Hallowed (The Blessed #3)

HALLOWED, the third book in the PRECIOUS BLOOD series, is the conclusion of the trilogy. After reading PRECIOUS BLOOD, PASSIONARIES, and now HALLOWED, I'm surprised by the turns of events in the book. Four saints in this book. Sebastian died in PRECIOUS BLOOD. Lucy died in PASSIONARIES. And now there are two girls left, and as the pope said in this book, two more coffins will need to be prepared. (I think he said coffins. Not sure of the exact wording.)

The book is told from multiple perspectives. The villain has his own section along with Cecelia, Agnes, and a few of their friends. Each character is distinctive and unique in their own way. The evil doctor brings his evil plans and his obsession with the saints and martyrs to the table. Jesse brings a sense of confusion (Agnes, too). Cecelia brings strength.

(Such a shame Lucy and Sebastian didn't get to say much!)

The story is dramatic, and its pacing may be slow in the beginning. But darn, it does pick up quite nicely and I enjoy it as much as I enjoy potstickers. (Dang it, now I'm hungry for dumplings. And craving too many things including another good book.) The prose is excellent. I love watching the girls' character development and seeing how Cecelia becomes a saint. Then Agnes. (What? It isn't a surprising turn of events, but I do have to admit that baby part is definitely a plot twister. Nice one.)

Cecelia loves music, and she probably will sell her soul for it. Next to Agnes, she is most definitely a Lucy-like character. Her fall (or her rise, depending on how one looks at it) is great, but it is nothing compared to Agnes'. (Or Lucy's. Lucy's death remains to be one of the most amazing and horrifying part of the series. Unforgettable.)

Agnes is one of the best characters in the entire series. Why? Because her character arc is awesome and she is the one I have the most amount of empathy for. I find myself in her.

The ending is anticlimactic. After everything these girls have lived through and now... Well, I can't reveal spoilers, but... It's disappointing, though it does tie up loose ends.

Overall, HALLOWED, the last book in its series, remains to be a good ending. This book is definitely better than average (though not as great as PRECIOUS BLOOD and PASSIONARIES). With great parts of dialogue and scenes, HALLOWED is worthy of reading. Especially for those who love tragedy mixed with HEA.

Rating: Three out of Five