Just One More Chapter

Ok

::: deep breath::: 

Right off the bat I have to admit that I am little nervous... scared I won't do this series the justice it deserves. My mind is stuck in fangirl mode soooo basically it's mush. Coherent sentences may be beyond me at this point BUT I'll try.

I have loved this series with all of my heart since the very first chapter in An Ember In The Ashes. I have smiled and cried and raged and my heart has broken and mended so many times throughout this series that I am surprised it's not just a handful of shards unable to fit back together again properly. I am constantly blown away by Sabaa Tahir and her gorgeous mind, her amazing characters, her writing's tone and tempo and all around Majesty. She has the power to transport the reader directly into the middle of the action. I was there, living the story alongside the dynamic cast, and it was glorious.

This time around I enjoyed the series as an audiobook and now I can't see myself enjoying it any other way. In fact, I came to Audible for the ease and left with a transformative experience. Steve West and Fiona Hardingham will FOREVER be Elias and Laia to me. I have obsessed over and dreamed about Elias... actual REM type encounters. Not since Will Herondale have I wished, wholeheartedly, to be seen through another's eyes, truly seen... and Laia of Serra, sweet, strong, adaptable, dependable, loving, avenging bad ass Laia... she is the resident kick ass/djinn reaper/Nightbringer's scourge yet she also holds Elias's heart (and soul) protectively, in her tender, steadfast, loving hands. She is the definition of Woman's Pride AND, being a woman myself, I love that she is unapologetically Female, an avenger against the sexist world around her and the gender/station biased expectations that her world places on her. She's a character that I 100% wish I could be or at least be like. BUT there is also Helene, the Blood Shrike, to admire and I wish I was more like her as well. She is another warrior female that embodies all that women are capable of and showcases the ease with which one can be both Woman and Warrior at the same time. Mrs. Tahir writes the most beautifully, humanly complex characters and then throws them into seemingly impossible and gut wrenching scenarios. Then she kills them off, sniper style, one or two at a time just when you have started to love them and root for their happiness and longevity. I swore to myself that I wouldn't cry and yet...

Is no one safe Mrs. Tahir? 

This leads me to the final quarter of the book. This section was absolutely B.R.U.T.A.L! I fear my heart will never be the same. Don't get too attached to any one character because all are on the chopping block and only a few survive the cut. Is it a fair ending? For some, the answer is a resounding NO. There are some Happily Ever Afters that never come to fruition no matter how much heartache they have endured and no matter how much we wish for their happiness. I think the ending is fitting for our war tested, love battered and transformed heros for they definitely do not end up being the same (naive) characters that we fell in love with in book #1. 

Overall: 

I can't believe it is over. I have waited so long for this book to grant me some much needed closure and frankly, I am both grieving for its end and cheering for its splendor. Sabaa Tahir played me like a well honed instrument. Her artistry is apparent and I am thankful for having been emotionally tossed about her beautiful world because, in the end, I feel fulfilled... now THAT'S worth every penny, minute and tear shed. 

I reccomend this book, and more importantly this series, with all of my battered heart and soul. There is absolutely NO way you'll regret spending time in this rich world with these unforgettable characters!!

~ Enjoy