4.5
Loveable characters: Yes

It's over
adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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

just rip my heart out and spit on it why don't you !!!!!!!
adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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: No
adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

bittersweet but also wonderful and sad and marvelous and oustanding but most of all heartbreaking
adventurous challenging dark emotional fast-paced

Spoilers~

The Nightbringer and his story was heatbreaking, and all too familiar. His story is one of colonialism, of broken trust, and love lost. The way Sabaa wrote and finished his story - with Laia being a Kehanni - was great and I feel for it. It’s not too hard to see the lines of their stories and see the truth of it in our society. The same thing with Helene Aquilla - it’s hard to believe that I had love for her at all this whole series. Every time she took one step forward...two steps back. But the character growth was there and she did what was necessary for the Empire. She didn’t leave people behind at the end (even though I suspect she would have if things were slightly different, norms and all). Weirdly felt for her and Avitas.

I love that Laia and Elias are able to be together. I love that she’s a Kehanni. That he’s a teacher. That she will forever tell the story of Meherya so that those unjust acts are not carried out ever again. I think Elias was a dreamer and my practical heart couldn’t understand why. And LAIA, a realist, but had belief in creating an equitable society. Their relationship works for those reasons. Anyway, I adore them, and Ilyaas the most.

I’m really sad that this is the end