This book...

I don't even know what to say. The ending was just so atypical of what I'm used to, but I loved it just the same. It gets tiring when every series ends with a happily ever after, where everyone ends up with someone and the plot is nicely tied up, and the evil people are all gone or destroyed. This book doesn't do that and I'm honestly impressed.

I love Skara. She is the One and True Queen who deserves lots of hype. I love a strong, independent woman, who makes decisions that are best for her country and people and not based on her heart. I feel like it's more realistic, and while sad, it feels more right than everyone ending up with someone and being in love. Cause that's just not how the world works and everyone has different priorities and duties.

Raith's end was perfect. I loved his character growth and I think where he's headed seems more or less in the right direction (whether or not he believes it at the moment). I love how this book leaves a lot to the imagination. And based off of what we know at the end, it's nice to imagine what could happen next. I feel like he and Thorn are more suited for each other. Raith's character development would actually play well with her, and just like Thorn said, she needs someone to say no to her, and while Brand was great, he couldn't say no to her or steer her in the right direction. He did deserve better.

Koll is my precious son, who loves to carve wood and just wants to make everyone happy, but ends up hurting everyone instead. His character growth was also perfect. I think that final conversation with Yarvi, really opened his eyes (and also opened the reader's eyes), and he ended up deciding what was best for him. I love, love, love, love Koll and his ironworker girl (who now reminds me of Daja, so I'll just go hide in a hole a die from feels).

Yarvi...man, I feel in shock, yet I mostly guessed where everything was headed. His conversation with Koll pretty much confirmed it, and the whole sack on Thorlby had me wondering if he played a part, cause it definitely felt like something Yarvi would do. I do sort of want Skifr and Thorn to find out, cause Yarvi is dangerous, and no matter what alliance he and Skara have come to, I don't know if it will hold. I feel like he caved so easily at the end, yet at the same time, I think he got careless and conceited and proud. I just love when a book ends with lots of unanswered questions–not questions that would annoy you necessarily, but questions that make you wonder about what will happen next. It would be interesting to see if Abercrombie ever writes more set in this world.