dbguide2's Reviews (863)

I think this is probably my favourite out of the Reforged world (note they’re standalone sequels but names/events are mentioned). Reforged a close second and Reborn, unfortunately, being third. Now, do I understand most of Haddon’s world-building? Very much not, but I love it a lot. Plus I can tell that it’s incredibly well-thought out and built up over the years. So I don’t mind that I’m lost regarding the world-building at all.

Haddon always does such a good job with the characters and it just shone in this book. Saba and Zek were two great characters. I loved seeing them interact with each other and side characters. Even though we didn’t get Zek’s point of view, we were able to understand him through Saba’s eyes. If you’re looking for a slow burn, definitely come here because these two just made me want to push them together. I really liked how Zek’s chronic leg pain and Saba’s trans identity/body dysphoria are sort of linked? Or not really linked but it’s both about not having the ideal body, not being what you see as the “ideal man” in this sense. And how you come to terms with the body you’re given, learn to eventually love your body (which can be seen for just about any body type and experience, in my opinion). I commend Haddon for the chronic pain rep, which I enjoyed and thought was written well! 

The plot and the world-building go so hand-in-hand together it’s like they’re stitched together. Both are done so well – which you can find in the previous books too. I love when fantasies are big and well-written and the world-building something so meaty you can easily sink your teeth into. There was a mystery subplot and I’m glad that I didn’t solve the mystery before it was revealed – I was enjoying the book too much to focus on the mystery, I think.

This is my favourite of Tuli’s series (that I’ve read) and I think this book is my favourite of this series. It had everything I like in a book and especially in Tuli’s books! She’s fantastic with character building and building connections between those characters. I definitely don’t mind reading longer series if this is how it goes! I love how I’m never bored in basically any moment in her books. I quickly like the characters, root for them early on, their villains are my villains. For me that’s not only a sign of a good writer but a good reader! Tuli knows her work, uses her strengths to make a really good book and capture her readers’ attention.

Obviously I can’t really talk much about the plot because, well, it’s the third book in a quartet so I’m a bit limited. What I can tell you is that it’s a solid plot – I wasn’t confused (which I’m always happy about) and also it worked so well with the characters and world-building. The plot flowed so well from the previous book and I can’t wait for the fourth book! What I liked is that there was an extensive glossary so you could refer back to the various characters and places in the book. There’s also a map on her website so clearly she knows how to treat her readers.

Like I’ve said so many times before, I absolutely loved the cast of characters in here. Rabin and Zarya have been so through much and they continued to go through a lot in this book; which I both hated and loved. I love angst, but at what cost, right? I love how they became closer in this book and there were so many scenes that had me grinning. Something I really liked was that Zarya still stands up for herself, makes Rabin know she won’t just let him walk all over her. Which he absolutely loves, which is something I love. As much as I’d love for them to just not have to go through more battles and turmoil; they just do it so well! They work together fantastically and I like that they lean on each other. They aren’t afraid to be weak.

Tuli is also really good with her side characters. Yasen is my absolute favourite and I love him ever so much. Yasen is a bigger side character, so he’s seen a lot – and I love Tuli for that. I also love that she puts in so much work for all the other side characters too – which isn’t something I can say for a lot of fantasy books! I actually tended to forget that the side characters in here are only side characters because they feel like main characters! 

I really like the magic system in the book, it’s a very interesting one and I like how Tuli wrote it and tied all the different knots together. It’s neatly woven into the world-building and explained in a way that doesn’t bother me, isn’t too long – which, yet again, is not as common as I would like it (in fantasy books). I liked how the magic was also tied to power and not only freeing yourself but freeing others and the power that comes from that too.