Why you should read the “Lumatere Chronicles” by Melina Marchetta
by me, caliphashazii
New covers are HOT (watch me go broke buying them HAHA /sobs)
SETTING• okay first things first• this is Skuldenore• many pronouns but that’s what
the map is for??• each kingdom has its own
culture and language/dialect!!• Our Queen Marchetta isn’t a
Lumatere-elist (despite the name of the series) so not all the cool customs goes to Lumatere
• like Charynites basically do the salsa when they dance and they’re like “Lumaterans and their stupid stomping dance- that’s not seductive~~”
• they even differ in how they make BREAD
• bread is important to me okay• idk
LUMATERE/PLOT• you got your rock
village, flatlands, river, monts, forest
• kingdom is cursed from 10 years ago or so when the first book starts
• half the people of lumatere are trapped inside with a crazy imposter king
• the other half is exiled and wandering skuldenore
• much sad • protect the royal family
at all costs• they’re too precious for
this world
finnikin says that in increasing order of strength is “rock, river, monts, flatlands, forest” but everyone disagrees with him
rule 1: finnikin is always wrong
FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK• namesake of the first book aayy
• son of the captain of the guard
• childhood bffs w/ prince balzathar and lucian of the monts (the prince’s cousin – more on him later)
• exiled but trying to get his people more rights and security
• SPEAKS SEVEN LANGUAGES LIKE A BOSS
• precious little ginger son
• gets called a ginger cat later hah
• constantly underestimates evanjalin BUT HE’LL LEARN
• really good story teller??
• (i just want him to read me a bed time story every night okay)
kind of looks like sam claflin here imo, but in reality has the star map freckles of eddie redmayne MERCY
EVANJALIN OF THE MONTS• is a BAE• poc female that’s too hot (hot
damn)• strong• humbling• ruthless• cunning• SASS QUEEN• puts finnikin in his place bc
honestly someone should• unafraid to talk about
menstrual cycles to men and make them squirm
• can’t say much bc spoilers• says some of the best quotes
honestly
art by me i’m sorry guys i tried
“because without our language, we have lost ourselves. who are we without our words?”
FROI• my son deserves his own slide
• trash king but I love him
• does something unspeakably horrible in the first book but marchetta must practice black magic bc you like him A LOT later like how?? how does she do it?
• pretty much gets adopted by finnikin, evanjalin & the guard (& everyone else lbr)
• also sassy af (basically everyone is if you haven’t gathered)
time
how
much
you lik
e h
im
art by me (again sorry!)“are you an idiot, or an idiot?” gargarin hissed.“the first one. i really resent being called the second.”
LUCIAN OF the MONTS•village idiot
•finnikin calls him a mountain goat
•myth: super smooth and charming
• reality: grumpy potato that gets called out by his grandma
BALTHAZAR• prince of lumatere & finnikin’s bff• basically everyone in book 1 is
looking for him• for other marchetta fans, he is
basically the jimmy hailler of lumatere everyone is trying to find
• heart of gold• adventurous protective type oh myTREVANION
•captain of the guard•finnikin’s dad•loves finn so much i cry
• “silent dark bear with an angry frown” according to evanjalin (accurate)•so in love with beatriss it hurts•oh yeah you def ship the older couples in
this series
PERRI THE SAVAGE•bffs w/ trevanion
• they have silent, long conversations through eye contact like seriously, friendship goals right here•has glares that could kill a man
• probs one of the most efficient killers ever don’t get on his bad side•best babysitter in the world imo
GARGARIN & ARJURO•TWINS•both are brilliant af•both are sassy af
• have so much pain and history between them i can eat angst for breakfast•still share a whistle after like 18 yrs
shoutout to•grijio of paladozza•de lancey of paladozza•TARIQ•saro of the monts•RaFUEl OF SEbastABOL•so many more jfc there’s so many
characters
such friendship~~
~AWESOME WOMEN~• this series is filled to the brim with them• strong women in that they don’t have to be strong physically
but they endure so much mentally and emotionally as well
LADY BEATRISS•precious angel•bold•beautiful•once slapped the captain of the guard•they got married soon after that•seriously will make you cry
LADY ABIAN•takes no shit from anyone•mother hen for everyone•super smart and sly•stands up for her beliefs•i’m in awe
TESADORA•NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE HOW
GREAT SHE IS•kind of a dark character actually•it’s so hot•finnikin said she’s one of the most
beautiful woman he’s ever seen•but she scares mostly everyone
shitless IT’S GREAT•“and if you believe it is men i hate,
you are wrong. i despise those who use force and greed as a means of control. unfortunately for your gender, such traits are found more often in the hearts of men than women. but place me in a room with those women who aligned themselves with the bastard king and i promise there will be a bloodbath i would relish soaking in.” SLAAAY
this is the trio. they will make soup and plot murder in their kitchens
art by leabharlann
SOME MORE AMAZING WOMEN
• PHAEDRA OF ALONSO: sweetest girl in the universe
• JAPHRA: best healer. i know… a woman?? in science?? blasphemy!!
• LIRAH OF SERKER: renders me illiterate bc she’s too great to put into words
• YATA: grandma goals
• TIPPIDEUX OF PALADOZZA: bossy as shit but incredible all the same
Phaedra & the baeart by me
“There were daggers, Finn. Women with daggers. Not just any women.”
QUINTANA• gets her own slide bc she’s the other bae
• some people hate her and i’m like ??? why do you hate yourself
• I CANNOT EVEN DEAL WITH HOW MUCH SHE’S BEEN THROUGH IN HER MERE 18 YEARS AND EVERYTHING SHE’S DONE TO PROTECT OTHER GIRLS
• nobody touch me
• okay she is somewhat loca but it’s what makes quintana quintana
• says the word ‘swive’ much to everyone’s distress
• will seriously pull at your heartstrings
• keeps wanting to adopt a puppy like seriously how can you not like her
Unknown source but someone pls let me know who the artist is!
“Yet here Quintana was, crawling through the bowels of a city for a kingdom of people who would never truly understand what she had sacrificed for them.”
IN CONCLUSION• just do yourself a favor an go read
it??
• fantasy genre but also talks about rape, loss, depression, family, friendships, language, LIFE LESSONS
• So many amazing characters, male & female
• queer characters and everyone accepts it!!
• the plot is AMAZING and just so unpredictable jfc
• the story is so funny when it’s not painful
• tHE shipS
• “It’s not a book it’s a religious experience” –everyone, probably
art by leabharlann