Tags: Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, Mystery, Crime, Tragedy, Villainess

Sub-Tags: Conspiracies, Weak Protagonist

A Conclusion to Conspiracies!

With conspiracies unravelling and criminals finding their comeuppance. The latest review to appear on the blog follows the dramatic conclusion to this mystery villainess series.

Heading to the Chopping Block

Seldom do I find myself so taken aback by a light novel series, but with each twist and turn, The Holy Grail of Eris finds new ways to intrigue and keep me hooked. The third volume in the series is no different. As the mystery reaches its dramatic conclusion, there are still more tricks this series can pull out of its hat.

As Connie, Scarlett and co close in on Daeg Gallus’ involvement in the seventh prince’s disappearance, their leaders move to take one final action to stop their meddling once and for all. With Connie as their main target, people dear to her are kidnapped, and she herself is framed for the kidnapping of the crown prince Ulysses.

Arrested, charged and scheduled for execution, it’s up to her friends to take on her mantle, searching for anything against the organisation that’ll free her and stop a war between two kingdoms.

What the author does so well in this volume is bring all the moving parts of the puzzle together. Each of the notable characters from the series so far had a role to play, either in obstruction or by paying in their favours to stop Connie’s execution.

Some side characters of particular note in this volume are Viscount Hamsworth and Amelia Hobbs. Throughout each of the three volumes so far, they’ve had an important role to play. Whether it be ensuring Connie and Randolph can move around noble society without issue or ensuring the audience gets interesting glimpses into specific shady characters, it is important to showcase that not everything can be solved by the actions of the main protagonists.

The Weak Guiding the Strong

Coming to the end of a story arc also means coming to a conclusion in a character’s development arc. For Connie, there is a very tangible change in her character from when we first met her at the start of the series. From a shrinking wallflower, she has bloomed many new levels of confidence.

Connie is taking the lead, confronting more prominent nobles, such as Scarlett’s father, as well as sacrificing herself for the sake of love. She has come on leaps and bounds from where she started.

I believe it is this confidence and courage that leads to the overall happy ending. Without taking her possible death sentence head-on, they’d likely be unable to draw out the remaining members of Daeg Gallus, stopping a war. Moreover, without her experience of dealing with conspiracies, it is doubtful whether she’d have been able to confess her feelings to Randolph.

An Awkward Sorrow

Also featured prominently is the end of the flashback sequences involving Scarlett, Adolphus and Aliénore. This part finally reveals the touching love story between Adolphus and Aliénore and Scarlett’s eventual execution.

Whilst the love story is sweet, what most will be interested in is Adolphus’ reaction upon hearing about his daughter’s death. Those awkward emotions bubbling up into a scene of sadness in solitude. It’s raw and unapologetic, even bringing me close to tears.

It is nice that the author gave a happy ending for both of them in the end.

Concluding The Holy Grail of Eris’ third volume has convinced me that this is one of the best villainess and light novel series on the market at the moment. The payoff to the series’ mystery and the level of depth and thought made into each of the characters make this a must-read for anyone, either thinking about reading light novels or seasoned regulars.