First I want to talk about the series as a whole since this is the last book. I would rate the series as a whole with 5 stars. I rated every book except this last one with 5 stars (I’ll talk about why next). What really made this series great, what makes any fantasy series great, is that the author managed to create believable characters in a “real” world, and with an intriguing plot. First her characters were well-rounded people whose thoughts and actions made them feel like real people. Second, she created a world that felt real. Sure it had fantastic elements, but it felt big and complete, and she did it without boring you with long descriptions. Finally, the plot had plenty of turns and wasn’t predictable. Sure the main character, Laia, I felt certain could not die. But the other two main characters Elias and Hellene, I was never certain of their immortality, and feared for them many times.

The reason I docked a star for this last book, is the first 3/4 felt slow. The last quarter was gripping and the end satisfactory. I think the reason it fell short with me is because my favorite character was Elias and he was not himself through most of the book since he was the Soul Catcher. Also, I really loved Keris as the antagonist, and she was absent till the end. The scene where she finally finds peace as a ghost brought me to tears, but it would have been even more powerful had she been brought into more of the story. I realize the Nightbringer was the main antagonist, but I didn’t identify with his story as closely as Keris’.

Anyway, these are just my thoughts on the story. Great fantasy series.