Evelyn
The third and final instalment in the Emily Wilde trilogy is not quite as light-hearted and fun as its predecessors, but does contain a new and exciting glimpse into strange fairy worlds and the mythology that shapes them.
While this book is guaranteed to be a good time, it falls short of the standard the first two books set. It takes a while for the main story to start with the first 100 pages or so feeling like a set-up - which is hardly needed or ideal in your third book - and only really gets going afterwards.
It was so interesting to reread this but with Shannon's edits and changes from the original. I first read the original when it published over a decade ago and fell in love with the characters and the world - I have been waiting YEARS for the Dark Mirror.
I was apprehensive of Shannon reworking so much of what I loved, even though I could recognise that her writing had grown and strengthened since her debut. The anxiety was in vain though as the rewriting has not made this feel like a different book, but rather added needed support to the beginning of Warden and Paige's relationship, and - in my opinion - tackled Paige's trauma and her responses to it in a much more nuanced way.
The ending totally saved this book for me.
Honestly, the first half of this book was a total slog for me. The writing was lackluster with a tremendous amount of info dumps; the relationships weren't being properly built up and it felt like we skipped key moments; and the “plot twists” were very obvious.
BUT then the second 50% happened. The quality jump in writing was enormous, it just flowed better and the characters' relationships starting making more sense. The plot and its intricacies were well mapped out and the protagonist was left with some really interesting choices where no decision felt like the correct one.
I will be reading the sequel as I want to see if that improved quality of writing continued. I really hope it did.
Does this book do anything groundbreaking with the romantasy sub-genre? But by god, what it does well - it does well.
This is not a book for anyone who turns their nose up at romantasy, it will not change your mind - look to Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross for that - but it does add a fun edition to the genre. It's just fun.
