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4.51 AVERAGE
4.51 AVERAGE
Brilliant as ever. I’m not as much as she, so just read the book and be dazzled as much as you were when you picked up the first book in the series.
Highly recommend listening to the audiobooks—the reader is fantastic!
Highly recommend listening to the audiobooks—the reader is fantastic!
adventurous
mysterious
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
God.
It’s nothing,” he said. “It’s only that I can see now what my grandfather must have seen, what every Thief before me has seen.” With growing confidence, he shifted the bundle onto his other arm and used his finger to brush the baby’s cheek. Smiling again, he said, “She is Eugenia, and if she falls, her god will catch her.” Less solemnly, he added, “I could pitch her off the roof to show y—”
“No."
“It’s what they do in Eddis. Of course, they wait until there’s been a heavy snowfall, but—”
“No!”
“Do you mind?” he asked, his voice serious again, because Attolia believed in his gods, worshipped his gods in their temples, but she did not love them.
“I do not mind,” said Attolia, equally serious until she added, “She cannot be more trouble than her father.” She tucked the blanket a little tighter around the child in her arms. “Hector,” she affirmed for her son. “And Eugenia,” for her daughter.
“A king and his Thief,” said Eugenides.
It’s nothing,” he said. “It’s only that I can see now what my grandfather must have seen, what every Thief before me has seen.” With growing confidence, he shifted the bundle onto his other arm and used his finger to brush the baby’s cheek. Smiling again, he said, “She is Eugenia, and if she falls, her god will catch her.” Less solemnly, he added, “I could pitch her off the roof to show y—”
“No."
“It’s what they do in Eddis. Of course, they wait until there’s been a heavy snowfall, but—”
“No!”
“Do you mind?” he asked, his voice serious again, because Attolia believed in his gods, worshipped his gods in their temples, but she did not love them.
“I do not mind,” said Attolia, equally serious until she added, “She cannot be more trouble than her father.” She tucked the blanket a little tighter around the child in her arms. “Hector,” she affirmed for her son. “And Eugenia,” for her daughter.
“A king and his Thief,” said Eugenides.
What can I say!!! WHAT CAN I SAY!!!!!! I'm hard-pressed to think of any other fantasy series with such simple & satisfying world-building, or of any other book series that took a break of LITERAL FUCKING DECADES and manages not to lose its shine or essence, or of any book that's let me be privy to characters getting to grow older, and getting to win. Megan Whalen Turner has crafted a world I liked watching (not to mention a world that didn't make my brain hurt with its Cleverness while being political and interesting in its own way), characters I love being with, and stakes I did genuinely want to see through. And all of those are... wildly rare imo, especially all at once. I'm so happy I got to spend time with this series.
This ticked every box I could've wanted it to and then some - like, I didn't realise I'd want to spend forever with the four kings and queens fumbling through and adoring each other to bits. ;_; And Gen, my guy, loml. And Irene and Helen being so careful with themselves from an outsider's POV, but being so easy to get and love as a reader who's loved them.
I'm just very happy!!!!!!!! I didn't want it to be over!!!!!! I need to buy this book!!!!!
This ticked every box I could've wanted it to and then some - like, I didn't realise I'd want to spend forever with the four kings and queens fumbling through and adoring each other to bits. ;_; And Gen, my guy, loml. And Irene and Helen being so careful with themselves from an outsider's POV, but being so easy to get and love as a reader who's loved them.
I'm just very happy!!!!!!!! I didn't want it to be over!!!!!! I need to buy this book!!!!!
It’s so good, you guys. No spoilers for major plot points below the cut, but I do mention stuff that was kept secret like the narrator and new characters, so be warned for spoilers.
The culmination of one of the greatest SFF series of the 21st century - I’m not even a little bit exaggerating - is finally here, as is the long-awaited war with the Mede Empire. Can Eugenides and his buddies come up with a plan to stop them?
Obviously. It’s Gen.
- Turner is so NICE to us this book - especially in the first half, there are so many conversations and jokes that are meant just to have fun, with little to no plot significance. And I ate them up - I love these characters and this is the last time I’ll see them, so I was so thrilled to have enjoyable scenes of them as well. It never crosses the line into sacrificing the plot.
- I had to go to bed in the middle of reading this and then woke up at two to stare at the ceiling for an hour trying to figure out how it was all going to work out and what the twist was, because it was so suspenseful and had me so excited I genuinely could not sleep.
- Characters are just - perfect. Turner advances their character arcs while still keeping them true to the people we love.
- Speaking of people I love, the new narrator, Pheris, is fantastic. He’s so clever and kind and I want to squish his cheeks because he’s ~10-15 and adorable.
- Three groups of people who will be pleased by this book: math nerds, gay people, and people who go crazy about the concept of deification and stories. Pheris is an adorable math nerd and the scenes where he’s being tutored are fantastic. The diversity massively increases in this one, with casual queer representation all over the place (and of course a large portion of the characters are people of colour, and have been since the 90s when this was a very impressive and progressive thing). And the themes of deification and stories? They are intense and beautiful.
Plot: so good. I’m not going to risk saying anything else. Be assured that the twists are twisty and the tricks are tricky.
Characters: so so good. Every single time one of them showed up I started grinning like an idiot. At one point when Costis appeared I had to put the book down and go tell my sister, I was so excited. And Pheris jumped the list to one of my favourite characters so quickly. Everyone has a moment to shine, everyone's arcs went to interesting and natural conclusions, and our main six (now main seven!) characters are just - so good.
Setting: so many borders were filled in this book! This series has always been special for the Byzantine vibes that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s immaculately described and researched, and time periods and concepts are blended so beautifully. But we also got to learn about the Greater Powers of the Continent this book, as well as more about the cultures of the Peninsula, and it was all so interesting.
Prose: it is funny! It is subtle! There is banter! Seriously, so much banter, and I was having so much fun. Smarter people than me will dissect the foreshadowing later, so I’m just going to say the gut-punch moments hit hard.
Diversity rating: very very good.
Bonus: look under the cast of characters to see Turner lowkey call Relius a ho.
The culmination of one of the greatest SFF series of the 21st century - I’m not even a little bit exaggerating - is finally here, as is the long-awaited war with the Mede Empire. Can Eugenides and his buddies come up with a plan to stop them?
Obviously. It’s Gen.
- Turner is so NICE to us this book - especially in the first half, there are so many conversations and jokes that are meant just to have fun, with little to no plot significance. And I ate them up - I love these characters and this is the last time I’ll see them, so I was so thrilled to have enjoyable scenes of them as well. It never crosses the line into sacrificing the plot.
- I had to go to bed in the middle of reading this and then woke up at two to stare at the ceiling for an hour trying to figure out how it was all going to work out and what the twist was, because it was so suspenseful and had me so excited I genuinely could not sleep.
- Characters are just - perfect. Turner advances their character arcs while still keeping them true to the people we love.
- Speaking of people I love, the new narrator, Pheris, is fantastic. He’s so clever and kind and I want to squish his cheeks because he’s ~10-15 and adorable.
- Three groups of people who will be pleased by this book: math nerds, gay people, and people who go crazy about the concept of deification and stories. Pheris is an adorable math nerd and the scenes where he’s being tutored are fantastic. The diversity massively increases in this one, with casual queer representation all over the place (and of course a large portion of the characters are people of colour, and have been since the 90s when this was a very impressive and progressive thing). And the themes of deification and stories? They are intense and beautiful.
Plot: so good. I’m not going to risk saying anything else. Be assured that the twists are twisty and the tricks are tricky.
Characters: so so good. Every single time one of them showed up I started grinning like an idiot. At one point when Costis appeared I had to put the book down and go tell my sister, I was so excited. And Pheris jumped the list to one of my favourite characters so quickly. Everyone has a moment to shine, everyone's arcs went to interesting and natural conclusions, and our main six (now main seven!) characters are just - so good.
Setting: so many borders were filled in this book! This series has always been special for the Byzantine vibes that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s immaculately described and researched, and time periods and concepts are blended so beautifully. But we also got to learn about the Greater Powers of the Continent this book, as well as more about the cultures of the Peninsula, and it was all so interesting.
Prose: it is funny! It is subtle! There is banter! Seriously, so much banter, and I was having so much fun. Smarter people than me will dissect the foreshadowing later, so I’m just going to say the gut-punch moments hit hard.
Diversity rating: very very good.
Bonus: look under the cast of characters to see Turner lowkey call Relius a ho.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was a roller coaster of emotions in the best way possible, and a wonderful finale to a fantastic series. While I’m sad to see the series end, it really could not have ended on a more thoroughly satisfying note and I look forward to reading whatever MWT writes next.