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Can a Clan that has turned on itself ever truly recover?
The fate of all Clanhood hangs in the balance. After killing Harelight and pronouncing himself leader of RiverClan, Splashtail's thirst for power has only grown.
Soon his greed threatens the safety of not only RiverClan but all Clans. Yet Splashtail's trickery knows no bounds, and the Clans find themselves in more danger than they could have imagined. Only one thing is certain: They will have to work as one to defeat Splashtail before he tears them apart.
The fate of all Clanhood hangs in the balance. After killing Harelight and pronouncing himself leader of RiverClan, Splashtail's thirst for power has only grown.
Soon his greed threatens the safety of not only RiverClan but all Clans. Yet Splashtail's trickery knows no bounds, and the Clans find themselves in more danger than they could have imagined. Only one thing is certain: They will have to work as one to defeat Splashtail before he tears them apart.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published November 5, 2024
About the author
Erin Hunter
289 books11.1k followersErin Hunter is the pseudonym of five people: Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, Tui T. Sutherland, Gillian Philip, and Inbali Iserles, as well as editor Victoria Holmes. Together, they write the Warriors series as well as the Seekers and Survivors series. Erin Hunter is working on a new series now called Bravelands.
Erin Hunter is inspired by a love of cats and a fascination with the ferocity of the natural world. As well as having a great respect for nature in all its forms, Erin enjoys creating rich mythical explanations for animal behavior, shaped by her interest in astronomy and standing stones.
Erin Hunter is inspired by a love of cats and a fascination with the ferocity of the natural world. As well as having a great respect for nature in all its forms, Erin enjoys creating rich mythical explanations for animal behavior, shaped by her interest in astronomy and standing stones.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
November 5, 2024
"For the first time in forever, she was looking forward to tomorrow."
Welcome, Frost of RiverClan. Even though , I am so, so happy for this little kitty.
This book broke me in the best way. <3
November 6, 2024
I cried multiple times. This all feels so strangely topical at the moment. I love the parallels between Frostdawn and Sunbeam. I love Frostdawn. Her story is so personal to me and inspiring. I loved the choices for leader and deputy. While this arc as a whole wasn't always my favorite and felt kind of disjointed and slow at times, I loved this book. I loved the ending. I just wish that Warriors could find another plotline besides the whole "evil leader/false leader taking over" trope. We've gotten that the past 3 arcs, we need something new.
It's a Warriors book, of course I loved it.
It's a Warriors book, of course I loved it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2024
Firstly, this book should be Warrior Cats: Mommy Issues.
Secondly, as a new mom, the threats against kits hit me a lot harder than when I was in high school.
And thirdly, I don’t think I’ve ever had a warrior book make me cry. For some reason, the Nine Lives leadership ceremony was by far the most beautiful one ( though maybe I should read Firestars again!) This ceremony was such a sigh of beautiful relief after everything that happened to Riverclan. A very fast paced book until Splashtail’s death. But I’m content.
Secondly, as a new mom, the threats against kits hit me a lot harder than when I was in high school.
And thirdly, I don’t think I’ve ever had a warrior book make me cry. For some reason, the Nine Lives leadership ceremony was by far the most beautiful one ( though maybe I should read Firestars again!) This ceremony was such a sigh of beautiful relief after everything that happened to Riverclan. A very fast paced book until Splashtail’s death. But I’m content.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2024
I'll forever love these silly little trauma filled cat books but this one was especially good
November 25, 2024
This series reminded me so much of what the early series got right when it came to plot and characters. One of the best of the newer arcs by far! I loved it.
November 20, 2024
thoroughly obsessed with frostpaw's character arc and her struggles, especially in the latter half of the book. i think this was a really good ending to this arc, and wrapped everything up super neatly. HOWEVER...
villain was too identical to the last arc. i dont think thats enough for me to take a star off, because i still really loved the last arc and this one, but i wish there was more unique villains in this series (however, since they're all cats, I see where limitations come in).
now we just wait for moonpaw to save the clans yet again NEXT TIME ON WARRIOR CATS..
villain was too identical to the last arc. i dont think thats enough for me to take a star off, because i still really loved the last arc and this one, but i wish there was more unique villains in this series (however, since they're all cats, I see where limitations come in).
now we just wait for moonpaw to save the clans yet again NEXT TIME ON WARRIOR CATS..
January 18, 2025
guess it’s time to admit I’m getting too old for those books because why are those cats BEING SO STUPID
November 22, 2024
I am once again sobbing about fictional cats, but at least this time it's from happiness.
December 7, 2024
Solid three stars. This book wasn’t bad, but I was hoping for more in the arc finale.
I’m going to try and keep most of this review about this book solely, but I am going to mention some things that the whole arc fell short on, too. So, for starters, the writing style of ‘Star’ is kind of weird. I’m not sure I like the new Erin writing style. I enjoyed it for the first few books, but now that it seems to be permanent (and we FINALLY got to see how it works in a fight scene), I’m not too impressed. It’s hard to tell if the slightly disjointed feeling is from the POVs of the characters or because of the actual way the authors or writing, but either way something is definitely off. I can’t put my finger on what it is, but some scenes feel way too brushed over while others get far too much focus. The fight scenes felt very out of place, too, but that’s just because the Erins seem to have forgotten that WARRIOR cats are supposed to fight, so we haven’t had any since last series.
The plot of this book was really annoying. Berryheart’s trick at the beginning screamed trap so loud it must have deafened all the characters, since they forgot to have brains and immediately fell for it. Berryheart’s motivations also make no sense, so that made the trap and her death scene infinitely worse. Splashtail dying halfway through the book was an interesting idea, and I liked that the authors tried to play around with Frostpaw’s character at the end to fill the space, but I don’t think that was done too well. The whole dream sequence she kept having was the same stuff over and over again, repeating from the rest of the arc.
Therein lies the biggest flaw with this book (and arc), I think. Nothing was original. Like, not even close. I said in my ‘Wind’ review that Splashtail was a boring Tigerstar wannabe, and I stand on that. The authors tried to make him interesting by making him hallucinate Curlfeather, but that isn’t interesting unless it impacts his choices and, more importantly, we get to SEE IT impact those choices. So I guess we needed a Splashtail POV. Add that to the list of things Warriors will never do: give us a villain POV. Anyways, back to the inoriginality of the book. The ShadowClan takeover just felt like AVoS again. Sunbeam worried about Berryheart all book (just like last one) and acted as a window rather than a character (like every female Warriors protagonist ever). Nightheart brought back his Firestar legacy plot for two seconds to show how much he’s grown (unnecessary, because that plot should have been resolved in book 2), and Frostpaw has the same worries over and over again that she’s had all series. It was just so repetitive it was boring. Even the RiverClan plot sucked, going back as far as the start of the series. The RiverClan cats have no agency because apparently they lost their brains with Mistystar, so they fail to recognize the obvious solution to the problem (that shouldn’t even have been a problem because Splashtail was obviously evil to anyone who looked at him): just kill Splashtail. The cats even suggest this, and Frostpaw ends up doing it, yet the RiverClan cats couldn’t do it before because they were too scared of the ONE CAT who could stop them.
The whole arc, honestly, is frustrating to look back on when every plot point comes from the contrived uselessness of its characters. I’m disappointed.
Characters.
Frostdawn was easily the best this book. I love her new warrior name, and I’m so glad that she got to kill Splashtail. I was a bit worried the Erins wouldn’t let our main (female) character do something so ‘evil’, but I’m glad they did. It brought her arc of fearing him to a satisfying resolution. I do wish her dream sequences had more original content, or at least were shorter, but overall I have little to complain about. She’s probably the only sane character who works to further the plot at all, so I have to like her.
Nightheart ends the series as a supporting character again with an anticlimactic capture and fight in the RiverClan camp. I do like his relationship with Sunbeam (if you ignore the journey mess from book 4), and I love that he actually does seem to be friends with Frostpaw. Otherwise, he was mid.
Sunbeam is a lost cause to me. The same as every other female Warriors protagonist ever, she is reduced to being a pair of eyes watching the action, contributing little, and having a mate. Ugh. Her relationship with Berryheart was easily the most interesting part of her character this book, but even that was spoiled a bit for me because Berryheart’s motivations made about 0 sense. I liked how her relationships with ShadowClan and ThunderClan are portrayed, and I’m excited to see if her kits will be relevant (they won’t). Other than that, I’m sad to see her wasted potential. RIP sassy Sunbeam.
Villains.
“Can we have Tigerstar?”
“We have Tigerstar at home.”
Tigerstar at home: Splashtail.
RIP Curlfeather, who could have been the best Warriors villain since. . . Well, Tigerstar. Or Mapleshade, if you count her.
Yeah. A disappointingly average end to the arc. Is it worth hoping next arc is better?
I’m going to try and keep most of this review about this book solely, but I am going to mention some things that the whole arc fell short on, too. So, for starters, the writing style of ‘Star’ is kind of weird. I’m not sure I like the new Erin writing style. I enjoyed it for the first few books, but now that it seems to be permanent (and we FINALLY got to see how it works in a fight scene), I’m not too impressed. It’s hard to tell if the slightly disjointed feeling is from the POVs of the characters or because of the actual way the authors or writing, but either way something is definitely off. I can’t put my finger on what it is, but some scenes feel way too brushed over while others get far too much focus. The fight scenes felt very out of place, too, but that’s just because the Erins seem to have forgotten that WARRIOR cats are supposed to fight, so we haven’t had any since last series.
The plot of this book was really annoying. Berryheart’s trick at the beginning screamed trap so loud it must have deafened all the characters, since they forgot to have brains and immediately fell for it. Berryheart’s motivations also make no sense, so that made the trap and her death scene infinitely worse. Splashtail dying halfway through the book was an interesting idea, and I liked that the authors tried to play around with Frostpaw’s character at the end to fill the space, but I don’t think that was done too well. The whole dream sequence she kept having was the same stuff over and over again, repeating from the rest of the arc.
Therein lies the biggest flaw with this book (and arc), I think. Nothing was original. Like, not even close. I said in my ‘Wind’ review that Splashtail was a boring Tigerstar wannabe, and I stand on that. The authors tried to make him interesting by making him hallucinate Curlfeather, but that isn’t interesting unless it impacts his choices and, more importantly, we get to SEE IT impact those choices. So I guess we needed a Splashtail POV. Add that to the list of things Warriors will never do: give us a villain POV. Anyways, back to the inoriginality of the book. The ShadowClan takeover just felt like AVoS again. Sunbeam worried about Berryheart all book (just like last one) and acted as a window rather than a character (like every female Warriors protagonist ever). Nightheart brought back his Firestar legacy plot for two seconds to show how much he’s grown (unnecessary, because that plot should have been resolved in book 2), and Frostpaw has the same worries over and over again that she’s had all series. It was just so repetitive it was boring. Even the RiverClan plot sucked, going back as far as the start of the series. The RiverClan cats have no agency because apparently they lost their brains with Mistystar, so they fail to recognize the obvious solution to the problem (that shouldn’t even have been a problem because Splashtail was obviously evil to anyone who looked at him): just kill Splashtail. The cats even suggest this, and Frostpaw ends up doing it, yet the RiverClan cats couldn’t do it before because they were too scared of the ONE CAT who could stop them.
The whole arc, honestly, is frustrating to look back on when every plot point comes from the contrived uselessness of its characters. I’m disappointed.
Characters.
Frostdawn was easily the best this book. I love her new warrior name, and I’m so glad that she got to kill Splashtail. I was a bit worried the Erins wouldn’t let our main (female) character do something so ‘evil’, but I’m glad they did. It brought her arc of fearing him to a satisfying resolution. I do wish her dream sequences had more original content, or at least were shorter, but overall I have little to complain about. She’s probably the only sane character who works to further the plot at all, so I have to like her.
Nightheart ends the series as a supporting character again with an anticlimactic capture and fight in the RiverClan camp. I do like his relationship with Sunbeam (if you ignore the journey mess from book 4), and I love that he actually does seem to be friends with Frostpaw. Otherwise, he was mid.
Sunbeam is a lost cause to me. The same as every other female Warriors protagonist ever, she is reduced to being a pair of eyes watching the action, contributing little, and having a mate. Ugh. Her relationship with Berryheart was easily the most interesting part of her character this book, but even that was spoiled a bit for me because Berryheart’s motivations made about 0 sense. I liked how her relationships with ShadowClan and ThunderClan are portrayed, and I’m excited to see if her kits will be relevant (they won’t). Other than that, I’m sad to see her wasted potential. RIP sassy Sunbeam.
Villains.
“Can we have Tigerstar?”
“We have Tigerstar at home.”
Tigerstar at home: Splashtail.
RIP Curlfeather, who could have been the best Warriors villain since. . . Well, Tigerstar. Or Mapleshade, if you count her.
Yeah. A disappointingly average end to the arc. Is it worth hoping next arc is better?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2024
This book starts right before Ivypool’s Heart and ends a. little after that that story.
So this book ends the Starless Clan series. Overall I thought this one was one of the better book 6s. The villain is dealt with and there is 100 pages or so left.
We get the second part of the story resolved with Riverclan. This book sort of resolved the whole Riverstar’s Home plot with cat yoga meditation. It will be interesting to see if the next series addresses that more.
But in the end, one of the better conclusions.
So this book ends the Starless Clan series. Overall I thought this one was one of the better book 6s. The villain is dealt with and there is 100 pages or so left.
We get the second part of the story resolved with Riverclan. This book sort of resolved the whole Riverstar’s Home plot with cat yoga meditation. It will be interesting to see if the next series addresses that more.
But in the end, one of the better conclusions.
February 2, 2025
January 2025 Okay, it was a little tiresome at first with the endless fighting and the million times characters were explaining things to each other that I as the reader already knew about, but I really loved how this book ended! I felt a real connection with our main characters by the end, and all the resolutions were very satisfying. I love Icestar as a leader for RiverClan, and I really liked the choice of making Owlnose deputy. I also felt like I knew all of the cats in RiverClan a lot better by the end, which is nice when it's felt a lot lately like I have no idea who almost anyone is in many of the Clans (like, remind me who tf Eaglewing is again? lol). I love how Frostdawn was written while she was basically choosing whether or not to live; it felt realistic, and like the stakes were actually high, and I could understand what she was going through.
Basically, a very satisfying conclusion to this arc! If I could change just one thing, though... We all know Whistlebreeze and Frostdawn should be a thing. It's so disappointing that this series isn't allowed to have LGBTQ+ characters, because they would be so sweet together. I like that Icestar was the one who sang the loudest to bring Frostdawn back, but it would have hit so much better if it was Whistlebreeze. Aaaaanyway, that's my tangential opinion. Great book, looking forward to the next arc (even though from the sound of it, it's going to be super duper weird!)!
Basically, a very satisfying conclusion to this arc! If I could change just one thing, though... We all know Whistlebreeze and Frostdawn should be a thing. It's so disappointing that this series isn't allowed to have LGBTQ+ characters, because they would be so sweet together. I like that Icestar was the one who sang the loudest to bring Frostdawn back, but it would have hit so much better if it was Whistlebreeze. Aaaaanyway, that's my tangential opinion. Great book, looking forward to the next arc (even though from the sound of it, it's going to be super duper weird!)!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2024
Yeah this was not good. I’d go so far as saying it was actively bad. After how entertaining the first half of the arc was, I was really looking forward to this ending, but it totally fell flat for me. Frostpaw had really grown up a lot after the events of previous books and it felt like she’d matured into a someone her Clan could rely on to help fix everything. This book just ripped that development away from her. The Erins love torturing this kid, and it’s not even sad anymore, it’s just annoying. Like, really, you’re going to pile some more trauma on her? Again? Is that really necessary?
Instead of Frostpaw waking up after killing Splashtail ready to get RiverClan back into shape, she sleeps for six chapters straight bemoaning her awful situation. She has the right to be mad and feel like she’s been betrayed and that she’s had an awful time, but it’s the fact she’s reduced to this helpless baby by the narrative. Everyone pities her for the entire book, it’s insane! She’s been through a lot but she’s not a baby anymore! She’s warrior-aged! For god’s sake, treat her with some respect! Instead everyone is telling her to calm down and the Erins force her to have uncharacteristic arguments for the sake of her sounding young, immature, and impatient. Frostpaw shouldn’t be any of those things anymore after the previous books! She’s proved her maturity!
Maybe it’s because deep down I wanted Frostpaw to become leader, but I’m really bitter about this ending. Icewing contributed so little to this arc, and wasn’t even around for most of Star, and now for some reason she’s the leader of RiverClan now. She’s barely younger than Mistystar was, I’m just so sick and tired of this shit. Froststar would’ve been surprising and interesting, and I feel it was well built up to in books 1-5. But in book 6 they went back to referring to her as “young”, “tiny”, etc and I just knew it wasn’t happening. I feel like Erins had no idea what the end result would be of this arc because Icestar makes no sense whatsoever and I’m so bored. The start of this arc was so fun and exciting, but now I’m just so over it. It got dragged out way too long, they fell back on reusing old tropes, literally nothing has changed.
Oh, and Sunbeam is reduced to yet another background Mom/Wife. Cool.
Instead of Frostpaw waking up after killing Splashtail ready to get RiverClan back into shape, she sleeps for six chapters straight bemoaning her awful situation. She has the right to be mad and feel like she’s been betrayed and that she’s had an awful time, but it’s the fact she’s reduced to this helpless baby by the narrative. Everyone pities her for the entire book, it’s insane! She’s been through a lot but she’s not a baby anymore! She’s warrior-aged! For god’s sake, treat her with some respect! Instead everyone is telling her to calm down and the Erins force her to have uncharacteristic arguments for the sake of her sounding young, immature, and impatient. Frostpaw shouldn’t be any of those things anymore after the previous books! She’s proved her maturity!
Maybe it’s because deep down I wanted Frostpaw to become leader, but I’m really bitter about this ending. Icewing contributed so little to this arc, and wasn’t even around for most of Star, and now for some reason she’s the leader of RiverClan now. She’s barely younger than Mistystar was, I’m just so sick and tired of this shit. Froststar would’ve been surprising and interesting, and I feel it was well built up to in books 1-5. But in book 6 they went back to referring to her as “young”, “tiny”, etc and I just knew it wasn’t happening. I feel like Erins had no idea what the end result would be of this arc because Icestar makes no sense whatsoever and I’m so bored. The start of this arc was so fun and exciting, but now I’m just so over it. It got dragged out way too long, they fell back on reusing old tropes, literally nothing has changed.
Oh, and Sunbeam is reduced to yet another background Mom/Wife. Cool.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2025
LOVE LOVE LOVE SO DAMN MUCH!!!!! The end was awesome and a perfect way to end the arc!! Can’t wait for the next arc to come out!!!!!!! SO EXCITED!!!! 😆
November 21, 2024
ugh such a good end to this arc. despite it being a slow burn, i’m so happy with how it ended (i love 🧊🪽 (aka ⭐️!) and am sooooooooo happy for riverclan and frostdawn <3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2025
Loved the ending! Didn’t love this series as a whole.
January 4, 2025
Rating: 8 out of 10
A great final installment for what has cemented itself as one of my favorite Warriors arcs so far! I do have some criticisms for this book, but in general I found it a satisfying conclusion both plot and character wise.
The indisputable highlight of this book (and perhaps of the arc in general) is Frostdawn. I swear her writing just kept getting better and better with each installment, and it was immensely gratifying to see her character grow from an anxious apprentice to a capable and self-assured adult. As far as classic heroes in this series go, she even tops the likes of Firestar. Her rivalry with Splashtail, similarly, was perfectly handled and ended in one of the most exciting fight scenes I've read from the Erin Hunter team. Finally, her chapters during the time she spent while in a comma were the perfect character exploration she needed to properly give a conclusion to her character arc, which was lovely and heartwarming enough to be a certified tear-jerker.
And if one fascinating main character wasn't enough, we've actually got two! Sunbeam was nothing short of phenomenal here, and her writing in relation to Berryheart was everything I had hoped for and more. Berryheart's burial scene is, I believe, the best example of this. Go read it if you haven't, or go reread it if you have. It's amazing.
Onto the parts I didn't love as much, even though I don't exactly dislike Nightheart, it definitely feels as if his character arc already finished some books ago and here he felt more like an addition to Sunbeam than anything else. I really wish the Erins weren't afraid of just skipping his chapters, especially near the end of the book, which would've made his point-of-view a lot more bearable. I also strongly believe the arc should've ended with Frostdawn's chapter rather than his.
Splashtail's final development also didn't live up to my expectations. His relationship with Curlfeather and delusional (who was also great, by the way!) were the best parts of his character in this book, as shown by his death scene and the prologue specifically, but it often felt like the authors couldn't quite figure out what direction they wanted to take with him and his motivations, and as a result he ended up being a very stereotypical and dull villain.
Finally, there's the RiverClan succession drama. I don't particularly consider this to be a negative part of this book, but it really wasn't all that either. I didn't have very high expectations for this resolution as the previous books hadn't set up anything truly interesting and the real options for leader were rather limited, but it was still a little underwhelming when looking at the bigger picture. Icewing does get some spotlight in Ivypool's Heart, but I don't particularly like the fact that these latest Super Editions are becoming almost required reads to understand the writing choices and plot progression. On the other hand, Owlnose as deputy was a great choice, especially given the character development he goes through in Star.
Overall, this was a great Warriors arc that's sure to please classic fans, and although I wish the authors had taken more risks with it, I still loved it and it was a pleasure to read!
A great final installment for what has cemented itself as one of my favorite Warriors arcs so far! I do have some criticisms for this book, but in general I found it a satisfying conclusion both plot and character wise.
The indisputable highlight of this book (and perhaps of the arc in general) is Frostdawn. I swear her writing just kept getting better and better with each installment, and it was immensely gratifying to see her character grow from an anxious apprentice to a capable and self-assured adult. As far as classic heroes in this series go, she even tops the likes of Firestar. Her rivalry with Splashtail, similarly, was perfectly handled and ended in one of the most exciting fight scenes I've read from the Erin Hunter team. Finally, her chapters during the time she spent while in a comma were the perfect character exploration she needed to properly give a conclusion to her character arc, which was lovely and heartwarming enough to be a certified tear-jerker.
And if one fascinating main character wasn't enough, we've actually got two! Sunbeam was nothing short of phenomenal here, and her writing in relation to Berryheart was everything I had hoped for and more. Berryheart's burial scene is, I believe, the best example of this. Go read it if you haven't, or go reread it if you have. It's amazing.
Onto the parts I didn't love as much, even though I don't exactly dislike Nightheart, it definitely feels as if his character arc already finished some books ago and here he felt more like an addition to Sunbeam than anything else. I really wish the Erins weren't afraid of just skipping his chapters, especially near the end of the book, which would've made his point-of-view a lot more bearable. I also strongly believe the arc should've ended with Frostdawn's chapter rather than his.
Splashtail's final development also didn't live up to my expectations. His relationship with Curlfeather and delusional (who was also great, by the way!) were the best parts of his character in this book, as shown by his death scene and the prologue specifically, but it often felt like the authors couldn't quite figure out what direction they wanted to take with him and his motivations, and as a result he ended up being a very stereotypical and dull villain.
Finally, there's the RiverClan succession drama. I don't particularly consider this to be a negative part of this book, but it really wasn't all that either. I didn't have very high expectations for this resolution as the previous books hadn't set up anything truly interesting and the real options for leader were rather limited, but it was still a little underwhelming when looking at the bigger picture. Icewing does get some spotlight in Ivypool's Heart, but I don't particularly like the fact that these latest Super Editions are becoming almost required reads to understand the writing choices and plot progression. On the other hand, Owlnose as deputy was a great choice, especially given the character development he goes through in Star.
Overall, this was a great Warriors arc that's sure to please classic fans, and although I wish the authors had taken more risks with it, I still loved it and it was a pleasure to read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2026
Can a Clan that has turned on itself truly recover?
Frostpaw is one of my favourite new characters in the Warriors Universe🥰 you survived everything thrown at you. And yes, after all that trouble, I would have clawed down that dark hole and never got out again.
Splashtail was one delulu🙃 such a coward, power hungry little... you had it coming.
RiverClan survived, history repeating, and how one should learn from history.
I felt there are hidden subtle things dropped and wondering if it would be brought up again🤔
For now, peace is among the clans❤️
Now, I will have to wait for the new series to be released in paperback so I can binge read them again🥰 now my wait will begin, and I will be avoiding the Internet like a plague🙈
This series is still one of my comfort reads, and I can't wait to see what is in store for our clans.
Frostpaw is one of my favourite new characters in the Warriors Universe🥰 you survived everything thrown at you. And yes, after all that trouble, I would have clawed down that dark hole and never got out again.
Splashtail was one delulu🙃 such a coward, power hungry little... you had it coming.
RiverClan survived, history repeating, and how one should learn from history.
I felt there are hidden subtle things dropped and wondering if it would be brought up again🤔
For now, peace is among the clans❤️
Now, I will have to wait for the new series to be released in paperback so I can binge read them again🥰 now my wait will begin, and I will be avoiding the Internet like a plague🙈
This series is still one of my comfort reads, and I can't wait to see what is in store for our clans.
January 13, 2026
i think this series had a lot of potential, like a LOT of potential, im just sad Nightheart's arc kinda fell off. Sunbeam's and Frostpaw's mutual mommy issues were great though, the 4th star is for Frostpaw and Frostpaw alone.
June 6, 2025
Thunderclan needs to get targeted by a TNR program STAT I swear. No clan should have more than FIFTY cats at a time.
March 24, 2025
4.8
I thought it was a really good ending
the thing is its hard try to keep track of who is related to who!!!! THERE ARE to many cats!!!
But nevertheless, it was a really good book and FrostDawn is my favorite!!!!!!!
I thought it was a really good ending
the thing is its hard try to keep track of who is related to who!!!! THERE ARE to many cats!!!
But nevertheless, it was a really good book and FrostDawn is my favorite!!!!!!!
September 30, 2025
Another one finished. Omg, I started reading these books 8 years ago.
As a whole, A Starless Clan was a pretty decent arc. However, I would argue that Star was a superb finale for the arc.
Frostdawn's arc, which started off reasonably strong, blossomed in its fusion with Riverstar and the Park, peaked at the Curlfeather twist in Thunder, and fizzled out almost completely in Wind, gets an excellent conclusion in this book. Wind had Frostpaw running around like a headless chicken (cat?) not really doing anything but here, she gets a great story that resolves a character arc that started off reasonably well in River. Her battle with Splashtail was especially well done. Frostdawn has never been an amazing character, especially when compared to Sunbeam or Nightheart, but her last few chapters that took place in her dreams were outstanding. Her conversations with Curlfeather and Jayclaw were very well done and her inner conflict was something that had been alluded to several times throughout her story but never fully capitalized on, and here, they did just that.
Sunbeam's relationship with Berryheart and the way their arc ends was suitably depressing, even if the actions that led to Berryheart's death felt a little out of character. Owlnose killing her seemed excessive, but I liked the aftermath of the scene and the way that the fallout was handled, especially the vigil scene and the scene at the Gathering where Mothwing gives Sunbeam closure. Sunbeam has blossomed into a wonderful character, a typical Warriors character who is defined by her relationships with others, namely Berryheart and Nightheart. However, this allows for her character to be a tremendous foil and this has allowed her to be arguably one of the best Warriors protagonists ever. Of course, she's only second place in this arc...
Nightheart's arc in A Starless Clan is, for lack of a better word, fucking amazing. Beginning as Flamepaw, Nightheart's rejection of Firestar's legacy is a microcosm of Warriors as a whole, a series that has found it very difficult to escape the legacy of its greatest character. Nightheart's journey to prove himself as his own character rather than being an echo of his ancestor places him in an upper echelon of Warriors protagonists, accompanied only by Jayfeather, Gray Wing, Ivypool, and Firestar. Nightheart's ending scene, surrounded by Sparkpelt, Sunbeam, and Finchflight, three of the most important cats in his life, echoes the ending of The Darkest Hour, with Firestar surrounded by Graystripe, Sandstorm, and Bramblepaw and this mirroring, as well as Nightheart's acceptance of his lineage, ends a wholly fantastic character arc. Nightheart's story is among the most relatable in all of Warriors. The feeling of not being accepted for who you are and forging your own path, rather than being what others expect, a theme echoed by not only Nightheart but also by Frostdawn and Owlnose, is a hugely understandable sentiment. The brilliance of this story ensures Nightheart’s ending as a fantastic conclusion for a fantastic character.
Star enters the pantheon of Warriors books that are only a few steps below the elusive five star novels, and caps off a pretty good series on a high note.
Arcs ranked:
1. Dawn of the Clans
2. The Prophecies Begin
3. The Broken Code
4. Omen of the Stars
5. The New Prophecy
6. A Starless Clan
7. Power of Three
8. A Vision of Shadows
Finales ranked:
1. The Darkest Hour
2. The Last Hope
3. Path of Stars
4. A Light in the Mist
5. Star
6. Sunset
7. Sunrise
8. The Raging Storm
As a whole, A Starless Clan was a pretty decent arc. However, I would argue that Star was a superb finale for the arc.
Frostdawn's arc, which started off reasonably strong, blossomed in its fusion with Riverstar and the Park, peaked at the Curlfeather twist in Thunder, and fizzled out almost completely in Wind, gets an excellent conclusion in this book. Wind had Frostpaw running around like a headless chicken (cat?) not really doing anything but here, she gets a great story that resolves a character arc that started off reasonably well in River. Her battle with Splashtail was especially well done. Frostdawn has never been an amazing character, especially when compared to Sunbeam or Nightheart, but her last few chapters that took place in her dreams were outstanding. Her conversations with Curlfeather and Jayclaw were very well done and her inner conflict was something that had been alluded to several times throughout her story but never fully capitalized on, and here, they did just that.
Sunbeam's relationship with Berryheart and the way their arc ends was suitably depressing, even if the actions that led to Berryheart's death felt a little out of character. Owlnose killing her seemed excessive, but I liked the aftermath of the scene and the way that the fallout was handled, especially the vigil scene and the scene at the Gathering where Mothwing gives Sunbeam closure. Sunbeam has blossomed into a wonderful character, a typical Warriors character who is defined by her relationships with others, namely Berryheart and Nightheart. However, this allows for her character to be a tremendous foil and this has allowed her to be arguably one of the best Warriors protagonists ever. Of course, she's only second place in this arc...
Nightheart's arc in A Starless Clan is, for lack of a better word, fucking amazing. Beginning as Flamepaw, Nightheart's rejection of Firestar's legacy is a microcosm of Warriors as a whole, a series that has found it very difficult to escape the legacy of its greatest character. Nightheart's journey to prove himself as his own character rather than being an echo of his ancestor places him in an upper echelon of Warriors protagonists, accompanied only by Jayfeather, Gray Wing, Ivypool, and Firestar. Nightheart's ending scene, surrounded by Sparkpelt, Sunbeam, and Finchflight, three of the most important cats in his life, echoes the ending of The Darkest Hour, with Firestar surrounded by Graystripe, Sandstorm, and Bramblepaw and this mirroring, as well as Nightheart's acceptance of his lineage, ends a wholly fantastic character arc. Nightheart's story is among the most relatable in all of Warriors. The feeling of not being accepted for who you are and forging your own path, rather than being what others expect, a theme echoed by not only Nightheart but also by Frostdawn and Owlnose, is a hugely understandable sentiment. The brilliance of this story ensures Nightheart’s ending as a fantastic conclusion for a fantastic character.
Star enters the pantheon of Warriors books that are only a few steps below the elusive five star novels, and caps off a pretty good series on a high note.
Arcs ranked:
1. Dawn of the Clans
2. The Prophecies Begin
3. The Broken Code
4. Omen of the Stars
5. The New Prophecy
6. A Starless Clan
7. Power of Three
8. A Vision of Shadows
Finales ranked:
1. The Darkest Hour
2. The Last Hope
3. Path of Stars
4. A Light in the Mist
5. Star
6. Sunset
7. Sunrise
8. The Raging Storm
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2024
Best WC book so far, I think. I love Frostpaw and Night/Sun's relationship. It almost seems like parent and daughter. Night and Sun will make amazing parents! I wish there was more FrostWhistle content, however. I know this ship is forbidden, but that is what would make it so appealing. Also I think such a...special ship would inspire a lot of readers. Just a consideration! I also wonder if DF cats will be allowed redemption after this... like Berryheart and Curlfeather weren't necessarily bad cats, just traumatized and lost.
Again, 5/5 stars. I'm definitely outgrowing Warriors, but this was still a good book.
Again, 5/5 stars. I'm definitely outgrowing Warriors, but this was still a good book.
December 10, 2024
Was hoping for a bit more from the book as it's the series finale (or so one would think after all this time).
November 6, 2024
Important connections
I truly enjoyed the character growth in this arc. The friendships forged betweent Nightheart, Frostdawn, Whistlebreeze and Sunbeam were proven to be unconditional. Seeing how courageous Frostdawn handled her responsibilities and the crisis was inspiring. But, I was a bit disappointed that Galestar was not part of Icestar's naming ceremony and the connection to Stormclan (Ivypool's Heart) was not explained in the arcs resolution. It was hinted that the side quest would be directly responsible/influence the outcome. Maybe in the next arc it will be explained a bit more.
I truly enjoyed the character growth in this arc. The friendships forged betweent Nightheart, Frostdawn, Whistlebreeze and Sunbeam were proven to be unconditional. Seeing how courageous Frostdawn handled her responsibilities and the crisis was inspiring. But, I was a bit disappointed that Galestar was not part of Icestar's naming ceremony and the connection to Stormclan (Ivypool's Heart) was not explained in the arcs resolution. It was hinted that the side quest would be directly responsible/influence the outcome. Maybe in the next arc it will be explained a bit more.
November 12, 2024
honestly, this whole era of wc gave maga vibes and mommy issues so I’m happy for it to be over. onto the next !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2025
9/10 Now this was great! For the full review, go to my website
Pre-book release: Frostpaw looks so wonky. And what’s wrong with their paws??? Excited for the book though.
Pre-book release: Frostpaw looks so wonky. And what’s wrong with their paws??? Excited for the book though.
November 26, 2024
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the warrior cats series. It has been so good but this book just fell flat for me.
⚠️SPOLER ALERT!!⚠️READ FURTHER AT YOUR OWN RISK!!
I got so frustrated with this book to the point I wanted to throw it across the room. Half of the characters are stupid and the main villian or antagonist is just weak. Splashtail has to threaten kits to get his point across and isn't even a good villian. All he did was kill a cat cold blooded and threaten kits and now he's a BIG BAD VILLIAN!! Yes, I do understand he murdered reedwhisker and curlfeather but the other cats DONT KNOW. ONLY frostpaw knows. The original tigerstar didn't have to threaten kits. Other villians did worse things. I feel like this book was made lazily because the main villian DIES HALFWAY THROUGH THE BOOK. Also the entire river clan but like 4 cats are SUCH IDIOTS. It frustrated me so much, they were like "OH!! HES THREATNING A KIT SO WE JUST HAVE TO OBEY HIS ORDERS AND TAKE OVER EVERY CLAN" Like NOOOOOO. I respected when the other clan leaders tried saying how they could have just jumped him cause that's exactly what I was thinking but NOOO. These idiots really said "He was holding a kit hostage, we couldn't do anything" But the thing is, is they could have. They had more than enough times to turn on him, specifically during the shadow clan ambush. This book was just annoying and felt rushed. I wish Splashtail would have lasted longer but he was such a weak villian. I wish we got to see more of his manipulation. Splashtail feels like a much weaker Darktail though, all he did was try to take over every clan and MISERABLY FAILED. I also don't know how the other cats didn't see that he was delusional, he was talking to himself (or curlfeather) and really thought he had nine lives and even tried convincing frostpaw during his final moments. It's like, JUST FIGHT HER. Also Berryheart was a PAIN. All Sunbeam did was try to defend her when she did the most despicable things. I understand berryhearts her mother but berryheart literally led shadowclan into an ambush and assisted in taking it over. And even after that she was apparently loyal to shadowclan?!? Like WHAT!?!? I understand she has trauma from darktail but BE SO FR, Not her being traumitized but then following a cat (splashtail) whos basically a weaker version of darktail? I feel like this book was made JUST to keep fans happy and keep the series alive, otherwise I was extremely disappointed. I'm giving this a high rating because I love the series but otherwise this would be a 1 or 2 probably. If there's another arc I hope it's better then this. After reading most of Erin hunters books this is probably the worst I've read. Another frustrating thing was whenever a good battle was about the happen, the chapter just had to end and a new pointless pov started and then by the time we get back, the battles over. That happened in this book and I got SO MAD. Basically nightheart had to fight Gorseclaw because Splashtail ONCE AGAIN threatned the kits and they're about to battle and then BOOM, Suddenly it's frostpaws pov where she's YAPPING to squirrelstar about EVERYTHING WE JUST READ. Once we get FINALLY get back to nighthearts pov, the battle is over and has been skipped. Also Skyclan kits get captured and leafstar doesn't even speak. Nope, I don't think she does the ENTIRE BOOK, maybe once or twice but still she doesn't have anything to say, not after her clans kits get kidnapped. And now we yap about frostpaw. I understand she's been through trauma but all she did was yap and yap and argue and argue till they gave in like SHUT UP. YES YOUR MOM DIED, YES YOU WERE USED, BUT YOU DONT NERD TO TAG ALONG ON EVERY LITTLE THING. Also she argued with duskfur and got mad when icewing told her to shut up. Like YES SHUT UP. THE WORLD DOESNT REVOLVE AROUND YOUUU. I Don't know, this whole book just annoyed me. I hope the next ones are better. So sorry about yapping guys.
Thank you for reading!! Like I said I love this series but this book fell flat.
⚠️SPOLER ALERT!!⚠️READ FURTHER AT YOUR OWN RISK!!
I got so frustrated with this book to the point I wanted to throw it across the room. Half of the characters are stupid and the main villian or antagonist is just weak. Splashtail has to threaten kits to get his point across and isn't even a good villian. All he did was kill a cat cold blooded and threaten kits and now he's a BIG BAD VILLIAN!! Yes, I do understand he murdered reedwhisker and curlfeather but the other cats DONT KNOW. ONLY frostpaw knows. The original tigerstar didn't have to threaten kits. Other villians did worse things. I feel like this book was made lazily because the main villian DIES HALFWAY THROUGH THE BOOK. Also the entire river clan but like 4 cats are SUCH IDIOTS. It frustrated me so much, they were like "OH!! HES THREATNING A KIT SO WE JUST HAVE TO OBEY HIS ORDERS AND TAKE OVER EVERY CLAN" Like NOOOOOO. I respected when the other clan leaders tried saying how they could have just jumped him cause that's exactly what I was thinking but NOOO. These idiots really said "He was holding a kit hostage, we couldn't do anything" But the thing is, is they could have. They had more than enough times to turn on him, specifically during the shadow clan ambush. This book was just annoying and felt rushed. I wish Splashtail would have lasted longer but he was such a weak villian. I wish we got to see more of his manipulation. Splashtail feels like a much weaker Darktail though, all he did was try to take over every clan and MISERABLY FAILED. I also don't know how the other cats didn't see that he was delusional, he was talking to himself (or curlfeather) and really thought he had nine lives and even tried convincing frostpaw during his final moments. It's like, JUST FIGHT HER. Also Berryheart was a PAIN. All Sunbeam did was try to defend her when she did the most despicable things. I understand berryhearts her mother but berryheart literally led shadowclan into an ambush and assisted in taking it over. And even after that she was apparently loyal to shadowclan?!? Like WHAT!?!? I understand she has trauma from darktail but BE SO FR, Not her being traumitized but then following a cat (splashtail) whos basically a weaker version of darktail? I feel like this book was made JUST to keep fans happy and keep the series alive, otherwise I was extremely disappointed. I'm giving this a high rating because I love the series but otherwise this would be a 1 or 2 probably. If there's another arc I hope it's better then this. After reading most of Erin hunters books this is probably the worst I've read. Another frustrating thing was whenever a good battle was about the happen, the chapter just had to end and a new pointless pov started and then by the time we get back, the battles over. That happened in this book and I got SO MAD. Basically nightheart had to fight Gorseclaw because Splashtail ONCE AGAIN threatned the kits and they're about to battle and then BOOM, Suddenly it's frostpaws pov where she's YAPPING to squirrelstar about EVERYTHING WE JUST READ. Once we get FINALLY get back to nighthearts pov, the battle is over and has been skipped. Also Skyclan kits get captured and leafstar doesn't even speak. Nope, I don't think she does the ENTIRE BOOK, maybe once or twice but still she doesn't have anything to say, not after her clans kits get kidnapped. And now we yap about frostpaw. I understand she's been through trauma but all she did was yap and yap and argue and argue till they gave in like SHUT UP. YES YOUR MOM DIED, YES YOU WERE USED, BUT YOU DONT NERD TO TAG ALONG ON EVERY LITTLE THING. Also she argued with duskfur and got mad when icewing told her to shut up. Like YES SHUT UP. THE WORLD DOESNT REVOLVE AROUND YOUUU. I Don't know, this whole book just annoyed me. I hope the next ones are better. So sorry about yapping guys.
Thank you for reading!! Like I said I love this series but this book fell flat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2026
By far, this series overall has moved to being one of my absolute favorites. This book made me cry several times. There was so much content and action and twists that actually had me on the edge of my seat. I obviously realized that Berryheart and Splashtail were tricking/scheming together when they came to ShadowClan. I knew there’d be a trap. But it was all so exciting to read. Splashtail was a great antagonist who was clearly insane all the way to the end. I thought perhaps he’s explain himself more when he was apprehended but no. He was so insane he didn’t even get that much. Curlfeather really had her claws deeply set into him. I really loved Sunbeam and Nightheart’s relationship over the course of this series. They’ve almost become my favorite couple in warriors. Second favorite maybe. I love how encouraging they are to each other and there’s absolutely nothing toxic about how they treat the other. They’re both genuine and both love each other and even though there are sometimes room for doubts, they always stay true to the other. Sunbeam and Nightheart are what mates should look like in the Clans. I also liked how Sunbeam followed Nightheart to ThunderClan even after everything she had for ShadowClan. He almost had joined for her but then couldn’t do it in the end. It said everything to me that even after she felt sorta hurt over the matter, she went after him instead of ending things right then and there.
But Frostpaw?…. Or should I say Frostdawn now? Which just so happens to be a spectacular and beautiful name for her after all she’s been through. I feel like I could relate very much with Frostpaw on so many levels. How she would feel so unheard or unimportant sometimes. Nobody would listen to her. And all she wanted was to feel loved and accepted. I absolutely loved Frostpaw/Frostdawn’a story. She’s become one of my all time favorite warrior cats characters now. Her entire journey and courage was AMAZING to read. I enjoyed her connection with Riverstar too. And all the many times the cats she loved most would betrayal her was searing and heart wrenching. But she would push on. I loved her. I thought perhaps she’d become leader of RiverClan with how much she put into her Clan. I thought perhaps she could be both leader and a medicine cat but Icewing was my next best choice…
Frostdawn holds a special place with me now. I cried when the cats sang her back into her existence and Icewing was there singing the loudest. I cried when she saw Jayclaw in StarClan and really wanted to stay. She was happy. She didn’t want to go back and put up with those same problems anymore. And the moment she remembered what fear felt like just from remembering her problems with RiverClan… I felt so moved for her.
She fought the hardest and had the most detailed fight with Splashtail in the end. I’m glad it was her who got to kill him. And how Harelight’s advice came back to her in the end and that’s how she ended up killing Splashtail…
Frostdawn is an incredibly strong character. And the fact that she chose to go back to the living. To again help RiverClan is so beyond me. She’s such a good cat. This book is one of my new favorite warriors books. It never had a dull moment for me. And I also cannot wait to see Nightheart and Sunbeam’s kits!!!
I’d give this an extra star if I could!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
But Frostpaw?…. Or should I say Frostdawn now? Which just so happens to be a spectacular and beautiful name for her after all she’s been through. I feel like I could relate very much with Frostpaw on so many levels. How she would feel so unheard or unimportant sometimes. Nobody would listen to her. And all she wanted was to feel loved and accepted. I absolutely loved Frostpaw/Frostdawn’a story. She’s become one of my all time favorite warrior cats characters now. Her entire journey and courage was AMAZING to read. I enjoyed her connection with Riverstar too. And all the many times the cats she loved most would betrayal her was searing and heart wrenching. But she would push on. I loved her. I thought perhaps she’d become leader of RiverClan with how much she put into her Clan. I thought perhaps she could be both leader and a medicine cat but Icewing was my next best choice…
Frostdawn holds a special place with me now. I cried when the cats sang her back into her existence and Icewing was there singing the loudest. I cried when she saw Jayclaw in StarClan and really wanted to stay. She was happy. She didn’t want to go back and put up with those same problems anymore. And the moment she remembered what fear felt like just from remembering her problems with RiverClan… I felt so moved for her.
She fought the hardest and had the most detailed fight with Splashtail in the end. I’m glad it was her who got to kill him. And how Harelight’s advice came back to her in the end and that’s how she ended up killing Splashtail…
Frostdawn is an incredibly strong character. And the fact that she chose to go back to the living. To again help RiverClan is so beyond me. She’s such a good cat. This book is one of my new favorite warriors books. It never had a dull moment for me. And I also cannot wait to see Nightheart and Sunbeam’s kits!!!
I’d give this an extra star if I could!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2026
3.5⭐️
Ok, so before I officially start this review I’d like to point out that when I was younger this was my favorite series ever. So, although I’ve changed, and my ratings for this series will never be as high as they once were, the quality of these books remains the same. It’s me that’s changed not the books. 😜
Back to the review!
It did take me a minute to get back into the books, (I’d forgotten so much) but when I did, I remembered why I used to love this series.
•the world building is truly amazing
•the characters are lovable, or at least well made
•and just all of it is downright awesome!
Now, being 14 this book isn’t exactly geared towards me, but anyone in this age range of 8-12 would absolutely adore this. (If they like cats of course)
The actual plot is very well done.
I love the all characters!
CHARACTERS
•Frostpaw, or should I say which btw, is a beautiful name. I loved her, she sometimes annoys me, but she’s sweet, caring, and truly does care about Riverclan.
•Sunbeam, I liked her as well, she’s a good cat. Though it did annoy me when she loved to think Berryheart would change her mind. (Which she didn’t) I did feel bad for Sunbeam, but at the end of the day she was fine. I mean she pregnant! (Side note: I think scorch, blaze, and torch would be adorable names for her kits!)
•Nightheart, I love how much braver he’s gotten, and how he’s glad to be part of Firestar’s line of kin. It is very understandable
•Splashtail,I kinda like him🤭🤪
But, yeah, overall this was a good book, and if you’re right in that age range I think you’d love it.
✌🏻~Katniss
Ok, so before I officially start this review I’d like to point out that when I was younger this was my favorite series ever. So, although I’ve changed, and my ratings for this series will never be as high as they once were, the quality of these books remains the same. It’s me that’s changed not the books. 😜
Back to the review!
It did take me a minute to get back into the books, (I’d forgotten so much) but when I did, I remembered why I used to love this series.
•the world building is truly amazing
•the characters are lovable, or at least well made
•and just all of it is downright awesome!
Now, being 14 this book isn’t exactly geared towards me, but anyone in this age range of 8-12 would absolutely adore this. (If they like cats of course)
The actual plot is very well done.
I love the all characters!
CHARACTERS
•Frostpaw, or should I say which btw, is a beautiful name. I loved her, she sometimes annoys me, but she’s sweet, caring, and truly does care about Riverclan.
•Sunbeam, I liked her as well, she’s a good cat. Though it did annoy me when she loved to think Berryheart would change her mind. (Which she didn’t) I did feel bad for Sunbeam, but at the end of the day she was fine. I mean she pregnant! (Side note: I think scorch, blaze, and torch would be adorable names for her kits!)
•Nightheart, I love how much braver he’s gotten, and how he’s glad to be part of Firestar’s line of kin. It is very understandable
•Splashtail,
But, yeah, overall this was a good book, and if you’re right in that age range I think you’d love it.
✌🏻~Katniss
February 11, 2025
Finally, I've finished reading A Starless Clan - what a great time it was! Maybe it's just recency bias, but I think this series was one of the best in Warriors history. It covered a lot of the same ground as The Broken Code but in a much more refined manner, with great pacing and characters.
Star itself was definitely one of the best books in the series. Kate Cary really put effort into her last book, and you can see it in all the exhilarating fight scenes and dramatic moments! This book in particular had a lot of battle scenes and they were fantastic. My favourite was Frostpaw's battle with Splashtail - the Achillies-style takedown actually made me gasp out loud! Berryheart's death and Owlnose fighting Splashtail were also highlights.
'"Did you think I couldn't hurt you?" Frostpaw darted behind him. If a cat can't stand, they can't fight! She sliced his heel, feeling her claws break flesh, carve muscle, tear sinew. Splashtail jerked around with a screech, but not before she sliced his other heel. He staggered back, hind legs collapsing beneath him."
Speaking of, our main characters all had their complicated-mother-relationship-arcs concluded! Nightheart's had already been mostly resolved before this point, but it was still nice to see at the end of the book that he and his loved ones had reached a compromise - he retained his stance that kits should be named on their own merits, not their ancestors', and his family respected that being compared to Firestar was a touchy subject. But, he also learnt to be less sensitive about it and to take their comparisons in good faith! It felt like a very realistic resolution and his restored relationship with Sparkpelt contrasted nicely with our other two main character's mothers, especially since Nightheart's family accepted in Sunbeam so openly.
'"Does everyone in our family have to be named after fire?" Nightheart huffed at his mother as he settled beside Sunbeam with his vole, but he wasn't angry. He was amused that, even now, Sparkpelt was trying to make sure her kin would be remembered as Firestar's descendants.
... "We're going to wait until our kits are born before we decide their names. We want to choose names that reflect who they are, not who their kin once were."'
Sunbeam's arc with her mother Berryheart was probably the strongest inter-personal relationship plotline in this book - it was painfully relatable and heartbreaking. From wanting her mother to be redeemed so desperately that it was basically a character flaw, to being saved from death by her, and having to grapple with the fact she was undoubtedly going to the Dark Forest, every thought and emotion felt so crushingly human. I'm certain that anyone who has struggled with unsupportive parents, such as queer or disabled people, will empathise with her like I did.
'...grief pierced her heart so sharply it took her breath away. Why couldn't Berryheart have felt the same way? Why did she have to be so sure when it hurt so many cats? When it hurt me? She swallowed back the lump rising in her throat. Why wasn't she just happy that I was happy?'
'"Sometimes, when she was still alive... I used to wonder if she'd stopped loving me. ...I thought I'd done something wrong. I thought, if i could have just been better or more like the warrior she wanted me to be, then she wouldn't have changed like she did. She wouldn't have become..." It was too hard to say.
"You didn't do anything wrong," Mothwing told her firmly.
...everything that had happened with Berryheart still seemed like a bad dream. But it wasn't my fault. Sunbeam lifted her chin and tried to blink away her sadness. I can be sure of that now, can't I?'
Curlfeather also made many appearances in this book which I loved. Her mangled dark-forest design was awesome and it felt so in-character that she stuck around to taunt Splashtail! We got her resolution with Frostpaw at the end, which was interesting but not as compelling as Berryheart's. They did contrast in a fun way though - Curlfeather was a seemingly loving mother but cared about what she could use her daughter for almost more than she cared about her daughter, while Berryheart was cold towards her daughter but sacrificially saved her for no reason other than love. Both died saving their daughters, but both went to the Dark Forest because that didn't negate their evil actions (which is great, because it's so annoying when a character gets 'redeemed' because of a single self-sacrifice!) I think Curlfeather would've been a more compelling character if they'd really pushed her genuinely loving Frostpaw, but I was satisfied enough with her ending.
'Curlfeather paused for a moment. She looked thoughtful. Frostpaw's pulse quickened. Hope snatched at her heart. Did Curlfeather finally understand?
"I'm sorry things ended up the way they did," her mother mewed at last. "I'm sorry I trusted Splashtail." She leaned closer. "I'm sorry for hurting you."
Disappointment dropped like a stone in Frostpaw's belly. "But aren't you sorry for murdering your deputy?"'
'Curlfeather had gone away from here forever, back to the Dark Forest, without ever having acknowledged the harm she'd done. Frostpaw felt heavy with grief. Had Curlfeather always had this darkness inside of her? Was I just too stupid to know?'
Splashtail was a compelling villain and did a much better job of being tyrannical than Ashfur in TBC. Using kits as hostages was a smart way to justify RiverClan obeying him instead of revolting - and the idea of responsibility the book grappled with was surprisingly thought-provoking. It made a strong effort to point out that people are responsible for their own actions, even if they were just following orders or threatened into compliance. I really liked that this one concluding book managed to fit in introspection on engaging themes amid all the action!
Well done Kate for delivering us such a wonderful conclusion to this arc. I'm excited to see where the story goes, with Icestar's leadership and Ivypool's Heart!
Star itself was definitely one of the best books in the series. Kate Cary really put effort into her last book, and you can see it in all the exhilarating fight scenes and dramatic moments! This book in particular had a lot of battle scenes and they were fantastic. My favourite was Frostpaw's battle with Splashtail - the Achillies-style takedown actually made me gasp out loud! Berryheart's death and Owlnose fighting Splashtail were also highlights.
'"Did you think I couldn't hurt you?" Frostpaw darted behind him. If a cat can't stand, they can't fight! She sliced his heel, feeling her claws break flesh, carve muscle, tear sinew. Splashtail jerked around with a screech, but not before she sliced his other heel. He staggered back, hind legs collapsing beneath him."
Speaking of, our main characters all had their complicated-mother-relationship-arcs concluded! Nightheart's had already been mostly resolved before this point, but it was still nice to see at the end of the book that he and his loved ones had reached a compromise - he retained his stance that kits should be named on their own merits, not their ancestors', and his family respected that being compared to Firestar was a touchy subject. But, he also learnt to be less sensitive about it and to take their comparisons in good faith! It felt like a very realistic resolution and his restored relationship with Sparkpelt contrasted nicely with our other two main character's mothers, especially since Nightheart's family accepted in Sunbeam so openly.
'"Does everyone in our family have to be named after fire?" Nightheart huffed at his mother as he settled beside Sunbeam with his vole, but he wasn't angry. He was amused that, even now, Sparkpelt was trying to make sure her kin would be remembered as Firestar's descendants.
... "We're going to wait until our kits are born before we decide their names. We want to choose names that reflect who they are, not who their kin once were."'
Sunbeam's arc with her mother Berryheart was probably the strongest inter-personal relationship plotline in this book - it was painfully relatable and heartbreaking. From wanting her mother to be redeemed so desperately that it was basically a character flaw, to being saved from death by her, and having to grapple with the fact she was undoubtedly going to the Dark Forest, every thought and emotion felt so crushingly human. I'm certain that anyone who has struggled with unsupportive parents, such as queer or disabled people, will empathise with her like I did.
'...grief pierced her heart so sharply it took her breath away. Why couldn't Berryheart have felt the same way? Why did she have to be so sure when it hurt so many cats? When it hurt me? She swallowed back the lump rising in her throat. Why wasn't she just happy that I was happy?'
'"Sometimes, when she was still alive... I used to wonder if she'd stopped loving me. ...I thought I'd done something wrong. I thought, if i could have just been better or more like the warrior she wanted me to be, then she wouldn't have changed like she did. She wouldn't have become..." It was too hard to say.
"You didn't do anything wrong," Mothwing told her firmly.
...everything that had happened with Berryheart still seemed like a bad dream. But it wasn't my fault. Sunbeam lifted her chin and tried to blink away her sadness. I can be sure of that now, can't I?'
Curlfeather also made many appearances in this book which I loved. Her mangled dark-forest design was awesome and it felt so in-character that she stuck around to taunt Splashtail! We got her resolution with Frostpaw at the end, which was interesting but not as compelling as Berryheart's. They did contrast in a fun way though - Curlfeather was a seemingly loving mother but cared about what she could use her daughter for almost more than she cared about her daughter, while Berryheart was cold towards her daughter but sacrificially saved her for no reason other than love. Both died saving their daughters, but both went to the Dark Forest because that didn't negate their evil actions (which is great, because it's so annoying when a character gets 'redeemed' because of a single self-sacrifice!) I think Curlfeather would've been a more compelling character if they'd really pushed her genuinely loving Frostpaw, but I was satisfied enough with her ending.
'Curlfeather paused for a moment. She looked thoughtful. Frostpaw's pulse quickened. Hope snatched at her heart. Did Curlfeather finally understand?
"I'm sorry things ended up the way they did," her mother mewed at last. "I'm sorry I trusted Splashtail." She leaned closer. "I'm sorry for hurting you."
Disappointment dropped like a stone in Frostpaw's belly. "But aren't you sorry for murdering your deputy?"'
'Curlfeather had gone away from here forever, back to the Dark Forest, without ever having acknowledged the harm she'd done. Frostpaw felt heavy with grief. Had Curlfeather always had this darkness inside of her? Was I just too stupid to know?'
Splashtail was a compelling villain and did a much better job of being tyrannical than Ashfur in TBC. Using kits as hostages was a smart way to justify RiverClan obeying him instead of revolting - and the idea of responsibility the book grappled with was surprisingly thought-provoking. It made a strong effort to point out that people are responsible for their own actions, even if they were just following orders or threatened into compliance. I really liked that this one concluding book managed to fit in introspection on engaging themes amid all the action!
Well done Kate for delivering us such a wonderful conclusion to this arc. I'm excited to see where the story goes, with Icestar's leadership and Ivypool's Heart!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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