The best of the trilogy as so many threads come together (though nothing is tied up nicely in a bow). There is substantially more "action" in this book, though the rules of magic still rename somewhat vague. One example, Spoiler Aurore gets a massive power-up in the middle of the book. It is enough, at times, to stand-up to the dwindling power of House Harrier after she sucks some power out of Nephranames. But absorbing all the Harrier hawks seems to cost her power instead of gaining her power. Why? And how powerful is she actually? . Ultimately, it doesn't matter to the story being told, but as a reader it matters when trying to understand the stakes and the challenges the characters are facing. I think the gay, pocket-Regency rake romance between Thuan and Asmodeus that was just slid in with everything else worked really well. And for me, the Spoiler final showdown between Dan (sorry no diacritics), Isabelle, and Phillipe was amazing (also Chekov's tiger trapping goo made the expected reappearance). Here the stakes were quite clearly enumerated, and the slow bleed of life and property leading up to the final showdown built the tension. And then the choice between revenge and a better way (the underlying theme of the entire series) put into Isabelle's hands . . . it was really well done and powerful.
By using The StoryGraph, you agree to our use of cookies. We use a small number of cookies to provide you with a great experience.