Tree of Ages by Sara C. Roethle

Okay team, once again I’m coming in late to the game with what I hope to be a wonderful series. I’d kept seeing Tree of Ages pop up everywhere. I’d wanted to read it for lord knows how long, but with a list of ARCs a mile wide I kept telling myself I’d read it after I got my other books.

Well, you can see how well that played out. I hit a reading slump, and told myself that if I read it at least I’d start reading again. I am incredibly happy I did. This first novel has all the promises I hope to see fulfilled, and with three more books in the series already I’m excited. Sometimes waiting means you get to binge read instead of die in anticipation.

This story was one of intrigue, but in some areas I definitely felt wanting. It took me only a chapter or two to become involved, and I devoured the book once I was able to sit down and read it. There were moments where it was phenomenal, and then I know other times I felt slightly as if I were being jarred from the story. Whether it was the sentence structure, or other times character development I was sad to be awakened to reality from the story. Good news is those moments were extremely rare.

I had the craving for a good epic fantasy, and this world provided it. There is action, a quest, the potential for a slow-burn romance, family drama, an unknown past, the the looming threat of potential war on the horizon. I enjoyed watching the character development of Finn as she slowly becomes more human, and one of my favorite characters had to be Àed. That old man is full of surprises.

I will note, the interactions between many of the characters is where I felt there is the most room for growth in this series. Tree of Ages is a captivating tale, but at times it seems to get lost because the dynamics and subtext between characters wasn’t as fleshed out as it could have been.

What grabbed me most about the novel was the world they reside in, the different races of Faie, and the history between them. It brought a refreshing look to an area of fantasy that is done often, and hence can be overdone. My curiosity on how magic operates in this world is still alight.

Tree of Ages is a maybe-not-so-hidden gem of a novel, and was just what I needed and left me craving more. I am jumping on the Sara C. Roethle bandwagon and can’t wait to read more of her books! I would recommend to anyone looking for good escapism, and those desiring a new series while they wait for Sarah J. Maas to pump out more books.

You can get Tree of Ages here through Bookshop.org, which supports local independent bookstores!

This website contains endorsements for products and services, which means when you click on a link that we recommend, we may receive a commission.