Lightbringer was epic.
I'm surprised to see so many different opinions on this finale because I feel as if Claire chose the only ending possible for this book..? Throughout all of my reads I've watched this world tear these two women apart, and I actively discuss the fact that this book is very much about the toxicity in society towards women.
A society telling a young girl how to live, breathe, and act is horrible and traumatizing for SO many reasons. Rielle suffered enough as a child when she accidentally killed her mother, but this only further progresses as she grows older. It's like Elsa with the whole "conceal don't feel." Anyway, a society telling young women they will either be the salvation of their kingdom or doom is only further pressure. Rielle and Eliana have dealt with these intense, destructive influences throughout the course of the series, and it peaks in this finale.
For starters, I cannot understand any of these reviews sending curse words and hate to Claire for giving them an ending they deemed bad. You're allowed to have opinions, feels, etc. but to call Claire names and act so childishly is bullying and hateful. Be mature and respectful.
Moreover, to all the people wanting Corien and Rielle together... Did you miss the manipulation? The abuse? THE CHILD SLAVERY?! Did we read the same book? Rielle knows at that moment that seeing those children harmed is beyond her limit. I completely understand liking him a bit for the bad boy aesthetic in Furyborn, but after Lightbringer especially you should be on one side and one side only. Even the trickery against him and other angels is no reason to mentally enslave children. Rielle has a few moments of clarity within this finale, and each time she runs for the hills away from Corien. It is only through his charismatic and manipulative words that she goes back with him. Her mind is so clouded half the time that she cannot coherently make decisions! He's so bad!!!
Now I understand Rielle's different emotions once she's fully touched the Empirium/ seen this childhood version of herself representing the Empirium. She's tasted so much godly power at that point that her human self is starting to wither away because the power is intense and screaming in her head. It wants to be let out, so of course, Rielle would be inclined to aid the angels because that only intensifies her abilities. Now that's a completely separate side of this story.. but anytime someone says Corien and Rielle should have been together..
I just have to dry heave a bit.
Also I don't know where people are seeing Furyborn described as a grim-dark YA fantasy, but in ALL my book scouring for this beloved trilogy, I cannot find this descriptor. If you want grim dark fantasies where the villains win then read some adult fantasy because YA doesn't really do that a lot. This trilogy is certainly a darker one in the genre, and we saw that through Corien's manipulations to both Rielle and Eliana. Eliana's POV is called boring, but then she has some of the darkest points in this finale.. She's ruthlessly abused by Corien to a point where she considers suicide. If that isn't dark then I don't know what y'all want.
Overall, this review list on GR has made me a bit sick to my stomach. I'm astounded by the reviews of some people on here.
The title Lightbringer speaks for itself. Light shall triumph all, and I'm so glad Claire decided to give us this version. Rielle and Eliana went through too much for this to end in tyranny and destruction.