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A review by bear_reads_books
Bright Ruin by Vic James
5.0
Bright Ruin is the thrilling conclusion in the Dark Gifts trilogy by Vic James and it did not disappoint. Honestly, I loved this series from beginning to end.
The premise of the series is that some people known as Equals have magical abilities or 'Skill'. They (naturally) are the ruling class over everyone that does not have abilities. Commoners are expected to endure ten years of servitude known as slavedays. The Hadleys are a family going into their slavedays at the start of the series. Their lives soon become intertwined with those of the Jardine family, the most powerful and elite of all Equals in England.
We mostly see the point of view of Luke and Abi Hadley, the Jardine brothers and Bouda Matravers; an Equal woman with her sights set on having the Jardine position of power. Each character is well written, each point of view is distinctive. The character development was on point while still keeping you guessing as to everyone's motives.
Luke and Abi get thrust right into the ugly reality they had been sheltered from their whole lives and eventually follow their own paths through the uprising of commoners and sympathetic Equals. Their world is well written and mirrors our reality so well you have no trouble believing it could really happen. It's a dark and bloody series in which no one is safe.
In this finale, everything comes to a head and without giving anything away, I'd say it ends the only way it should. My only misgiving? I needed more Luke and Silyen! Now, I'm not saying there wasn't enough of them or I didn't like how things ended as far as they're concerned. I loved that. I just want more of them now. Please let there be another series with them! Silyen was the best character and I know I'm not alone in that opinion.
I recommend this series to anyone who likes dark fantasy, political intrigue, well written characters. I'm sad that it's over but I look forward to more from this author. I'd give it more than five stars if I could.
The premise of the series is that some people known as Equals have magical abilities or 'Skill'. They (naturally) are the ruling class over everyone that does not have abilities. Commoners are expected to endure ten years of servitude known as slavedays. The Hadleys are a family going into their slavedays at the start of the series. Their lives soon become intertwined with those of the Jardine family, the most powerful and elite of all Equals in England.
We mostly see the point of view of Luke and Abi Hadley, the Jardine brothers and Bouda Matravers; an Equal woman with her sights set on having the Jardine position of power. Each character is well written, each point of view is distinctive. The character development was on point while still keeping you guessing as to everyone's motives.
Luke and Abi get thrust right into the ugly reality they had been sheltered from their whole lives and eventually follow their own paths through the uprising of commoners and sympathetic Equals. Their world is well written and mirrors our reality so well you have no trouble believing it could really happen. It's a dark and bloody series in which no one is safe.
In this finale, everything comes to a head and without giving anything away, I'd say it ends the only way it should. My only misgiving? I needed more Luke and Silyen! Now, I'm not saying there wasn't enough of them or I didn't like how things ended as far as they're concerned. I loved that. I just want more of them now. Please let there be another series with them! Silyen was the best character and I know I'm not alone in that opinion.
I recommend this series to anyone who likes dark fantasy, political intrigue, well written characters. I'm sad that it's over but I look forward to more from this author. I'd give it more than five stars if I could.