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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
All I can say is I want some of that special psychic crystal suffusion glass Jackaby had installed on his front door in the beginning of this one.
DAYAM what a wonderful ending to the series. I was excited, I was crushed, I was happy, I was sad – it ended so beautifully…with the a burst of light, or a sunrise I GUESS you could say.
It’s so difficult to write a review on a story that finishes a series. I’ll go a bit in depth for the beginning, setting the stage, if you will. Jackaby and Miss Rook are back and stronger than ever. He’s still well, Jackaby…with a lil’ tea cozy on his head –
“It’s tuesday. Be sure to leave a saucer of honeyed milk out for the pixies.”
“Wednesday, sir. And I already put out fresh strawberries for the sprites.”
Jackaby gave a satisfied nod. “Excellent…”
And Abigail is still the ever amazing and ever loyal assistant. This saga begins with the two (or 3, counting Jenny. Well, 4 counting Douglas) piecing things from the event in book 3 together. Jackaby going off on his Jackaby-esque tangents while Abigail doesn’t miss a beat right beside him. They get an unexpected, soon to be mummified visitor. Devising a plan, “Information, interrogation, collaboration. Plans are always best best with a rhyme scene,” Jackaby so eloquently states. Jenny goes hunting down the ‘mummy’s’ lead while Jackaby and Abigail keep an appointment in Annwyn with the fairy king. Another realm, looking to gain allies to prepare for the impending doom of The Dire King (not a spoiler, right? Since it’s…the…title…). Long story short, The Dire King needs his crown, shield, and spear to get his shiznit done. The fairy king’s like, “Dudes, I totally got this. Back up off me. I’ll prove it, Had the crown for like…ever,” but when he goes to prove it, the mythical crown is BOOM gone. He’s like eh, fine. Guess we should work together then to stop the end of all our worlds.
Feeling a bit of accomplishment, they head home. Jackaby decides it’s time to get to the cops, get the humans to help out. COLLABORATION. The story takes a dire (DUN DUN) turn when they see the mayor is rounding up all mythical, magical creatures – like, literally locking them up for who they are. In book 3, he was smashed in the face with the fact that otherworlds exist, and he is out for BLOOD against anyone/anything inhuman. Jackaby and Abigail show up, trying to explain that hate never gets ANYTHING done, it just proves the otherworldly creatures correct about humans. So poignant – fear does nothing, hate does nothing. Fear of differences accomplishes nothing.
Jackaby gets home and decides hell, gotta bail all those bitches out. So he does, with his bail money from the bail jar (usually saved for himself). While the bailing out is happening, our favorite cop shows up – IT’S CHARLIE! He needs some help investigating a murder…but not from Jackaby, hells no. He wants his girl with him. So they head out and BAM. A super freaky NEW supernatural occurrence at this murder scene. It’s always something in New Fiddleham. After that awfulness, they head back and sure e-damn-nough Augur Lane has into mythical being central. TEMPORARILY. As Jackaby says, New Fiddleham’s supernatural community. They’re all huddled in Augur Lane thanks to the mayor – we got geese women, centaurs, goblins, nulls…all visible in their true forms (thanks to that lil’ glass I mentioned in the beginning of this review – glamour inhibitor).
Okay, I can’t keep going this in depth with the damn story – it will spoil everything AND a long awaited ending. For the rest of the book, we have a meeting to decide what to do, an Unseelie named Twain (who seems like a twat waffle, dropping truth bombs and disappearing), a vampire, Charlie’s sister and Uncle – and a BUTTLOAD of betrayal. And a buttload of fighting. And a buttload of googley love eyes with Abigail and Charlie, which always gives me the feels. Lastly, Abigail being super-ultra-mega-bad-ass – as we always knew she was.
There were many endings for this story – some I saw coming, others took me by complete surprise. There was one ending I wanted more than anything – I mean I felt this in my SOUL, I wanted this ending. Did I get it? Mayyybe. The ending will stick with you, it will give you hope for a better world, hope for true love, and a beautiful sunrise tomorrow.
Thank eff for the damn supplemental material, eh? *WINK* *WINK*
Did I throw the book twice? That’s for me and my copy of The Dire King to know.
DAYAM what a wonderful ending to the series. I was excited, I was crushed, I was happy, I was sad – it ended so beautifully…with the a burst of light, or a sunrise I GUESS you could say.
It’s so difficult to write a review on a story that finishes a series. I’ll go a bit in depth for the beginning, setting the stage, if you will. Jackaby and Miss Rook are back and stronger than ever. He’s still well, Jackaby…with a lil’ tea cozy on his head –
“It’s tuesday. Be sure to leave a saucer of honeyed milk out for the pixies.”
“Wednesday, sir. And I already put out fresh strawberries for the sprites.”
Jackaby gave a satisfied nod. “Excellent…”
And Abigail is still the ever amazing and ever loyal assistant. This saga begins with the two (or 3, counting Jenny. Well, 4 counting Douglas) piecing things from the event in book 3 together. Jackaby going off on his Jackaby-esque tangents while Abigail doesn’t miss a beat right beside him. They get an unexpected, soon to be mummified visitor. Devising a plan, “Information, interrogation, collaboration. Plans are always best best with a rhyme scene,” Jackaby so eloquently states. Jenny goes hunting down the ‘mummy’s’ lead while Jackaby and Abigail keep an appointment in Annwyn with the fairy king. Another realm, looking to gain allies to prepare for the impending doom of The Dire King (not a spoiler, right? Since it’s…the…title…). Long story short, The Dire King needs his crown, shield, and spear to get his shiznit done. The fairy king’s like, “Dudes, I totally got this. Back up off me. I’ll prove it, Had the crown for like…ever,” but when he goes to prove it, the mythical crown is BOOM gone. He’s like eh, fine. Guess we should work together then to stop the end of all our worlds.
Feeling a bit of accomplishment, they head home. Jackaby decides it’s time to get to the cops, get the humans to help out. COLLABORATION. The story takes a dire (DUN DUN) turn when they see the mayor is rounding up all mythical, magical creatures – like, literally locking them up for who they are. In book 3, he was smashed in the face with the fact that otherworlds exist, and he is out for BLOOD against anyone/anything inhuman. Jackaby and Abigail show up, trying to explain that hate never gets ANYTHING done, it just proves the otherworldly creatures correct about humans. So poignant – fear does nothing, hate does nothing. Fear of differences accomplishes nothing.
Jackaby gets home and decides hell, gotta bail all those bitches out. So he does, with his bail money from the bail jar (usually saved for himself). While the bailing out is happening, our favorite cop shows up – IT’S CHARLIE! He needs some help investigating a murder…but not from Jackaby, hells no. He wants his girl with him. So they head out and BAM. A super freaky NEW supernatural occurrence at this murder scene. It’s always something in New Fiddleham. After that awfulness, they head back and sure e-damn-nough Augur Lane has into mythical being central. TEMPORARILY. As Jackaby says, New Fiddleham’s supernatural community. They’re all huddled in Augur Lane thanks to the mayor – we got geese women, centaurs, goblins, nulls…all visible in their true forms (thanks to that lil’ glass I mentioned in the beginning of this review – glamour inhibitor).
Okay, I can’t keep going this in depth with the damn story – it will spoil everything AND a long awaited ending. For the rest of the book, we have a meeting to decide what to do, an Unseelie named Twain (who seems like a twat waffle, dropping truth bombs and disappearing), a vampire, Charlie’s sister and Uncle – and a BUTTLOAD of betrayal. And a buttload of fighting. And a buttload of googley love eyes with Abigail and Charlie, which always gives me the feels. Lastly, Abigail being super-ultra-mega-bad-ass – as we always knew she was.
There were many endings for this story – some I saw coming, others took me by complete surprise. There was one ending I wanted more than anything – I mean I felt this in my SOUL, I wanted this ending. Did I get it? Mayyybe. The ending will stick with you, it will give you hope for a better world, hope for true love, and a beautiful sunrise tomorrow.
Thank eff for the damn supplemental material, eh? *WINK* *WINK*
Did I throw the book twice? That’s for me and my copy of The Dire King to know.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
I was planning on giving this a three-star rating but, literally, the last two pages of the book (which were titled "Supplemental Material" and which were totally unnecessary) were off-putting to me because I have no idea how one book thinks it can get away with being so fluffy! To me, it nullifies the danger and "stakes" of all the previous chapters because how serious could they be if the author's just going to wrap everything up in a nice, good-feeling bow of happily-ever-after?
Also, I did not get the morally grey characters I was hoping for. Baddies are always going to do horrible things, and the good guys are forever making the right decisions. Predictable.
Also, I did not get the morally grey characters I was hoping for. Baddies are always going to do horrible things, and the good guys are forever making the right decisions. Predictable.
I really like this series - really, I do. But I honestly would have preferred it to stay a supernatural teen Sherlock Holmsian type mystery series, as it was in the beginning. This finale was fairly typical (and generic) “save the world” high fantasy. Why do so many authors feel the need to go there, even when they don’t start out that way? Some of the wit and charm were present here, but not enough.
As the reasonable drama queen i am i went to twitter right after i finished the book and here's what i tweeted:
"i just finished the dire king and @ William Ritter you CANNOT DO THAT to me! You CAN'T HAVE ME CRYING FOR THOSE LAST CHAPTERS AND END IT LIKE THAT! i NEeD more!
I'm a mess right now"
And:
"Me puero morir en estos momentos
Qué hago con mi vida ahora?"
And:
"The twain’s greatest gift. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. The sun was rising inside my chest. In my pounding heart, a door that had been locked was opening."
SAME ABIGAIL SAME
I WILL COMBUST RIGHT NOW"
"i just finished the dire king and @ William Ritter you CANNOT DO THAT to me! You CAN'T HAVE ME CRYING FOR THOSE LAST CHAPTERS AND END IT LIKE THAT! i NEeD more!
I'm a mess right now"
And:
"Me puero morir en estos momentos
Qué hago con mi vida ahora?"
And:
"The twain’s greatest gift. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. The sun was rising inside my chest. In my pounding heart, a door that had been locked was opening."
SAME ABIGAIL SAME
I WILL COMBUST RIGHT NOW"
fast-paced
Jackaby, Abigail, Jenny and Charlie are up against their biggest foe yet. There's a king ready to take over the world and he'll stop at nothing to get what he wants. The dead are rising, new magical creatures are appearing, and tensions are high in New Fiddleham. Even as the relationship between Abigail and Charlie is deepening, as well as the relationship between Jenny and Jackaby, they to put it aside to stop the world from falling apart.
Okay this book was both good but frustrating. Like seriously. I loved the world that he's set up and everything was much more interesting now that he stopped doing the murder mystery setup, but the whole plot of this book felt like a knock-off of every other high fantasy novel (big bad villain wants to take over world, climactic final battle, actual villain doesn't seem to do a whole lot, defeated relatively easily, and so on). Plus, the characters didn't seem to be as dynamic or as fun as they were before. The big twist at the end wasn't that big of a twist - you sort of saw it coming - and it didn't feel as satisfying. All in all, the series didn't seem to be as interesting or as developed as it could have been.
Things to Keep in Mind:
-Violence (there's a war going on and there is a lot of mild violence)
- Upsetting circumstances
- Gore (there are several bloody or serious injuries, as well as zombies, which are described)
- Death (again, war, and a few people die)
- Sexual Content (almost nonexistent. There are a few kisses but that's about it)
Okay this book was both good but frustrating. Like seriously. I loved the world that he's set up and everything was much more interesting now that he stopped doing the murder mystery setup, but the whole plot of this book felt like a knock-off of every other high fantasy novel (big bad villain wants to take over world, climactic final battle, actual villain doesn't seem to do a whole lot, defeated relatively easily, and so on). Plus, the characters didn't seem to be as dynamic or as fun as they were before. The big twist at the end wasn't that big of a twist - you sort of saw it coming - and it didn't feel as satisfying. All in all, the series didn't seem to be as interesting or as developed as it could have been.
Things to Keep in Mind:
-Violence (there's a war going on and there is a lot of mild violence)
- Upsetting circumstances
- Gore (there are several bloody or serious injuries, as well as zombies, which are described)
- Death (again, war, and a few people die)
- Sexual Content (almost nonexistent. There are a few kisses but that's about it)
I was going to knock it down to 3 Stars, but that ending though!!!!!!!
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
That was TENSE.
This series. I love it so much.
This series. I love it so much.
This was fantastic! The best "Jackaby" adventure since the very first novel.
The action and drama and suspense do not stop in this final installment. I could not put this one down, it was compulsively readable. I think you should read these books directly one after the other, because it's fun to see the characters grow and change and meet new characters (Lydia Lee, Little Miss, etc). I enjoyed seeing Jackaby, Abigail, Jenny, and Charlie from beginning to end.
Jackaby's witty one-liners are just solid gold. I will recommend any book - like this one - that makes me laugh out loud!!
Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc!
The action and drama and suspense do not stop in this final installment. I could not put this one down, it was compulsively readable. I think you should read these books directly one after the other, because it's fun to see the characters grow and change and meet new characters (Lydia Lee, Little Miss, etc). I enjoyed seeing Jackaby, Abigail, Jenny, and Charlie from beginning to end.
Jackaby's witty one-liners are just solid gold. I will recommend any book - like this one - that makes me laugh out loud!!
Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc!