Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier

Publication Date:  October 8, 2013
Publisher:  Henry Holt and Co.
Pages:  451
Series:  The Ruby Red Trilogy #3
Genre:  Fantasy
Synopsis:  Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is. She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along. Emerald Green is the stunning conclusion to Kerstin Gier's Ruby Red Trilogy, picking up where Sapphire Blue left off, reaching new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-traveling society and learns her fate.

Review:  Whenever I read about time travel, I get the urge to go binge watch Doctor Who...again.  While Emerald Green, the conclusion to the Ruby Red trilogy, is not as clever or such a stroke of genius, it's level of excitement is nearly as high.

The writing, as with each of the books, is still seemingly simplified, which I still attribute to the translation from German.  However, it flows well and is quite readable--meaning I never get bored and abandon the novel to go watch Netflix. 

Odd that a broken heart can beat at all, come to think of it.

Most of my assumptions about where the plot was headed were found to be correct.  It has never been a inconspicuous story.  I did find, in the greatest failing of the trilogy, that it all wrapped up too quickly.  It could benefit from some fleshing out and an extra explanation dropped in here or there.  There are loose endings and strange occurrences that are never expanded on, leaving you hanging.

Gwenyth, the time travelling girl herself--her reactions are glossed over.  Life-altering bombs are dropped and she panics for perhaps half a page and then moves on, all issues forgotten.  Again, if I could hover over Kerstin Gier's shoulder while she was writing this novel, I would have poked and prodded her until she got so fed up with me that she complied in elaborating.

I can take criticism. Or at least, I can if you put it nicely.

Gideon is, well, Gideon.  There isn't much character development, as he tends to stick to being stoic and heroic throughout the course of the story--which, to be fair, all happens within a few weeks or so.  The stand out character is Gwenyth's best friend, Lesley, who sticks with Gwen through all the time travel shenanigans and Xemerius, a demonic ghost companion, who never fails to make you laugh.

Emerald Green--and this entire series--if rated on pure enjoyment alone, would be almost touching five stars.  The story engrosses you from page one, and I had a marvelous time, if not a perfect one.  Now that it has come to a close, it may be the time for that Doctor Who marathon.