Book Review: The Jewel of the Kalderash (The Kronos Chronicles, #3) by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Jewel of the Kalderash

Author: Marie Rutkoski

Summary: Upon arriving in the Romany homeland to deliver the Mercator Globes, Petra Kronos, Tomik, and Neel formulate a plan to save Petra’s father, who has been transformed into a Gray Man. But when a long-held secret is revealed, Neel finds himself bound to his country.

The friends are quickly swept up in an epic battle for power. Thrones are at stake. Spies are afoot. Murder is common. Worst of all, Prince Rodolfo is close to becoming emperor, and ruling half of Europe.

How much is Petra willing to sacrifice to defend the people she loves? Her search for answers will take her to castles and cities, through mountains, and even underwater as she tests her strength and gambles her life. -Goodreads

Review:

**Warning: Spoilers!  I also talk about The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, but I’m not sure if that’s spoilery… I’m going to go ahead and be safe and assume it is…**

**Warning: This review was originally written on September 3, 2013.  I’ll put in my little side notes in parentheses.**

There is something different about this book: I bought it!  And boy was it expensive.  But it was totally worth it.  (It wasn’t that expensive, now that I think back on it.  This book was the first book I’d purchased in a while–I hadn’t been accustom to the prices!)

I’ve known about this series for about four years.  I had absolutely NO IDEA that there was a third book.  Why didn’t anyone tell me?  You guys!

The reason I bought the book is because my library doesn’t carry it.  I’m really glad I bought it, though, because I was really surprised at how good this was.  (Yes, I had set the bar for this book very high, because from the last two books, I was very impressed.  But this one just blew me away!)

The Kronos Chronicles are based in the 1500s.  In all of the Kronos Chronicles, John Dee played a rather large part.  He may be one of my favorite characters.  A younger version of Philip Bretherton is someone I’d choose to play Dee in the movies.  (Haha, Mr. Bretherton is Alistair from that old show, “As Time Goes By.”  I loved that show!  Anyway, that’s who I imagined every time I read about John Dee.  He was also a pretty big part in The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flammel series.)

I don’t know if the use of the name John Dee was a coincidence, or if Rutkoski was referring to the ancient mathematician John Dee (who is Nicholas Flamel’s enemy in The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott).  The referral to John Dee would fit because he was born in the 1500s.  (I highly doubt it was a coincidence.)

Favorite Lines:

Arun pointed to Astrophil, who clung to Petra’s shoulder.  “And what, precisely, is that?”

“I am a spider,” Astrophil gravely replied.

Arun lifted one brow.  “If you say so.”

5/5 stars!  This book was a fantastic read and I loved it so much!  Hopefully, I’ll be able to reread this during Reread-athon!