BOOK REVIEW: The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

An epic ending that rivals the epic beginning.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I absolutely loved the first two books in the series and the world that Barnes created within the Hawthorne House. I feel in many ways that my review of this book would mirror my reviews of the previous two books as far as structure and overall dynamics; however, as the concluding book in the series, I do have something to say about a few of the questions that we finally got answers to.

In essence, the riddles, games and puzzles never end. Book 3 finds Avery celebrating her 18th birthday and just days away from making it to the one year mark and officially and legally inheriting Tobias Hawthorne’s empire. There are a few twists that lead to some new, time-sensitive “games,” primarily centered around Eve’s arrival at the gates with some troubling news. Eve’s arrival sets some actions into motion that create two different but simultaneous puzzles. Literally nothing can be taken at face value. Everything has multiple layers and multiple possible meanings, and the fun of this story is trying to figure it out with the characters.

These puzzles never cease to impress. The intricacy and innovative development is just crazy. My brain would never work so creatively to put such ideas and pieces together and have them all come to existence in such a realistic and plausible way. Because of the structure and movement of the plot, the book is very hard to put down, and I found myself finishing this much quicker than I tend to be able to read a book.

The investment I have put into these characters over the three books led me to a finale that I found satisfying. The emotional roller coaster that they embark on throughout this one, especially Grayson, just further develops the characters. The subtle triangle between Grayson, Jamisen and Avery is finally addressed and resolved, but there is still much to be said for the dysfunction that grief has caused within the Laughlin family. Throw in some new family secrets, and it’s not hard to see that the Laughlin’s have a long way to go even after the trilogy concludes. And, what about Toby? Don’t worry, there is some closure there.

I feel the biggest question throughout the entire series has been - Why Avery? And, yes. Tobias provides a very clear, yet disturbing explanation of “why Avery.” I found this to be an interesting revelation. I don’t know that I really had any true ideas or explanation on what the answer would be, but through learning about who and what Tobias was, I thought the reasons provided were  really the only possible ones. To some degree, I liked that there was not a happy, rainbows and butterflies ending to everything.  There was balance between the happy and not so happy.

There was only one moment that I was just a little let down by. Without giving any spoilers, I will just say that the very last chess game Avery plays in the book was a little anticlimactic. It was missing a little of the emotional release. There was so much tension and so much at stake that it was just over. I was left with that “Really? That’s it?” Through it all, Avery learned how to think and act like a Hawthorne and that truly is the only reason that everything ended the way it did.

Where does this land on my bookshelf?

Top Shelf!!  The entire series sits happily at the top of my shelf. As a series, it was engrossing and thought-provoking while being upbeat and fun. All the books are quick and easy reads because they hook you and never let go until the very end. There are elements woven throughout that really show that the characters are emotionally driven and are more than what they were created to be, especially Grayson. The Hawthorne boys are brilliant characters, and I would love to play Hawthorne Chutes and Ladders. (Even though there were some elements to the game that you just have to take for granted or overlook because it didn’t make sense. But who cares? It was great!) I really can’t say enough about how great this book is and the series as a whole. The concept of the Final Gambit, which is a chess term, is perfectly symbolic of the entire path Avery has traveled to get to the end. I’m a little sad that it’s over, but I know that Barnes will create more fantastic work in the future.

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