a fantastical culmination

It's rare to find stories about actual monsters and characters beyond humanity. This series has been a wonderful listen and left me in tears quite a few times, yet not as much as this last book, I think it's last? I really hope we'll see much, much more from the author.

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Genuinely Amazing

This series is honestly one of my favourites of all time. I noticed a lot of people had some issues with the ending, but I found it perfect, if not a little jarring.
I rarely have an emotional response to media as a whole let alone a book, but I actually happy-cried after the last chapter.
I can't imagine a better ending and as much as id love more of this series, I hope it never gets continued.

I've also been listening to her other series and while not as captivating, this is an author I will stand by and recommend to anyone.

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Repetitive Moralising

These books have always had the themes of "What makes a person evil beyond redemption", and "Can a naturally evil being find and maintain goodness". With Natalie doing a fantastic job of juggling this theme, creating a narrative to support/question it, explaining/exploring a new world and magic system. That Natalie is gone, or someone who looked over their shoulder to current their focus is. The internal analysis in the first book showed Vita mumbling to herself and Penelope freezing time to scheme. While later characters like Lark need the heavy relience of internal processes to function effectively. It never overstayed it's welcome or felt like paddy.

The Repetitive thoughts are the problem. The author doesn't leave time for questions to sit. The character will come up with an answer within that same conversation, driving home the feeling of "Why do this during a fight scene?". Or the question will go unanswered until the very next character that the story jumps to. Who brings up the same or a very similar question and answers it. The experience is nonsensical, and leaves you tempted to skip forward.

SPOILERS for Horizon Zero Dawn: The game opens with the main character asking about her mother, the middle of the game explains who her mother was, the end of the game shows the main character finding her mother. Natalie's approach to an overarching theme is the polar opposite. No breathing room between her core themes.

Look, every character that you've come love is here. There are a lot of great reunions and team ups. How the world was created is in here. This is a story that was thought through and has great things to say. If they ever released an abridged version that focuses on the events, not what the characters think of said events, I'd recommend it.

Lastly because it must be said, where art thou Jessica? Penelope and Lark are the only two who suffer greatly from this. This voice actress is not bad just not...

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A brilliant story with a few tiny flaws

The book was fantastic in so many bits and stretches. It has been the capstone of a series that was, to me, as novel and interesting as can be. A whole new concept for a universe that spans a similar-yet-different reality, with plenty of intrigue and wonderful themes, conflict and lots of moments where one questions morality and choices.
It however has some parts where this book in particular goes away from the shine and becomes a bit dull. Not because of the skill with which the chapters were written, but because of the emphasys that feels like the author had a checklist of interactions to do and story strands to finish up.
The beginning of this book was brilliant, it kept interesting up 'till the midway point, but then it delved down a bit too much (in my oppinion) in the inter-character drama and with too many moments of closure or catharsis for the conflicts and drama that were set up in previous books. Thankfully the book picks up after those few chapters and brings the story together into an amazing and heartwarming conclusion.

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I love the descriptions of the bug people so much

God did I love this series man. I understand this is the final which is sad if it is but its amazing

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I loved it but...

I liked just about everything about all 4 books. However during book 4 I utterly hated Vita. Other than that, thank you for this story!

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Lovely

I loved the 1st books. And didn't expect this one to be even better, but it is!

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adored the ending

I've just finished and there are tears of joy in my eyes. I could not have asked for a better ending to the series.

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Ima be honest, this is a mid way review, I will edit if my opinion changes.*edited

At first I was nervous with a new narrator but honestly she picked up the role really really well, I’m currently on chapter 9 so probably earlier than mid way but so far this is a brilliant continuation, I haven’t laughed the much in a while but I love it, I’ve binged the entire series over the space of a few days and I couldn’t love this more, definitely tempted to make some artwork of the series as there is a massive lack of fan art out there !!


Okay so this is the added section, I loved this book, despite the ending, as a few have already mentioned, it’s rather jarring, up until the last few chapters it’s amazing and officially one of my favourite stories, but the last few chapters unfortunately soured the taste, don’t get me wrong I see how it came to the conclusion it did, however it feels rushed. I would love more stories in this setting though as it’s been a brilliant journey. I’m not sure I have much more to add honestly

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95% Charater Development 5% Over reaching and convoluted

It's unfortunate that the narrators changed. With 4 changing POVs and being used to their old voices it became hard to differentiate.

Anyway, this book was so good with its character development, dialogue and self evaluation of themselves it pains me that it also goes completely over the shark within the last few chapters.

Damn apart for the last few chapters I'd recommend this just for the dialogue and character development...the rest is eeh.

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1 person found this helpful