Review of Labyrinth’s Heart by M.A. Carrick

Nothing like a brilliant conclusion to a story well told. I cried—happy tears and sad—and also cheered out loud a couple of times as I made my way through Labyrinth’s Heart. M.A. Carrick successfully sticks the landing, tying up a truly impressive number of loose threads to conclude this story of con artist Ren’s inadvertent quest to save the city of Nadežra. Thus concludes one of the best fantasy trilogies I have ever read.

Spoilers for the first two books but not for this one.

The Mask of Mirrors introduced us to Ren, aka Arenza, aka Renata. Donning multiple identities like so many cloaks, Ren begins a confidence scheme by posing as a farflung relative of the Traementis, one of the noble houses of Nadežra. Two books later, and Renata is officially a member of House Traementis—and attempting to balance her loyalties to this new family with her connections to her Vraszenian people, despite not knowing her clan, and her pledge to rid the city of the influences of Kaius Rex’s numinat-imbued medallions. After the events of The Liar’s Knot, Ren and her allies feel the pressure to find a way to destroy the medallions as soon as possible. Their corrupting influence only grows stronger. Meanwhile, the Great Dream approaches, as well as the conclusion to a Vraszenian grand cycle—and the Vraszenian rebels longing to free Nadežra of Liganti oversight are growing restless.

I’ve said this before and will say it again: more books need to include a “story so far” synopsis like this one does. Well done to the authors and editor!

Labyrinth’s Heart brings me such joy because it taps directly into a part of my youth that feels so distant. When I was in my preteens and teens, I would curl up in an armchair in our living room and read doorstopper fantasy for hours on end—we’re talking 600 to 800 pages, even more, Game of Thrones or later Recluce books, that kind of thing. Now in my thirties, I have responsibilities (groan), and such free time feels rarer—and all the more precious.

I also love how complex this narrative is. For some people, that’s a dealbreaker—most of the more critical reviews of this trilogy talk about the various names and plots making it too confusing. Hey, I can relate: I have never been able to get into the Malazan books for exactly the same reason. Can I explain why I bounce off those but not this trilogy? Of course not! So, as usual, your mileage may vary.

And look, I’m not going to pretend I hold in my head a complete understanding of the cultures, histories, and ideas contained herein. My brain kind of fuzzes out some of it, glossing over it just enough that I get the gist. Sometimes this means I miss subtle details—for example, although she was introduced as such in the previous book, it wasn’t until this book that I picked up on Esmierka (a very minor side character) being a trans woman! That’s neat. (In general, the low-key, queernormative vibe of Rook & Rose has been lovely.) For whatever reason, M.A. Carrick write in such a way that allows me to bob along the surface of the story, periodically diving deeper as and when I desire.

The complexity allows for so many interesting, overlapping stories. Pattern, threads, and weaving are all important motifs in this trilogy, and Carrick reify that with the nature of their plots as well. This isn’t just about destroying the medallions—it’s also about Vraszenian independence, about Ren learning more about her heritage, about Vargo and Alsius’s relationship, about Grey and Ren getting married … there is just so much going on, and all of it is interesting and complicated. Although Ren is a focal point, there are side characters like Koszar Andrejek who are off plotting their own plots regardless of what Ren decides she’s doing. Then you have the people who barely recognize Ren or her allies because of how big, far-flung, and insular the city can be. As a result, Nadežra truly feels like a living, breathing, London-sized city where our main characters have outsize yet not singular influence.

As important as these bigger plots are, however, Labyrinth’s Heart truly shines at the level of individuals and families. Ren’s confidence scheme comes to a head in this book: without going into spoilers, let’s just say her house of cards comes tumbling down in all the ways you might expect. Carrick unspools the ramifications in a realistic, sometimes heartbreaking way. It isn’t until the final few acts that we see the rays of hope we all want, and I was able to start cheering again. At the same time, through careful foreshadowing and even more overt dialogue, Carrick makes clear that even if some rifts are healed, others will remain open. Such is the consequence of making choices: Ren cannot be everything to everyone, and some of her identities must slip away if she is ever to have something real with others.

Nevertheless, one of the most powerful themes in this trilogy has always been about chosen family mattering as much as one’s family of origin. Not more, mind you—blood relation is still important to both the Vraszenian and the Liganti characters here, albeit in slightly different ways. Yet adoption was always a part of the Liganti nobility’s traditions, and the fluidity of Ren’s sense of belonging to various Vraszenian clans, along with the tradition of knot oaths, underscores how much one’s sense of belonging is far more than just blood. Labyrinth’s Heart is full of endings, yet it is also one, huge beginning.

Tanaquis remains a favourite character of mine—what can I say, I identify with character who seeks knowledge almost to the point of destruction!

Finally, although there is plenty of room for Carrick to further explore this universe, as far as Ren and Grey and Vargo’s stories go … I am satiated. It’s rare for me to say this. Usually after I finish a series, I beg for more—give me that sequel series. Show me these characters in ten years! I … don’t need that here. Indeed, if I have any criticism of this book, it is just how neatly Carrick wraps up all the threads. Having woven so many throughout the trilogy, the last act of this book is such a careful accounting that it almost feels too tidy by the end. Everything gets wrapped up, sometimes conveniently. I can’t deny, however, that it is satisfying.

Labyrinth’s Heart is a showstopping finale and powerhouse fantasy novel. If you like secondary-world fantasy set in a diverse city with powder-keg politics (quite, uh, literally) and a con artist protagonist, then what are you waiting for?