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aj_langley'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
5.0
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape
abnormal_shadow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I started this book series like I start all the books i read: Bliond. I didnt know what i was getting into and i am happy to say that I had a wonderful experience with this book. The characters are all distinct and identifiable, all we it different interesting and complementing personalities. The twists that made me gasp the biggest gasps and the the loudest "omg nooooooooooo". Everyone seems to have this mutual queer understanding ang it thinks their entire friend group is astonishing. If I don't get to be the Addie in room with Violet, Maudie, Robion, Edwin, Alan and Jack, will I don't want the fucking group.
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Misogyny, Blood, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, and Classism
Moderate: War, Racism, Gore, Religious bigotry, Child death, and Torture
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gun violence, and Toxic relationship
imds's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Blood, Murder, Violence, Death, Kidnapping, Classism, Confinement, Police brutality, Racism, and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy and Rape
r0secaptain's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Sexual assault, Racism, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Homophobia
hailstorm3812's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Classism and Grief
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Racism, Death of parent, Police brutality, Ableism, Murder, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, and Child death
booksthatburn'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
The first chapter cements George as not only the detestable and power-hungry person shown into the earlier books, but truly vicious and uncaring in pursuit of his aims. There's something extra terrible in the way he destroyed Elsie and Jack's lives and then was so concerned with hiding what he'd done that he laid a secret-bind on both of them and didn't give a shit what became of them afterwards. Now, with a trail of the dead in George's wake, Jack and his strange new group of friends have one last chance to stop him once and for all.
Much of the magical worldbuilding was set up in the first two books, but there's a focus on class dynamics which is made possible by Alan's perspective when juxtaposed with the richer and titled members of the group. For all the Blythe's money troubles, they're on a vastly different scale than whether Alan's family will starve due to accident or injury. That perspective helps make obvious that the Last Contract was meant to accomplish something it's no longer really doing, and enables the group to come up with new solutions as things spin wildly out of control.
A POWER UNBOUND is (somehow) even sexier that A MARVELLOUS LIGHT and A RESTLESS TRUTH, or maybe this is just a sign that my tastes run closer to Alan's than any of the previous protagonists. Good sex scenes provide character development in addition to titillation. Great sex scenes are so seamlessly a part of character development that to skip them would be to miss something crucial, fervent, and deeply personal about the characters involved. Jack and Alan's relationship is one of playing with power dynamics and trusting that the other person won't cross any lines, that fantasies made flesh are a wonderful kind of vulnerability, and that consent can be withdrawn mid-scene. They get the thrill of fighting without being in true danger, though it takes a while for Alan to be sure enough of Lord Hawthorne that he can accept this vulnerability with Jack. For his part, Jack is enjoying the extra level of intimacy which comes from having unknowingly read Alan's work for years, now able to use that knowledge erotically and to devastating effect.
A POWER UNBOUND is a satisfying ending to a great trilogy. The epilogue is a perfect snapshot of everyone, I cackled at Alan's attempt at an interview after the big event. I'm eager for whatever Freya Marske writes next.
Graphic: Classism, Blood, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Murder, and Cursing
Moderate: Sexism, Suicide, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
Minor: Rape, Gore, Vomit, Gun violence, Grief, Sexism, Racism, Infidelity, and War
displacedcactus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Unfortunately, to get there, we have to have Jack and Alan as our narrators, and their relationship and sex life was just not to my taste. I wouldn't have picked this up as a stand-alone or start of a series, and while I wouldn't say their sexual exploits ruined the book for me, they were just less enjoyable for me than the relationships in the previous two books.
If you enjoy a lot of power dynamics, roleplay, and SA-adjacent fantasies, you'll probably enjoy this. Like Jack and Alan are clearly having a great time and being imaginative. The dirty talk is very banter-forward and very spicy. I'll also give Marske points for coming up with a way for them to establish consent and a sort of safe word which felt natural for the characters and the time period, while still letting modern readers feel comfortable that it was all in good fun.
Even though this book wasn't my favorite, I enjoyed the trilogy as a whole enough that I'll keep an eye out for future work from Marske.
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Sexism and Racism
20sidedbi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Violence, Blood, Sexual content, and Murder
Moderate: Racism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Classism, and Suicide
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Vomit, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
caseythereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
- It was so wonderful to be back in the Last Binding world for one more time with A POWER UNBOUND. Given that this is the last book in a trilogy, I'll try not to get too much into plot, but this one had me on the edge of my seat.
- Jack and Alan are a fiery pair, and watching them break down their walls was a treat.
- I'll admit I didn't quite follow how all the magic worked in this one, but this found family is such a delight that it doesn't really matter, you just want to see them succeed.
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Grief, Classism, Death, Blood, Cursing, Murder, Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Alcohol, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, and Gun violence
Minor: Racism and Homophobia