The Burning Kingdoms

March
I was most excited for him and his story/character arc, and was so disappointed when his romance with Edyon turned into his only personality trait in the 2nd book. I was soooo excited for him because his premise was an indigenous boy who seeks to avenge his slaughtered people. He literally survived a GENOCIDE of his ENTIRE PEOPLE (whose survivors were enslaved) and his fuel and motivation for living at the very beginning was to find closure for his people. I thought we would get development of genocide of indigenous peoples and their abhorrent treatment, how the wrongs can be righted, and exploration of land reclamation but...it just devolved into this romance with some idiot twink.

I still very much enjoy his character though, and although 99% of his motives revolved around Edyon in this book, I was still happy with where he ended up and how his story concluded. I love his little smart mouth and how much of a sarcastic shit he is, and some of his quips are always the funniest in the entire series lol

“March[, you] look like you’re going to pee in your pants.”

March bent down to rub his palms on his trousers and muttered, “Fuck you, Your Highness,” before standing upright, hauling his arm back, and throwing.
—
“I’m not really the helping sort. What sort are you, March?”
“Generally pissed off. And really pissed off when people point spears at me.”

And I guess his ending and conclusion with his people and their land is satisfying enough :”)

Edyon
Okay I lied, I actually don’t LOVE him, but I do like him a lot now more than I have in previous books. He started out as a dumb and horny twink whose only personality trait was fetishizing an indigenous person of color and Boys, and his thing as a “thief” was half-baked even to the end and really unnecessary. But his kindness, wit, gentleness, and care for other people really shined through in this book, and by the end I could see that he would actually make a very fine ruler, and am very glad he’s in the position he is now.

The constant “I MISS MARCH!!!!” and “I MISS EDYON!!!!” in their respective chapters was...so frequent it was a little irritating, but I skimmed these parts so it didn’t bother me too much this time around lol. I could appreciate their romance more in this book than the others, where I found it grating and annoying.

Catherine
I liked her a lot in this book, much more than in the 2nd, where her power-hungriness was a big turn off, and her random purple smoke addiction was annoying, as well as her stringing along both Ambrose and Tzsayn. Here she finally makes a decision, and, OH GOD, her relationship with Tzsayn is so TT_TTTTTT I’m happy for her development and where she is now, with a balance between her ambition and autonomy and tempering it with her love for Tzsayn and developing alongside him.

Tash
I love this little girl so much lol. I loved her relationships with the demons and her eventual care and finding a father figure in Geratan :( Not much to say because I just love her little shit character and the action of her chapters.

Ambrose
I feel so bad for Ambrose constantly getting shit on by (it seems) every single reviewer who’s read this series, but he’s actually one of my top favorites, along with Tzsayn and the Pitorian soldiers/guards (I WOULD LITERALLY GIVE MY LIFE FOR ALL OF THEM I LOVE THEM SO MUCH).

But he has so many good qualities, including his deep love for his loved ones, his unwavering loyalty and faith, his tenderness and willingness to let go of Catherine for her own happiness, at the expense of his own. I really love his character, his ideals, morals, sense of justice, etc. He never fully lets go of his jealousy for Tzsayn, but he’s developed so much and doesn’t let it drag him down anymore, or take it out on other people.

His fighting skills and prowess were really showcased well in the first book (BADASS SWORDSMAN AND SKILLED AF SOLDIER ILYSM), glossed over in the 2nd, but really shined in the 3rd book. I love his leadership skills and how it’s shown how he excels at it, how he commands and leads so well, and really loved the opportunities and positions he was given to lead, the love, trust and loyalty his soldiers and other people put in him, and their faith in his skills.

I love his autonomy AWAY FROM CATHERINE that we get to see in this book, how he starts focusing less on living for her and trying to find a purpose for himself. I understand that he thinks of lives as threads and that meaning is found when they’re interconnected; I understand that he places much of the meaning of life on living for the ones he loves, and that life without relationships is pretty meaningful. That’s what makes it even more tragic that he loses his entire family and only has Catherine, who eventually “leaves” him for Tzsayn (although I do like to feel they’ll always be connected and love each other). But I love that he begins finding life worth living for himself and starts enjoying the freedom of life he’s always liked but never had the chance to pursue before, traveling and riding like he’s always wanted, and finding a sense of home again :”)

Ambrose had lost all his family and his home, but throughout it all Catherine had been his shining light, the person that had kept him hopeful. He’d clung to Catherine as they’d escaped Tornia, and clung to her even more as they’d crossed the Northern Plateau after leaving Rossarb. She had been his rock when all else was lost. And now he couldn’t hold her anymore. He wasn’t sure what else he had to anchor him.
———
Could he do it? Did he want to do it? Ambrose felt like gathering Catherine in his arms and sweeping her away. But this wasn’t the Catherine of even just a few weeks ago. The girl had gone, and now there was a woman. Well, he was a man to match her. He stood straighter, his head up. “I’ll fight, Catherine. I’ll lead the attack into the demon world. But not for you, or for Tzsayn, or even for Pitoria, but for me, my family, and Brigant.”

“He’s awake?”

“Awake but weak. If you could encourage him to rest, Your Majesty, that would help.”

“I’ll do my best, but he has a will of his own.” And he always claimed he was well even when he was clearly feverish or in pain. What was it about Tzsayn that made him unable to admit to weakness, even to himself? Catherine remembered the first time they had met, on her arrival in Tornia, how proud and aloof Tzsayn had appeared. She’d learned a little more about him since then—and, yes, he was proud, but he was not aloof at all. He loved his family and his country. He was intelligent, witty, extremely brave, and aware that his life hung on a thread that could snap—or be cut—at any moment.

AFTER HIS father had ridden off to the border wall, Edyon had followed all the instructions he’d been given. “Stay in the castle”—he’d stayed in the castle. “Let Byron protect you”—he’d definitely let Byron protect him. “The castle is impregnable”—he’d heard that one before.

“Fight to the death and then keep on fighting.”

“Fight to the death and then keep on fighting.”