The Last Messenger of Zitol

Sometimes a book surprises you in the best of ways. You might pick it up and start reading and think, “This is okay. Not bad.” But magic lurks in the pages, and as you keep reading, it seeps out and casts a spell over you…and when that happens, a reader is never the same again.

That’s how I felt about this newest book–the Last Messenger of Zitol. I started it and thought I could predict what would happen. But I was very wrong. Magic grabbed hold of me…and I was given wings to fly.

First off, let me give you the synopsis:

Blurb

When Rishi is kidnapped and taken to Zitól, she faces an unthinkable future: she is to be sacrificed to appease the gods. To survive in this place, where greed, lust, and fear eclipse compassion, Rishi befriends the selfish and ignorant king, only to discover that he may not have the power to save her after all.

My review

This book is a HIGH 5 on all the rating lists (my Sweet one included). It’s as decadent as cheesecake or whatever sugary delight is your favorite. Dyreng’s story pulled me magically through the pages, and when I finished, I almost wanted to cry because I didn’t want it to end. Rishi is a young girl with three mischievous older brothers who torture her in her youth. They grow up on an island, learning stories about the great city of Zitol from her grandfather. When Rishi is a teenager, a tragedy happens to the people on her island and she is stolen and taken away to Zitol with a few other girls her age.There she learns that the great city she learned about has terrifying traditions, including human sacrifice.

The author did a fabulous job of showing the horrid side of life while keeping it clean. The theme is virtue, and I was blown away by how the author worked this into a riveting, adventurous, touching story. I started reading with half a heart. I grew a whole one by the end. I had a lot of books to read and review, and this seemed like just another chore to get out of the way. I ended by raving about it to my two teens and telling them they had to read it. It was absolutely fantastic and will go in my favorite folder to read again in the future.

About the author:

Chelsea Bagley Dyreng is the author of “The Cenote.” She was raised in Wyoming and Idaho and earned her BA at Brigham Young University. She worked for several years as a librarian before moving to North Carolina where she and her husband are raising five God-fearing, book-loving, adventure-seeking kids.

So what are you waiting for?

Check this one out and read it for yourself. I can’t promise you’ll love it as much as I did (because everyone has differing tastes and no book gets 5 stars from everybody), but I predict a high possibility that you will feel The Last Messenger of Zitol was more than worth your time to read.

Happy Reading!