Review: Into the Bright Unknown (The Gold Seer Trilogy #3) by Rae Carson

Summary from Goodreads:

Leah Westfall, her fiancé Jefferson, and her friends have become rich in the California Territory, thanks to Lee’s magical ability to sense precious gold. But their fortune has made them a target, and when a dangerous billionaire sets out to destroy them, Lee and her friends decide they’ve had enough—they will fight back with all their power and talents. 

Lee’s magic is continuing to strengthen and grow, but someone is on to her—someone who might have a bit of magic herself. The stakes are higher than ever as Lee and her friends hatch a daring scheme that could alter the California landscape forever. 


With a distinctive young heroine and a unique interpretation of American history, Into the Bright Unknown strikes a rich vein of romance, magic, and adventure, bringing the Gold Seer Trilogy to its epic conclusion. Includes a map and an author’s note.

My Review:


What I Liked:

Characters. It was great to come back to these well-written characters. Lee as always was my favorite character and she was the main point of view of the novel. Carson did a such a good job of crafting characters that you love over these three books. I would have liked to read more with them or more in the town of Glory. 

Audiobook. I was struggling to get into the print version so I picked up the audiobook. It was good idea because the narrator (as the voice of Lee) did a great job. The pacing was slow but the format made it easier to read. 

Setting/Historical Elements. I'm really enjoying these historical novels with a fictional twist (example, the And I Darken Series by Kiersten White or The Diviners by Libba Bray). This was another great example of a fantasy/paranormal novel that uses history to create a rich setting. 

World Building/Magical Elements. The novel introduces a new character and the idea that there are more people with powers similar to Lee's. I'm hoping this means that Carson is expanding the universe and we will get more from this world in the future! :D 

What I Disliked:

Pacing. I felt that compared to book two (which was intense) this one was a lot slower. It lacked the action and intensity of the other books in the series. 

Magic. The novel somewhat focuses on Lee's power but I would liked more about it or the other magical elements. 

Plot. The second book in the series was a five star read for me. This was an a good book but was lacking the action and intensity from the previous novels. I would have liked to see more of a conclusion and more of a focus on Lee's powers.

I recommend checking out this twist on the Gold Rush, it has great characters and a intriguing plot. 

My Rating:

4 Stars Out of 5 Stars