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A review by corabookworm
Holy Terrors by Margaret Owen
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
5.0
Little Thieves is probably the best YA series I've ever read, and this book was the most perfect conclusion a reader could ask for. In Holy Terrors, a series of murders framing the Pfennigist (Vanja) throws her back into the courts of nobles and royalty, into a web of old friends, lovers, and enemies. I'm going to be honest, Painted Devils left me a little nervous for this series. I loved it, but it was a tad repetitive, and the ending put Vanja in a scary position. But this book fixed all of that and more.
First, the plot. The first half of this story is a murder mystery rife with political intrigue. It's all really well done, and I loved seeing characters from Book 1 pop up in either very sweet or very evil ways. And then the second half takes a wild turn into some kind of magical multiverse story that I only slightly understood but also loved. The way everything twisted together was really interesting, and it was packed with all the drama and humor of the first two books.
More important than the plot, however, was Vanja's character development. She is one of the realest and messiest YA protagonists I've seen. She can be childish and petty, but also funny and brave and kind, and seeing her reflect and grow in this book was absolutely incredible. Her relationship with Emeric is especially close to my heart. They fell in love in book 1, (slight spoilers ahead!) had angst about sex in book 2, and in book 3, they reunite after new romantic experiences and months apart, finally facing the reality of their relationship. They've hurt each other, but they also love each other, and watching them grapple with these ideas was so brilliant. I was rooting for them the entire time. (It's also just so important to show relationships like this in YA books, that emphasize the importance of communication and caring and AGH I just loved it.)
There's also the amazing cast of side characters. Featuring some of my old favorites (Giselle and Ragne, finally!) as well as some new stars (a rambunctious kitten named Junior, a bastard prince, and Lilje, who actually became one of my favorites). And of course many characters that I hate with a passion. Each one is well-developed, with a striking personality and interesting relationships and lives outside of Vanja's story, making the characters feel more real and the world and story feel much bigger.
I wish I could better put into words how much I loved this book. It tied up all the loose ends perfectly into an ending that both broke and healed my heart (what is it with Margaret Owen and endings that make me want to cry?) and it wrapped up Vanja's character development perfectly. All of these characters hold such a special place in my heart, and I can't wait to reread this series again and again. If you enjoyed Little Thieves, you'll love this final book in the trilogy.
First, the plot. The first half of this story is a murder mystery rife with political intrigue. It's all really well done, and I loved seeing characters from Book 1 pop up in either very sweet or very evil ways. And then the second half takes a wild turn into some kind of magical multiverse story that I only slightly understood but also loved. The way everything twisted together was really interesting, and it was packed with all the drama and humor of the first two books.
More important than the plot, however, was Vanja's character development. She is one of the realest and messiest YA protagonists I've seen. She can be childish and petty, but also funny and brave and kind, and seeing her reflect and grow in this book was absolutely incredible. Her relationship with Emeric is especially close to my heart. They fell in love in book 1, (slight spoilers ahead!) had angst about sex in book 2, and in book 3, they reunite after new romantic experiences and months apart, finally facing the reality of their relationship. They've hurt each other, but they also love each other, and watching them grapple with these ideas was so brilliant. I was rooting for them the entire time. (It's also just so important to show relationships like this in YA books, that emphasize the importance of communication and caring and AGH I just loved it.)
There's also the amazing cast of side characters. Featuring some of my old favorites (Giselle and Ragne, finally!) as well as some new stars (a rambunctious kitten named Junior, a bastard prince, and Lilje, who actually became one of my favorites). And of course many characters that I hate with a passion. Each one is well-developed, with a striking personality and interesting relationships and lives outside of Vanja's story, making the characters feel more real and the world and story feel much bigger.
I wish I could better put into words how much I loved this book. It tied up all the loose ends perfectly into an ending that both broke and healed my heart (what is it with Margaret Owen and endings that make me want to cry?) and it wrapped up Vanja's character development perfectly. All of these characters hold such a special place in my heart, and I can't wait to reread this series again and again. If you enjoyed Little Thieves, you'll love this final book in the trilogy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Confinement, Violence, Murder, Abandonment
Minor: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Torture, Pregnancy, Classism