This is the first Sanderson series I've completed, and as much as I want to keep diving into his books, the sheer amount of them terrifies me and that's not a rabbit hole I'm ready to go down...

The thrilling conclusion to the Skyward series, Defiant, picks up right where the previous book left off and, for the first time, does not introduce an entire new found family. My main complaints about the last two books were that Spensa kept creating new found families and that we never followed up with old ones. This novel tied all the other ones together in terms of characters, which I really appreciated.
For that reason, I think this was my favorite book in the series besides the first one, which will always have a special place in my mind. There were parts that felt a bit slow, and I can honestly say that I think the "big scene" dragged a lot as well, mostly due to a sudden integration of multiple POVs, but there was enough action to keep me occupied. I also liked the tensions between Spensa and Jorgen, as well as Spensa and her morals. While the ending did feel a little rushed, I am excited for the sequel series, which I am hoping will elaborate on the implications of this ending.
This series has so many characters, and I'm pretty sure most of my favorites died in the first one, but I still love the remaining cast. The banter and internal monologues are great. Spensa is a wonderful example of a protagonist who changes in a realistic way, and her narration is hilarious. I also really like Jorgen, although he didn't feel as present in this book. I still wish we got more from Rig, FM, and Kimmalyn, but it looks like that's the plan for the sequel series? I didn't remember much about Chet going into this book, but his dynamic with Spensa and M-Bot was very enjoyable. Overall, the dynamics of the cast were great, and I can't wait to see it hopefully continue.
Defiant is the satisfying conclusion to the Skyward series, and now we'll have to wait and see if it pushes me into another sci-fi binge.
4/5