfect ending to a wonderful series. I loved these characters so much (especially Agatha) because they were so well developed. I loved the message of this: hatred is never the answer. Was riveted from the first page. Could not put it down. Do yourself a favour and read this series.
February 26, 2023
This is honestly the best book I have ever read. From Jaime going to the bó riders and Agatha taking like the Loch Ness monster to sigrid going home. The Shadow Skye trilogy is soooo good and Joseph Elliott MUST make a new series with the same characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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November 8, 2021Review closer to 1/4/22 release
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November 23, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Internalised homomisia
Sexism
Self harm
Anxiety
Internalised homomisia
Sexism
Self harm
Anxiety
January 3, 2022
This was amazing and I could not put it down. I loved how the characters come together in this story. And each book just keeps getting better. The setting was fabulous.
January 19, 2022
I have absolutely loved this trilogy from start to finish the characterisation has been perfect and this final novel continued that. An empowering and heartwarming read.
February 17, 2022
4.5/5
‘Funny how life carries you away on its tide and takes you to the most unexpected places.’
‘Funny how life carries you away on its tide and takes you to the most unexpected places.’
May 10, 2022
Beautiful finale to a gorgeous series. The narrators made this one of the best audiobooks I’ve listened to!
Want to read
July 13, 2022MC Rep: gay male with anxiety
October 16, 2022
What an ending! Thrilling, satisfying, and with everything neatly wrapped up.
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