What a way to end a series. It was seven books in the making and finally know how it all came together. Aelin and her friends have been on a quite a journey. From the beginning when Aelin was just an assassin and Dorian was a spoiled Prince. It was expanded so far beyond that now. To other continents and other worlds. What I liked about this was that every character had a role to play in the ending and that is quite a feat as there are a lot of characters. I mean we are talking about Game of Thrones level of characters. They are all flawed people but have one goal to defeat Erawan and Maeve and create a better world. It wasn’t easy and there were many twists and turns along the way. It started off slow as the characters were spread far and wide. It also took me awhile to reacquaint myself with some of the characters as for most of them it’s been two years since the last time we have seen them but once they started to come together that it really started to pick up and get going. So many story arcs to wrap up and most of them were. I think a few left open a bit that we could go back and revisit Erilea. Let’s get back to Aelin as she is really the heroine here. Of all the characters she has been through the most. She started out as a assassin and ended up a Queen. She has endured enough trauma for several lifetimes and would have been forgiven if she gave up and she had plenty of chances to do just that but she doesn’t. She gave everything she had for her country and her friends. She used her intelligence and skills to outwit and defeat her enemies as much as she used her power. I’ll miss reading about her because she was fun, smart and spunky. If you haven’t read this series you should and lucky you, you can now read it in it’s entirety without wearing years between books.
I really don’t know the best way to describe this book or this series as it’s so lush and unique. It’s also kind of a hard read because pretty much every character is a victim of terrible abuse and trauma and the events of the book are the direct result of all the trauma. The people of Weep spent years under the threat of kidnapping and rape and even 15 years after they killed the “Gods” responsible the citadel where it all took place still stood as a reminder of what they endured. The Godspawn lived in fear of being discovered for fear of what happened to their fellow children would happen to them. This all came to a crashing half when our hero Lazlo discovered who he really was and brought them together. Even the villains of this piece were acting on their own traumas. You knew what they were doing was wrong at times you couldn’t really blame them either. In the end it was an act of compassion that saved them all. Sarai used her power to listen and understand what was the issue and finally talk them down. I highly recommend that everyone read Strange the Dreamer and the Muse of Nightmares because they are so lush in descriptions of Weep and the other strange lands. It’s truly beautiful story that is also timely to today’s me too movement.
I was first introduced to Kitsunes thanks to the TV show Teen Wolf (I miss that show) A japanese story of someone who can turn into a fox. Yumeko is only half-kitsune and has been raised by monks in a temple. Like foxes, she’s mischievious and curious. She plays tricks on the monks to some of their chagrins but the Monks also teach her how to control her kitsune powers, which will come in handy when it is revealed that the temple guards a piece of the dragon scroll. The dragon scroll when put together raises a dragon every 1000 years. The person with the scroll is granted one wish and depending on who making the wish it can be good or bad. It’s almost time to summon the dragon and many people are after the scroll. One of them is the master to the Demonslayer, Tatsumi from the Shadow Clan. Tatsumi has a very powerful sword that contains a dangerous demon. He has to control his emotions or the demon in his sword will take over him. Tatsumi and Yumeko team up to find the missing scroll. Well, Yumeko has one piece but needs Tatsumi to help her get it to another temple and keep it safe. Through their journey they meet other people along the way, including the delightful ronin, Okame and noble Daisuke. They are challenged by spirits and other supernatural beings who try to get the scroll away from them but they grow a bond that is unmistakable. For all the fear of the some of the monks that Yumeko’s fox side will take over her humanity, they shouldn’t have worried because it’s her compassion and quick thinking that often saves them. Her first time outside of the temple, she is often filled with wonder of her surroundings. Some of the most amusing bits is when Okame introduces her sarcasm for the first time. At first she is confused by it but soon begins to understand it. It’s wonderful. I really liked this book and can’t wait for the sequel. It’s full of lush descriptions of samarai’s and court life and nature that you can’t be helped to be sucked in. I highly recommend it.
In retrospect, reading a book that deals with abuse and the affects it has on it’s victims, may not have been the best thing to read right now. Between the news and this, it was a lot. However, at least here, we see people believing and supporting each other as they deal with their own individual traumas. This is a supplement story to the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Pretty much every character has endured one form of abuse or another and their recovery is very much a big part of the story as the looming conflict about to come. The Night Court is still recovering from the battle with Hybern that lead to many deaths and the fall of the wall between the Fey and human lands. The Solstice is coming up and Rhys, Feyre, Mor, Amren Cassian, Az, and Elain are looking forward to taking time away from their responsibilities to celebrate. The one not dealing with the events of the last book is Nesta, who has withdrawn from the group. Only time will tell what will happen with her. This book didn’t do much to advance the story too much but allow for some light moments that we won’t get to see in the following books as this is really the calm before the storm. The end alludes to the dangers that are about to come. So let’s just all take a moment and enjoy this little holiday and take a moment to heal. I think we all need that right now.
I was excited to read this book as the last book in the series Tiger’s Destiny came out 6 years ago. The Tiger’s Saga was about two Indian Princes and brothers who were cursed to live as tiger’s until one of the Princes meant a young girl from Oregon. Over the next four books Kelsey, Ren and Kishan go through many trials and tribulations to undue the curse and defeat the evil Lokesh with the help of Goddess Durga. From the beginning author Colleen Houck said there would be five books in the series so it was surprising that the end of Tiger’s Destiny seemed to have wrapped up the story. What did Tiger’s Dream have to offer? To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement. This is what we all waited for? There were several times that I thought about stopping reading because I got so frustrated. I found some of it to be very problematic and uncompelling. The rest of the review is going to be under the cut as it’s full of spoilers.
2 Women, So Many Books 