4.17 AVERAGE

adventurous funny medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
adventurous emotional funny lighthearted 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

The resolution of the love triangle/square/rectangle/whatever was a bit too little too late for my taste. It is nice that Alyss and Evanlyn are finally friends but I never appreciated seeing them fight over two oblivious boys and a good portion of this book was dedicated to that. 

I love the character of the emperor but now that I'm older, reading this feels a touch condescending? towards Japanese culture. The author was respectful on the whole but specific instances (like when the emperor was learning about how Evanlyn's court works to restructure his own) felt as though they were pushing Western superiority in a sense. Nothing extreme, but if you read this novel as propaganda, it's impossible to miss.

I feel like this was one of my favorite works in the series when I was a kid, but rereading it I'm a little unsure as to why that was the case. Whereas other novels might have had some factor of unpredictability, this novel felt the most predictable by far. Or perhaps I reread it too often as a kid? That or being at the end of the series it might have stuck around longer in my mind. 

In any case it was still a good end to the series. I'm not sure how I feel about starting The Royal Ranger right away... I'm not ready for what's done to Will. I don't know it just feels a bit bittersweet. I think maybe I read too much from this world in too little time and I exhausted myself halfway through The Brotherband Chronicles.
adventurous challenging emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

So so good!!
adventurous funny hopeful inspiring 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 slow-paced

I'm so glad this book was good. The previous book in the series was really weak, and yet this one was just fabulous. It's good to know Flanagan hasn't lost his touch.
adventurous

I liked this one. The plot was interesting and stronger than some of the more recent installments in this series. The relationship between Alyss and Evanlyn was also done very well.

As much as I like these characters, this is probably where I'm going to stop this series, at least for now. I know there's some spin-offs and whatnot, but I feel like this is a good place to step off as there's other books and series I'd like to get to. The plots and character stories have started to grow repetitive, but who knows, maybe I'll pick it back up again in the future.
adventurous challenging lighthearted medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I thought they were 16-17 this entire time so that ending was kinda fucked up. Also what the f was Flanagan thinking while writing that last battle scene.

The rest of the book was amazing. I love love love 'Kurokuma' so this book was a real treat. I am looking forward to reading the next book. :)