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oxfordcommas91's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Marske certainly has a formula - in this installment, we get a dual POV from Hawthorne ("Jack") and Ross ("Alan"), but we see entirely new and more complex sides of both of these men who were originally introduced as fairly one dimensional to us in the first and second books, respectively. We learn in book one that Hawthorne is non-magical
As always, our two POV's are also the main romance arc - and I think Freya really hit her stride with the Hawthorne/Ross pairing. The chemistry and the tension between them was sizzling from the start - and I was particularly interested in the power dynamic element of their relationship and how Marske leveraged it as part of the ... spice in this novel. I think this type of dynamic has to be done carefully, and she did it in a way that felt hot while also still remaining respectful.
One of the best parts of the book for me (and also, ironically, why it got a 4.5 and not a 5 star from me...) was the fact that we had the whole cast of characters together in this novel. While it was a ton of fun to watch them team up and leverage their collective brains, magic, and power, I felt like there were lots of opportunities for the author to give us more thoughtful "peeks" into the established relationships between the characters. We spent so much time on Hawthorne & Ross that I was disappointed by the fact that it felt like we were skipping over other pivotal moments happening to other characters along the way! Despite Edwin being the "brains" behind the operation, there was so little in the way of character development on his end and I felt that we could have made some selective cuts to where Hawthorne and Ross interacted in favor of glimpses of the other relationships.
As always, there were moments that felt a bit slow in this book and I wish that an editor could have tightened up some of the lulls in the story so it built towards a more rapid conclusion, but that may be just my preference for more rapid pacing in a fantasy.
Freya overall delivered a home run for me with this neat conclusion to a thoughtful and intriguing premise for a trilogy. I liked the uniqueness of what she did here and her commitment to found family, LGBTQ+ relationships/characters, and discussions of power and class.
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Sexual assault, Torture, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Outing, and Abandonment
christcooper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicide and Classism
Minor: Rape and Pregnancy
kitanda's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Gun violence, Homophobia, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
angilram's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Child death, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Minor: Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and War
theo_iwan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The romance is so sweet, I loved all the small details and the honest and tender-hearted love that the characters have for each other.
Well-written and great. This book is honestly just a perfect way to end “The Last Binding” series, though preferably it would never end.
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Infidelity, Rape, Slavery, Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Pregnancy
craftysnailtail's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, and Suicide
maxinesf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
caelfind's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was a lyrical, heartbreaking, triumphant conclusion to The Last Binding trilogy.
Jack and Alan’s story was one of trauma, healing, love, and family, and I loved every single word. The historical accuracy was stunning, the romance both sexy and deeply moving, and the prose raw and evocative. Marske’s unique magic system is once again skilfully expanded and brilliantly realised, while her vibrant characters continue to captivate the reader.
There is little else to say other than that this trilogy is breathtaking, and Marske has established herself as a powerful new voice within the Historical and Fantasy genres. This is a book (and a trilogy) that I will read over and over again.
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Violence, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Torture and Injury/Injury detail
akirokis's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide and Grief
beepbeep101's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, and Injury/Injury detail