Whilst I did like the actual ending, I was disappointed overall in this final instalment of what has been a great series. I don’t think it needed to be so long, with not much happening in the first half. It laboured the fact that the Soul Catcher was no longer Elias, long after the point where you knew he was lying to himself, the Shrike was unshrikelike and Laia’s main role appeared to be putting herself in the way of danger unnecessarily. Did Sabaa Tahir grow tired of the series? Maybe there is a reason that trilogies are more common that quartets.

Maybe if you like fighting scenes, you’ll like the first half more, but I wanted them to hurry up and reunite so they could work out how to end the war, save the world, etc. About halfway things did improve; there is a tragic turning point, as well as Elias realising something is wrong in the Waiting Place, and maybe he needs to stop being a stubborn idiot and seek help. And finally Laia comes up with an idea.

I am not so sure about the passages from the Nightbringer’s point of view, trying to make us sympathise with him. It’s understandable that his original tragedy scarred him, it doesn’t really forgive the decades of slavery and planned genocide he brought forth. He goes on about having loved Laia, but it makes more sense if he tricked her, as it was surmised in the previous book.

I can’t really remember if the seeds were sown in the previous book for a romance between Helene and Harper, but it seemed a bit out of place and I didn’t feel an emotional connection. Considering what happens I would have expected to have more feels, but it didn’t come across as convincing.

However the ending, once I learned the Nightbringer’s plan was gripping, and I think that saved this book for me. That are there are some lovely lines of writing throughout.