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oxfordcommas91's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
4.5
Freya Marske gave her readers a satisfying and thoughtful conclusion to "The Last Binding" trilogy in A Power Unbound. This book reminded me what I loved about A Marvellous Light and what I felt was so sadly and sorely lacking with A Restless Truth.
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-magicalafter the tragic loss of his sister due to suicide years prior, and he's removed himself entirely from the magical community despite being the heir to one of the most powerful magical families in England. His character is involved in all three books but it's not until Power Unbound do we learn more about his history and motives, which deepens his character arc and allows us to fully unlock more of the story behind the last contract, as well.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
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
zefancifulreader's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This series as a whole is magnificent and overflowing with queer joy.
This book specifically had very dense, action packed plot, with deeply fascinating world-building as always, while also making time for FOUR of the spiciest, kinkiest, well-written sex scenes I’ve ever read. Power dynamics are so rarely written, especially in the romantasy genre, with proper boundaries and consent. This book absolutely has all the necessary checks in place and it was the better for it.
Bravo.
This book specifically had very dense, action packed plot, with deeply fascinating world-building as always, while also making time for FOUR of the spiciest, kinkiest, well-written sex scenes I’ve ever read. Power dynamics are so rarely written, especially in the romantasy genre, with proper boundaries and consent. This book absolutely has all the necessary checks in place and it was the better for it.
Bravo.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Police brutality, Pregnancy, and War
havenraven23's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide, Grief, and Murder
aurora4847's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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? No
4.25
A brilliant end to the trilogy that leaves room for future stories in the world. Alan and Jack's dynamic was so fun to experience, and the culmination of the search for the Last Contract pieces was just as exciting as the previous installments. An all-round good time
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Vomit, and Police brutality
Minor: Pregnancy and Alcohol
There are discussions of a person who died by suicide, but the act itself is not described in detail. There are multiple sex scenes that involve role-playing, power imbalances, and consensual non-consent. These are not thoroughly negotiated as a real-life BDSM scene would be, but there is no doubt that all parties consent and there is a defined safe word.abditoryalive's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
4.0
"How and why are different questions. And I think the words you're looking for are educated above my station."
"And here I was going to call you a workhouse brat with delusions of vocabulary"
🫖 dialogue, and banter phenomenal , with a variety of found family characters. Marske continuously nails both hilarious and steamy scenes.
🫖I adore magic houses with their own personalities (and house bees). Perfectly whimsical
🫖 initially I wasn’t excited to learn that Hawthorn would be the MMC but he really grew on me.
🫖 Historical queers
🫖 Overall worth reading the entire series.
🪫 Left with many questions
🪫 I hated Alan’s betrayal and resolution, forgiven all too quickly to sit right
🪫I didn’t love the last instalment as much as the first two. Something about the ending felt unfinished, or the political undertones I’m not sure, despite thinking it over for a few days.
"And here I was going to call you a workhouse brat with delusions of vocabulary"
🫖 dialogue, and banter phenomenal , with a variety of found family characters. Marske continuously nails both hilarious and steamy scenes.
🫖I adore magic houses with their own personalities (and house bees). Perfectly whimsical
🫖 initially I wasn’t excited to learn that Hawthorn would be the MMC but he really grew on me.
🫖 Historical queers
🫖 Overall worth reading the entire series.
🪫 Left with many questions
🪫
🪫I didn’t love the last instalment as much as the first two. Something about the ending felt unfinished, or the political undertones I’m not sure, despite thinking it over for a few days.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Murder
Minor: Grief
joensign's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Classism
Moderate: Suicide and Grief
Minor: Rape
_isabel_'s review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"A Power Unbound" is the most wonderful conclusion to Freya Marske's magical, historical trilogy. I've had this book on my shelf for quite a bit, but I'm so glad I got over my fear of finishing series and dove into it.
I admit, my memory wasn't precisely cooperating at the beginning: I'd read Maud and Violet's installment more than a year ago, so I couldn't remember too many details (apart from: "Maud Blyth, I love you" and "Jack Hawthorn, I'd die for your grumpy, mean ass"), but thankfully Freya did a fabulous job at dropping enough hints and recaps for my brain to catch up.
I adored this final installment so so much! The plot was absolutely MASTERFUL, freaking addictive, complex, packed with twists and enough political (and magical) machinations to make my heart happy. I adored the world-building and the atmosphere even more! I've always praised Freya Marske's ability at creating wonderfully evocative and magical world-buildings, and this trilogy was a delight from that point of view.
I also LOVED the two protagonists, even though Jack had most of my heart.
Alan was a fabulous counterpart to Jack, angry and complicated and lovable, but Jack stole my freaking soul. Give me all the mean, angry, snarky asshole nobles hiding squishy hearts and vulnerable, damaged pasts: I'll never tire of them.
I loved their dynamic (FREAKING FIRE), and I adored the build-up of their relationship: they made me swoon and ache and nearly cry. Ugh, they deserve happiness so freaking much!
I knew Elsie's story, and Jack's bond to her, were going to destroy me, but the reality was even worse: her death was SO DAMN UNFAIR, and my heart still hurts for poor Jack and what he was forced to hide and endure.
The story is pretty much packed with these more bittersweet moments, so beware, but they made me fall in love with the book even more. I came out of it elated, satisfied and worryingly close to sobbig my eyes out: who would have thought?!
I loved all the side characters to bits, and I loved seeing all the gang interact and scheme, fight and plot their way into saving Britain's magic from the greedy hands of those looking for the Last Contract. A special mention to Maud for being FABULOUS, to Robin for being an absolute dreamboat (and a rugby icon), to Edwin for breaking my heart, to Violet for being a badass (and a wonderfully dramatic actress) and to Adelaide for being a competent queen.
Ugh, I'm going to miss these characters so much. But I'm so happy I finally gave in and finished this series. It's been a fun, emotional ride, one I won't forget anytime soon.
I admit, my memory wasn't precisely cooperating at the beginning: I'd read Maud and Violet's installment more than a year ago, so I couldn't remember too many details (apart from: "Maud Blyth, I love you" and "Jack Hawthorn, I'd die for your grumpy, mean ass"), but thankfully Freya did a fabulous job at dropping enough hints and recaps for my brain to catch up.
I adored this final installment so so much! The plot was absolutely MASTERFUL, freaking addictive, complex, packed with twists and enough political (and magical) machinations to make my heart happy. I adored the world-building and the atmosphere even more! I've always praised Freya Marske's ability at creating wonderfully evocative and magical world-buildings, and this trilogy was a delight from that point of view.
I also LOVED the two protagonists, even though Jack had most of my heart.
Alan was a fabulous counterpart to Jack, angry and complicated and lovable, but Jack stole my freaking soul. Give me all the mean, angry, snarky asshole nobles hiding squishy hearts and vulnerable, damaged pasts: I'll never tire of them.
I loved their dynamic (FREAKING FIRE), and I adored the build-up of their relationship: they made me swoon and ache and nearly cry. Ugh, they deserve happiness so freaking much!
I knew Elsie's story, and Jack's bond to her, were going to destroy me, but the reality was even worse: her death was SO DAMN UNFAIR, and my heart still hurts for poor Jack and what he was forced to hide and endure.
The story is pretty much packed with these more bittersweet moments, so beware, but they made me fall in love with the book even more. I came out of it elated, satisfied and worryingly close to sobbig my eyes out: who would have thought?!
I loved all the side characters to bits, and I loved seeing all the gang interact and scheme, fight and plot their way into saving Britain's magic from the greedy hands of those looking for the Last Contract. A special mention to Maud for being FABULOUS, to Robin for being an absolute dreamboat (and a rugby icon), to Edwin for breaking my heart, to Violet for being a badass (and a wonderfully dramatic actress) and to Adelaide for being a competent queen.
Ugh, I'm going to miss these characters so much. But I'm so happy I finally gave in and finished this series. It's been a fun, emotional ride, one I won't forget anytime soon.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Torture, Violence, and Grief
Minor: War
angilram's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
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
therainbowshelf's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? Yes
5.0
I didn’t think I could love a book more than I did the first two, but it happened! Marske makes excellent use of a trope I usually hate - enemies to lovers - and continues to build on already vivid character and world dynamics. She’s also a master at spicy scenes if those are your jam, constantly one-upping her prior scenes somehow. Given how much I love this series, I was delighted to see a glimmer of more on the horizon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Sexism
maxinesf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment