Review Detail

What I Loved: This was a great conclusion to the trilogy while still leaving room to visit this world again with side stories or companion novels. We start with Alina wrecked since her escape into the underground tunnels. She can’t use her powers in the sunless depths and must find a way to break free of the Apparat who would make her a puppet saint. With the help of her friends, she is able to break free and continue her journey to find the legendary firebird.
Along the way she is reunited with Prince Nikolai who has plans in place to win the war. His character is wonderfully charming and I like who Alina becomes around him as they verbally spar back and forth. His intentions are clear he would like her to be his Queen. Part of me cheers for the idea of this relationship. He knows she loves Mal and respects that but doesn’t give up. He is ever hopeful that she will eventually choose him. I was very worried about the trajectory his storyline took when he was infected with the darkness and became a volcra. I was happy with the part he was able to play at the end and I am excited about the spin-off books featuring him because he needs a chance to be the center of a storyline.
Alina continues to identify with the Darkling. He understands her in a way no one can. He makes her face the idea of a long eternal life that Mal and Nikolai can’t stay with her, but he could. However, as much as Alina and his mother would love for him to be redeemed, he just doesn’t try. I’ve seen many fan reactions that were not happy with the Drakling’s fate, but for me, it felt better than he deserved for all the evil his actions have wrought.
Mal’s character wasn’t very lovable in the second book, but I am not sure anyone would be when you know you have nothing to offer the love of your life that is destined to be a Saint Queen. Their love was tragic and I was rooting for them to find a path. They uncovered some surprising revelations about his heritage and how that relates to his uncanny tracking ability. I am always a fan of first love interests getting the girl and while the others introduced made me imagine different paths for her, I am glad how it turned out. There were surprising events that definitely had my heart-stopping at the lengths Mal was willing to go to for her.
Final Verdict: The hunting and killing of rare animals in this trilogy wasn’t part of the plot I was very comfortable with. I liked how events turned out for the Firebird even though I lost sleep over what that meant for Mal’s fate. The immediate war may be over but the people of this world still have a long way to go to recover.