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As a broad overview I would say that the book dragged, repeated information and conversations, was riddled with inconsistencies, and played host to one of the least likable protagonists. I had several moments of delight and was excited by the historyAs a broad overview I would say that the book dragged, repeated information and conversations, was riddled with inconsistencies, and played host to one of the least likable protagonists. I had several moments of delight and was excited by the history of the world(s), but there wasn't enough to save the overall story for me.
The first third of the book completely relies on the reader's want to find out what the connection is between Acotar world and Midgard while the other two POVs it cuts to are a slog. I absolutely loved the Acotar scenes, even seeing characters I normally hate (Amren and Rhysand) was so much fun. I thought the magic bean was clunky and that the memory orb is so easy to get now that Rhysand is married and doesn't have to make an excuse to dress Feyra up and have her dance on him. (Dying that they now know about giant robots). But Nesta! Nesta!! She was everything. I loved her relationship with Azriel, big sis lil bro. I loved the Mask scene. I loved how Bryce saw her. Nesta was the only thing getting me through.
I did not love how Bryce betrayed them again and again and again. What was the point except that the author didn't know how else to add tension to drag out the part? The worm could have just attacked, Bryce didn't have to get her infected blood all over the place. The Prison is supposed to have shadow guards. Personally I thought the character interaction and history was enough to keep me invested. I think the fact that she hurts and betrays them weakens the story later.
I did love the history, the star, the harp room. But I hated how Bryce handled it, it wasn't giving Queen, it wasn't giving future leader. How can she go from being disgusted by Theia and her actions to endangering this whole world by opening that coffin? I also found it really confusing that she wouldn't want an alliance with Rhysand, someone from a world that has beaten the Asteri before OR that she didn't go to Hel to get the army that she was so desperate to recruit at the end of book two, but rather went back to Midgard.
Ithan and the gang have the same conversation at least three times. I thought there were some cute moments, like the boys sharing a room, but this entire plot point was just too long and for what? Sigrid has to die? To push Ithan to become Prime? We got nothing of Tharion's addiction which could have really driven character interaction and given us bonding moments. Nothing more is given for Flynn and Declan and Marc than they've done in previous books. (Pls note! the cheek kiss between Declan and Marc so you remember they're gay! Pls also note this is all we ever see from Juniper and Fury--who also got totally sidelined again. Why have SO many characters if the majority are never used.)
Not a fan of the fight to the death decapitation plot point either because it felt like everything that was built in book two had zero pay off for Sigrid. I was stunned that she died? But not in a good way. I'm still like how in the world did he punch her entire head off? Did we forget that Declan and Flynn are cops, they didn't have to sit there for this? Also Ariadne! Isn't it wild that one of the few things said to kill Asteri is dragonfire and she is absent for basically the whole book. On that note we have Hunt, Lidia, the Autumn King, and Cooper/Emile, (and Cormac!! You could have survived!)--and if the Asteri are Valg than Hypaxia and Declan too--that all have powers that can defeat Asteri and yet none of those players get used. Even teleporting with Apollion would have been a better plan than wing it. But I'm getting ahead of myself–
The torture gang. I feel like I don't have much to say about this, clearly the author was more focused on being gross and shocking rather than giving these parts any substance. I would have liked to see more character interaction. The part where Rigelus comes in and takes Hunt's lightning is so good in my opinion, that's the sort of tension I want in a torture scene. But that was about it for 30 chapters. Ruhn's hand got chomped, but I'm let down that it isn't more of a trauma later for Ruhn or Baxian. And while Hunt on page experiences trauma he's literally not allowed to express it, like where is the Bryce that gave him a bath and tucked him into bed? She doesn't have to do all that, but she doesn't even want him to not look happy for a second.
I did love the escape, loved the fire sprites. They are so fun, so cute. That whole scene had a perfect amount of tension and Ruhn crying and loving his friends is what I love about Ruhn. But then. While I loved the jump (And good job for once Tharion) I hated what came next. She is literally DOA, brains spilling out into the ocean, idk what happened to her legs. Hunt, on a hunch, revives her with his lightning. Off page. Why can't we have Hunt POV for this? It comes up later so I think it would serve the story to actually show it. The next bit makes me wish Lidia had stayed dead.
Her actions with her kids are so selfish. She does not need to insert herself into their lives. Being adopted can already be hard but like hey kids! Remember that rebel attack like three weeks ago where all those agents, some you probably knew, died and the Hind was there, ON TV, talking about putting those rebels down? That is your mom! I'd want nothing to do with her either.
I'm supposed to sympathize with her but I can't. Nothing about the kids plotline is well done. Don't even get me started on Brannon (or Spring Court) and how little sense the timelines make. Please explain to me how someone accidentally shoots someone and then ties their foot to a cinderblock and throws them in the ocean. And she also was annoyed at Ruhn not getting over her being the Hind? Like girl you kill people! Did she pay that guy to come thank her in front of Ruhn to get him to drop it? Jk but 👀 Even if she's a doubleagent that does not grant her forgiveness. At least Baxian owns up to what he did.
To go back to Bryce I really disliked how we get her lying to us the readers again "Oh no the last thing she wants to be is in the Autumn King's house" when pages later she'll whip out the evil cackle "All according to plan" speech. I am baffled why she is not forging any kind of alliance. She saw Nesta kill an Asteri with fire. Her dad is said to be the strongest Fae in the city and has fire. But she's only there to Girlboss and be obnoxious. The potential of Einar is completely destroyed and we're left with the hints of his story untold. If he's supposed to be so unlikable then put that on the page for us readers.
Speaking of Bryce's lack of leadership, she goes on to insult and have one of the most painfully dumb interactions with the Ocean Queen, a being who was there before the Asteri, has been fighting them, and has an army. And Bryce only wants to sass her and get on her bad side. Also this was the reuniting and where things really got bad for Hunt (yeah I know he was tortured). His wife wants him to shut up even though they just have to sit and wait to get to Avellen. She shuts him down with "What about me!" the second he asks for some comfort from her--Baxian ends up being more understanding and supportive than Bryce.
And then we meet another ruler who has hints of not being fully for the Asteri like Einar. And here Bryce goes again throwing away any glimmer of an alliance. With someone who has an Asteri proof island.
A list of things I hated in this next section:
-the pointless research mission and obsession with islands -the whole thing with Sathia--just a way for the author to use cheap and empty feminism -Finally! Seeing the Cave of Princes and it being boring -Bryce ditching the boys (also Declan dated one twin, give me something juicy here) -The kings deaths (but Celestina who actually sold you out and resulted in the whole torture thing can live) -the Harpy and absence of Mordoc/dreadwolves -no one cared about Ithan! -Hypaxia ousted off page (also her and Ruhn never spoke) -the parasite makes almost no sense -finding the cure so fast -everything with Pollux finding the kids -Baxian and Fury sidelined. Split the Asteri up! -that horrible video they put out, like guys make a script, suit it to your audience -everything with the River Queen -Bryce telling Hunt she needs his power--oh oops! She meant him! -Bryce -Bryce -Bryce
The trip to Hel was... underwhelming. Like what do you mean they've known the whole time? That they planned for so long but technically Hypaxia and Einar could have handled this whole Asteri mess alone? It's just so weak. Cool Hunt is a prince of Hel kid I guess but why make such a big deal out of his name being Orion?
The final parts I enjoyed of the last third of the book:
-Jesiba reveal! -Ithan with the humans when the attack starts -Ruhn getting his full powers! -Conner!!! I loved seeing the brothers together and all of Ithan's parts from here on, while detracting from the main plot, were fun for me. -Apollion's face being a black hole! -When everyone held the rift open! -Seeing Danika and Conner and Lehabah and the gang!
NESTA! I was dying at this point into the book so happy to see her again! Also with Rhysand's approach, hilarious! I was living for this moment. I HATE Rhysand but I was d y i n g for him to get there. This was the most fun I had in the book. But this is where I think Bryce shouldn't have alienated Nesta. Because Nesta giving her the mask is HUGE but it feels like wait what why? I love Nesta helping and trusting her, but I wish the connection between them had given us a better pay off. (I do like how the Mask seems bored by Bryce and Hunt though but I hate how easily they wear it.) I loved Nesta having Ember stand up for her.
As a small sidenote, hated that Bryce did not give the Fallen a choice like she said she would. And somehow the big huge mech suits are still such a background element in the story. I wish the bit with Shahar could have been touching if only we hadn’t established in book 2 she was just using Hunt and didn’t truly love him as a person.
The final confrontation fell flat for me. I didn't feel scared of the Asteri at any point. It's annoying that Hunt is supposed to have been strong enough to power up Bryce but woe he doesn't have enough juice if only there was a cure for his parasite that would give him a power boost! So many wasted smoking guns. Also. Why is it that archangels also slow time when they die? It’s cool but why is it the same as the Asteri? We’ll never know.
I don't get going for the battery verses just killing the Asteri. (And how they run out of firstlight?? When she just broke the Asteri's battery, not the city's. Also why wouldn't people donate small bits of their power, THAT WILL REPLENISH, to power the city? If I could do that I would.) I don’t get how Rigelus couldn’t predict where Bryce would be even when all her attacks were going for the battery.
I can’t even get into how much Bryce and Hunt cheapened what the Mask was.
I thought we were getting hints of Bryce's power, Theia's power, corrupting her into a villain arc and that she would have to choose love (Danika's favorite) over her new powers over becoming a queen. But instead we got the same played out death and rebirth we've had before. I don't know why Hunt can't save her with his lightning like he did Lidia or even the Harpy. It just feels like poor planning.
I feel like there's a dozen things I haven't even touched on. But I'm left with disappointment. Bryce didn't seem to care about anyone except for when the plot said she had to, her Feminism ™ dismantling the system moment is so surface level. She doesn't bother thinking a step beyond "It's not my problem" but also somehow keeps Avallen for herself? Like girl you can't have both. Hunt was treated terribly, all the other characters were sidelined, and Bryce you did not reunite the Fae by visiting with Azriel and Nesta only to try to get them killed. Make it make sense.
It feels like the author gave up on the series, especially seeing how many plot points from this very book are totally ignored.
I also wanted to point out that I found the scene of the humans in the city getting bombed very suspect considering the backlash, however small, SJM has been getting for her past words on Israel. To include the scene and also have Bryce cry over the news reports struck me as almost like breaking the fourth wall without actually having to support Palestine in her real life. I don't know what to make of it really except that it bothered me....more
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