Format: Paperback, 480 pages
Release Date: August 6, 2024
Publisher: Mira
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy / Epic
In the continuing saga of Michelle Sagara's New York Times bestselling Chronicle of Elantra series, Kaylin Neya has to unravel the mystery of the life and death—or possible death—of a group of ghosts before more than just her own reality is destroyed.
Two weeks ago, Kaylin Neya’s pragmatic belief that ghosts were
stories meant to terrify children into better behavior was permanently
broken. It was broken, in large part, by a much older woman who spends
her days baking and coming to the public desk of the Halls of Law to
report what her ghost friends are seeing.
The youngest of those
ghost friends have now—finally—passed on, and Mrs. Erickson has become
part of Kaylin’s household. So have the most difficult and alien of her
ghosts. If they were the ghosts of people—any people of any race Kaylin
has ever encountered—it might be less of a problem. But whatever these
ghosts were when they were alive is a mystery. Unfortunately for Kaylin,
her home, and the rest of her roommates, the problem isn’t academic.
Helen has always been confident that she can accommodate any guest of
any race regardless of their living requirements—but these guests are
very different.
Kaylin has the Marks of the Chosen over more
than half of her body. She was given those marks for a reason—but no one
thought to tell her what that reason was. But her suspicion is that the
words are meant to somehow finish the story of the lives of those left
behind or trapped in places they shouldn’t be.
And she really,
really hopes that suspicion has at least some foundation in truth,
because if it doesn’t, she might just lose her home and roommates to the
very unnatural changes that are occurring in the wake of these new
guests. With Mrs. Erickson’s unusual vision, and the power of both her
home and the Barrani friends who share it, Kaylin has to unravel the
mystery of the life and death—or possible death—of whatever these ghosts
once were before more than just her own reality is destroyed.
Cast in Atonement is the Eighteenth installment in author Michelle Sagara's Chronicles of Elantra. This book is a continuation of Cast in Eternity. Two weeks ago, Corporal Kaylin Neya’s pragmatic belief that ghosts were
stories meant to terrify children into better behavior was permanently
broken. Even though she grew up alone on the streets of Elantra where things were not normal. It was broken, in large part, by a much older woman who spends
her days baking and coming to the public desk of the Halls of Law to
report what her ghost friends are seeing.
The youngest of those
ghost friends have now—finally—passed on, and Mrs. Erickson has become
part of Kaylin’s household after making a promise never to control ghosts. Imelda and Helen are getting along swimmingly since Helen enjoys the company. But Imelda has also brought with her the most difficult and alien of her
ghosts. If they were the ghosts of people—any people of any race Kaylin
has ever encountered—it might be less of a problem. But whatever these
ghosts were when they were alive is a mystery.
Unfortunately for Kaylin, her home, and the rest of her roommates, the problem isn’t academic. Helen has always been confident that she can accommodate any guest of any race regardless of their living requirements—but these guests are very different. Especially with Terrano around making mischief at every turn. Kaylin, who has been told that she must learn magic by the Emperor himself, but always seems to find a way to get into more trouble, has the Marks of the Chosen over more than half of her body. She was given those marks for a reason—but no one thought to tell her what that reason was.
But her suspicion is that the words are meant to somehow finish the story of the lives of those left behind or trapped in places they shouldn’t be. And she really, really hopes that suspicion has at least some foundation in truth, because if it doesn’t, she might just lose her home and roommates to the very unnatural changes that are occurring in the wake of these new guests. With Mrs. Erickson’s unusual vision, and the power of both her home and the Barrani friends who share it, Kaylin has to unravel the mystery of the life and death—or possible death—of whatever these ghosts once were before more than just her own reality is destroyed.
And to make things much more difficult, Evanton, the Keeper of the Garden which is home to the four elementals, decides to find out more about Mrs. Erickson, and disappears which causes great amounts of consternation and trouble. Way back in the early stages of this series, Kaylin found herself with a dragon egg. That egg eventually revealed the last female dragon in existence; Bellusdeo. It was also about this time that she found herself with a familiar she named Hope who most of the time they can't connect unless they are touching.
What we didn't know at the time, was that Bellusdeo is actually a combination of 9 sisters who grew up together in the Aerie, but Mrs. Erickson is the only one who can see them. Bellusdeo also has to make up her mind whether she is with Lord Emmerian, or not. Oh, yes, and we're not done with Azoria yet, or her secrets that lead to some boring internal conversations throughout the book. This means more time spent at the Academia and Kaylin trying hard to to offend powerful ancient beings with silly questions. I would have preferred less internal dialogue, and more action, but 18 books in, I don't think I am going to get my wish any time soon.
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