The Russian Cage by Charlaine Harris
Gunnie Rose #3
Fantasy
February 24, 2021, by Gallery/Saga Press
Review by Angela
This series always manages to suck me back in with every new release. Even when I feel like the previous book was just okay, I can’t help but click that one-click button as soon as I see another installment is about to release. I guess I just can’t help but want to get all caught up on what Lizbeth Rose and Eli are up to.
This installment takes Lizbeth into the Holy Russian Empire (what used to be California) and sets her out to rescue Eli who has been thrown into jail. She’ll meet up with some familiar characters such as Felix and Lizbeth’s sister Felicia, but readers will also get an introduction to Eli’s family and the Tsar and Tsarina.
If you are a reader invested in this series, you will be well acquainted with the rambling storytelling style, full of mundane activities and inner thoughts as Lizbeth and various secondary characters go about figuring out how to first get in to see Eli and then hatch a risky plan to break him out of jail. The action doesn’t really pick up until the last 25% or so of the book. But when it does…
This book is full of Holy Russian politics and inter-family dynamics. Both are interesting. I’m glad readers finally get to visit this part of the series worldbuilding. So much of the last two books have focused on Eli’s past and the HRE that I kept wondering if we would ever get an inside look ourselves. Thankfully the answer was yes.
I checked Goodreads and apparently there will be a fourth book in the series, even though this kind of felt like a series’ finale. Eli and Lizbeth were left in a settled place and it appears his family will be safe and back in the royal family’s good graces. I’m left to wonder where a new adventure might take them next.
If you are thinking of picking this book up yet haven’t read the first two books in the series, I wouldn’t start here. I don’t think these books do well as stand-alones and should be read in order. Too much world and history building. But if you are already a fan, I think you’ll be happy with this new installment.
Final grade- B-
Thanks for the review, Angela. I’ve downloaded a sample of the first book to try. (The first book has very different cover art from this one!)