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kathrynleereads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
3.75
In Aurora’s End by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, we follow our favorite six Legionnaires as they make their final stands against the Ra’haam from three different decades.
So much happened in this book that I had a hard time wrapping my head around all of it. I don’t just mean that it was fast-paced (which it was), but that it was almost hard to keep track of what was going on.
As a general rule, time travel is something I stay away from in books. The laws and rules involved are always so specific but differ so greatly from story to story that I find it easier just to steer clear.
With time travel being introduced at the end of the second book, I didn’t really have a choice here but to accept it.
And, I’ll admit, Kaufman and Kristoff did a really good job keeping the details and rules of the time jumps clear for the readers (mostly through Zila).
It did lead to me getting turned around quite a few times though.
As far as the characters went, I really enjoyed the development we saw (with two exceptions)
Auri - Auri continued to get stronger, while also fighting against the suggestion from the Eshvaren that she burn away everything that makes her her.
I will say, however, that I was a little disappointed in Auri toward the end.
That development made no sense to me.
And while she did end up staying with them in the end, it wasn’t by her choice, it was by the will of her squadmates.
Kal - I didn’t feel like Kal really changed at all in Aurora’s End.
He continued to fight for his squad and for Auri, but it felt as if his growth kind of plateaued here.
Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, it was just different for him compared to Kal’s growth in Aurora Rising and Aurora Burning.
Tyler - Tyler definitely took strides in terms of his confidence and his willingness to bend the rules to do what’s right.
For most of Aurora’s End, Tyler was flying pretty blindly, with an objective and little to no plan, and somehow he made it work.
Scarlett - I don’t know if Scarlett’s change in Aurora’s End can really be described as growth, as I think it was more just realization.
With Fin’s help, she came to understand her incredible value to the squad, which she hadn’t seen before, and she opened her eyes enough to see Finian in front of her.
Finian - My favorite wiseass. Finaian kicked butt in this book and finally got Scarlett to see how amazing he is. What more can be said about Finian de Seel?
Zila - Zila’s transformation throughout The Aurora Cycle series was honestly incredible.
She accepted the squad as her family, learned how to open up with them, and allowed herself to lower her emotional barriers.
Zila Madran does not feel nothing.
Saedii - I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… I love this woman.
Saedii (obviously) has her issues, but she doesn’t let them stop her from being a total badass and choosing her own path.
-
Finally, the ending. It took me a while to sort out my feelings about the end of Aurora’s End, and I think what I’ve boiled all my emotions down to is: satisfaction.
This ending provided me with all the answers I had been looking for, and with enough heartbreak and happiness for it to not feel like a cheap shot.
Do I wish some things had been different? Of course.
But overall, I’m happy with the ending Squad 312 got.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Blood, and Death of parent
Moderate: Ableism, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
notacartoonyet's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Gore, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Murder
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