The Laughing Listener
Format: Hard Copy
Length: 438 Pages

Rating: ALL THE STARS
*Series Spoilers Ahead*

IT’S HERE. FINALLY. THE DAY HAS ARRIVED. I CAN’T HANDLE MY EMOTIONS.



It was taking so long for the audiobook to become available on Overdrive (I still haven’t gotten it) that I ended up having a rage fit, ripped out most of my hair, and went to the bookstore to buy my own copy. Because let’s be honest, I was going to buy it anyway. And WHAT A JOURNEY. I whipped through this novel and was a complete MESS the entire time.

THE REHASH
In this fourth and FINAL installment, the plot starts right where we left off in [b:Blue Lily, Lily Blue|17378508|Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle, #3)|Maggie Stiefvater|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1477103826s/17378508.jpg|24170141]. The women at 300 Fox Way are concerned to say the least. Blue has gotten herself mixed up in an adventure that’s bigger than anyone could have anticipated. Not only was Maura almost lost in a cave hole, but Blue has also brought back the song-obsessed Gwenllian and her father Artemus who enjoys relaxing in dark closets. The strong, amazing women of 300 Fox Way try to help in any way they can while adjusting to life without Persephone (UGH), but it’s not easy.

Meanwhile, the raven gang is going through personal changes of their own.

Blue and Gansey have finally stopped fighting their feelings for each other, admitting their relationship to themselves and their friends (SQUEEEEE!!). While Ronan and Adam hesitantly forge ahead into their own sort-of relationship (DOUBLE SQUEEEEE!!).

But something is very wrong in Cabeswater and in Ronan’s dreams. At first it’s nothing too concerning. A rotten tree here, one bad dream there… But this negative energy starts to slowly pick up speed—Noah is on the fritz attacking people, Adam is being FREAKING POSSESSED (EW WHAT?), and poor Ronan starts having the most terrifying dreams ever. As everything spins dramatically out of control, the raven gang starts looking for answers and eventually realize it’s all because the third sleeper is awake.

This third sleeper

—a.k.a A GIANT FREAKY FLOATING HORNET—

has been busy with Piper and Neeve, generally causing mayhem and destruction. Piper, the wife of Mr. Gray’s brother Colin Greenmantle, is ecstatic about her new evil dream team and hatches a plan to make tons of money. It’s a truly IDIOTIC and TERRIBLE plan, but whatever. Live your best life.

It’s up to our favorite ravenites to stop this evil force and conclude their search for Glendower, which all leads up to the inevitable death of Richard Cambell Gansey III.

"That's all there is."

THE GOOD
EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING IS GOOD. AHHH!

I’m usually so bad at finishing a book series because I always hate how they end. I’m such a grumpy old lady by the time the last installment comes around because I get mad at how things turn out. They’ve burned me one too many times! I’m not bitter. *Sarcasm alert*

So over the years I’ve started to just give up before things get really bad. Right before I started this blog I read [b:The 5th Wave|16101128|The 5th Wave (The 5th Wave, #1)|Rick Yancey|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1359853842s/16101128.jpg|19187812] and loved it, then gave up halfway through [b:The Infinite Sea|16131484|The Infinite Sea (The 5th Wave, #2)|Rick Yancey|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1395351812s/16131484.jpg|27237970] because I could tell it was going down the tubes. Same with the Caster Chronicles series. Same with the Divergent Trilogy… You get the idea. I’m just salty when I read books I guess?????

But this is the first series that I have read in looooonnnng time (maybe ever???) that I loved from start to finish. The beginning was good, the middle was good, the ending was good. I love Ronan and Adam, I love Blue and Gansey, Maura and Mr. Gray, the women at 300 Fox Way, the setting, the magic… Hell, I was even in love with Henry by the end. As far as I can tell, there’s no other series like this—filled to the brim with magical fantasy, yet still completely relatable and real.

THE UGLY
I have nothing constructive to say in this section because everything was perfection. So instead, I’ll be using this space to voice some of my frustrations.

Ummmmm, can someone please tell me WHAT HAPPENED TO MR. GRAY??? I was very concerned about his safety towards the end of the book, but then

he just NEVER COMES BACK after that scene with Seondeok and I have SO MANY QUESTIONS! Is he in a mobster war now? Where did he flee to? What’s his plan to change things? WILL HE EVER COME BACK TO MAURA?!?!

I’M VERY WORRIED. Fingers crossed this will all be covered in the new sequel series that’s coming out.

Also, can we all just take moment to appreciate the stupidity of Piper’s plan?? Like, REALLY?!?!?!



FINAL WORD
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES