Have finally finished the concluding volume of this YA fantasy trilogy (had to wait on the library to order it!). It's an enjoyable read, but as with the second volume it doesn't quite reach the level of interest as the first. The ending, in particular, seems very crammed together and the political plot with Bracegirdle falls apart excessively easily, considering how he was set up in The Golden Specific as some sort of malign genius. Poor little Datura stands in for the creepy "villain" side of things here, though as with the Lachrima she's not really villainous (and is nowhere near as creepy as them either).

The world-building continues to be excellent, but as always the plot seems more of an excuse to show off said world-building (usually in a series of constant travelogues) than anything else. It's still moderately entertaining, but I'm forced to conclude that though I'd love to visit this world, I wouldn't bother to visit the characters. They're all very nice, but basically they're a tool for travelling and I could wander without them.