Reading this final book to One Dark Window was so riveting! Loved the pacing and the dispersion of the pov’s. Seeing Elm and Ione grow as well as following Elspeth reintegrating into her mind was such a rewarding experience. Ravyn’s arc was also awesome to see, especially when it intertwined with the beloved Nightmare (he was a hoot, talk about well done gray morality). The inevitable goodbye had me shedding a couple tears as well as the reveal of Taxus’s return to his family. Gillig has a skill for revealing elements organically that really make you feel like you’re growing along with the characters. While in One Dark Window I felt as if I was steps ahead of Elspeth at times, this book kept me guessing till the very end. The moments that could be considered deus ex machina moments were properly set up and therefore felt real and their outcomes earned. This was my first duology and I know I’ll be rereading it for a long time. Thank you Rachel Gillig for such a different but oddly familiar tale of speaking with trees and rediscovering magic