I don't really know how to accurately rate this book because while I love this trilogy so much, this was definitely the least favourite book for me both in reading experience and the contents of the story. I give it 4 stars but it might more accurately be a 3.5 (and maybe even a secret 3? I DON'T KNOW!).

This book contains a lot of Corien and Eliana in the future timeline as Corien plays with Eliana to try and get her to use her powers, meaning he might be able to return to Rielle. But Eliana is stronger than he thinks, and even though she is suffering from grief, heartache and betrayal, she won't break. In the past timeline, Rielle has also run to Corien and is losing herself more and more to the Empirium, forgetting who she really is and how much the people in her life like Audric and Ludivine love her.

I did really like having more POVs in this book from Audric and Ludivine because they are characters I genuinely just love (would die for them both tbh) but overall this book just stressed me out and made me really sad because so many awful things were happening (some of them by the hands of Rielle - a character I've loved and defended).

I felt very frustrated by a lot of Rielle's decisions in this book and it was very hard to read at times seeing her choose the wrong thing again and again while on the other hand, there was a real lull in Eliana's story as it felt the same kind of thing was happening - there is only so much you can read about forced dreams and mind torture.

Ludivine was the really interesting character in this as we saw her really develop into something amazing. I've always loved Audric, Rielle and Ludivine's relationship in this book and there were parts of Lightbringer that brought me to tears when these memories were brought up and pain both Ludivine and Audric felt over them.

I do agree with some other reviews that the ending, and how some of the characters were treated felt a bit abrupt and more time here (and maybe less in the mind dreams) would have been beneficial.

I can't say I'm unhappy with the ending but it definitely left a very bittersweet feeling in my mouth. I do hope we get more books in this world as we haven't learned even a real smidge of what the Emperium can do - and maybe Eliana has many more adventures ahead!