This is a 5-star for all 3 books in the series,: Tidelands, Dark Tides, and Dawnlands.  The characters are unforgettable.  Lady Livia Avery may be one of the most cunning, intelligent, and horrifying female characters I've read in a book.  And Alinor is one of the wisest, endearing, strong and powerful female characters I've ever read in a book, and Alinor has a tragic and unforgettable love story to boot.  Phillipa Gregory has such a magic touch as an author of placing you in historical settings in a real and authentic way and bringing the characters of those eras to life. 

I loved this series and highly recommend.