Again, a bit ‘meh’. Not as bad as the last book by a long stretch but still not as charming as the first two.

I don’t necessarily understand the character progression and choices and I think that’s the biggest issue (alongside that whiff of misogyny still lingering from the last book), because I can’t care about most of the characters because I do not understand the motivations anymore.

People seem to be really flat caricatures. Even Atticus doesn’t feel fleshed out anymore, which with 2,100 years of history is actually kind of impressive. Granuaile is ok so far but I’m not really getting why she’s supposed to be so impressive to Atticus. The daddy issues is an obvious plot point that seems cynical. The best character is still Oberon and he is the one I really cared about, along with Frank, when they were hurt. The rest? Meh.

I’d love more Morrigan, more history, more emotion. I know Atticus keeps banging on about not being able to do harm because it’s a big Druid no-no but it never even seems to slow him down. There’s a hint of awareness that he’s been an arrogant toe rag and should have listened to the wiser people warning him, rather than go with his ego, but it’s way too little, too late. When the series started I thought it would be about a man desperately wanting to be left alone but doing the right thing, no matter what, when pushed. Yeah, it isn’t anymore. It’s ego and hubris and it’s not that fun to read.

I’ll keep going but I won’t be sad to see the series end. Which is sad in itself for me. I hate feeling this way about any books, but especially a series I really loved at the start.

Disappointing.