A review by valpyre
Lightbringer by Claire Legrand

challenging dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

[audiobook]

I mean, this was a fine conclusion. I'm pretty much just glad it's over. 

[major spoilers ahead] 

As with previous book in the series, for me, the book dragged for the first half, and only really started picking up speed and interest in the second. Honestly, I would attribute most of that interest to Audric's chapters, which I actually found pretty compelling in his struggle with grief, depression, and leadership. Looking back, I can understand that Rielle was grieving too, but I simply didn't understand how she got so taken in by Corien each and every time,
to the point where she killed Tal after seemingly having come to her senses and taking some initiative.


Eliana's story was pretty good, what with the time travel and working through Simon's outward betrayal, but again, the first half was just a bunch of her being tortured, till she
started working with the Prophet and the action picked up. 


Even so, the climactic point and ending fell a little flat for me -- to me, Eliana seemed to convince Rielle to not kill Audric fairly easily. Also I think LeGrand did a disservice by having Ludivine reveal herself as the Prophet in her own POV chapter, versus in Eliana's, as I think that would have been more impactful, even if similarly predictable.
Not to mention Ludivine has basically been everyone's punching bag for the entire series -- who knows why she is so helplessly devoted to her friends even as they berate her and shut her out at will for, frankly, no good reason. Her love for Audric and especially Rielle is no secret, and I wish they showed her that in return even half as much as she did for them. 

I was also a little confused at the end when they started talking about repairing the gate -- both Eliana and Rielle knew the true deceit behind the angels being sent to the Deep, and I was surprised nothing was going to be done about it.
It seems like angels are there simply just as the Big Bads, with little nuance, except for those who cannot help loving, and dying for humans.
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