Reviews

Wow. I love it when authors create a world and then tear it down and create a new one. This is very inspiring in light of the challenges that we as human beings have yet to face...

This is a book that will probably linger on my mind for a long time. Very warmly recommended.

jvilches's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

hrjones's review against another edition

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4.0

All of the Dominion of the Fallen books have their harsh and horrifying moments, but this one feels like the darkest going in (though maybe not so dark coming out). If anyone with less skill than de Bodard were writing this series, I might have noped out after the first book, but she gets past my uneasiness around horror with gripping characters and masterful worldbuilding. The fallen angels, dragon kingdoms, and loose-cannon magical creatures of Paris are plunged into something close to all-out war. Each character finds themselves having to decide what and whom they would save, if they had the power, knowing they can’t save everything. If, like me, you reach the 90% mark and have no idea how the story will end in anything other than complete obliteration, I’ll just say: keep reading.

ec_kelly's review

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dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

anywiebs's review against another edition

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5.0

This just had me hooked. Couldn't get enough of the characters and the events happening - even the ones I really didn't like or didn't care about.

sparklefarm's review against another edition

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4.0

Halfway through this I thought to myself, "Well, this is my least favorite out of this series. I'll probably only rate it 3/5." And it's true, I didn't connect with the characters in the same way that I did in the first book, especially. But the story here was devastating, and the characters complex, and I did really enjoy it. I do think it is 3.5 rounded up, though, because I wasn't a huge fan of the way the central conflict was resolved.

kaa's review against another edition

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4.0

Powerful conclusion to the trilogy. While the first two books were somewhat stand-alone, this one depends pretty heavily on the previous two for context. For me, it does a very good job of tying those stories together. With each book in the series, de Bodard has delved more explicitly into examinations of power, oppression, and colonization, and in House of Sundering Flames she draws these themes fully to the surface. At the same time, however, for me it is also the most hopeful book in the trilogy, arguing that a different future is possible.

While I was reading this, several people I know were reading and discussing N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season. I found it interesting to consider some of the parallels between those two series, and how they are in dialogue about issues of power and system change. Both authors have also written short stories responding to UKL's classic "Those Who Walk Away From Omelas", and some of the same themes appear in their respective trilogies. All of which to say: as an examination of hierarchies and power, the Dominion of the Fallen series is in good company.

While I found this a very rewarding read, the writing was not as polished as I am used to from the author, and I felt that such an intricate story with so many characters could have been somewhat longer to given all of the threads more space. However, these are somewhat minor complaints given what de Bodard has accomplished with this series.

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