Kara has had her power cut and is isolated away from the
demon lords (except one). But she has no time to just sit back without power –
her best friend is bereft, her baby is missing
And the world is under siege – there are rifts appearing
everywhere, spewing out demons, some of them completely unlike anything Kara
has seen before. The world knows about demons – because they’re under constant
attack and have very few experts who can actually fight back.
While the demon lords are overwhelmed trying to stop the
end of both their worlds.
I actually had trouble getting into this book. Because
it’s all there! This book series is now eight books long and it’s all in this
book. All of it. Things that happened in all the seven books before this, all
that rich world building, all those dramatic events, all of those amazing
storylines and characters and world building – it’s ALL THERE
Honestly, I wish, sincerely, that I had the time to start
again on book one and appreciate every little part of this amazing story
because I think this is really the only way to truly absorb the hugeness of
this book. Especially
since it has been a year since I last read this excellent series.
This reminds me of just how very rich this world is and
how much has grown from the very beginning and is still growing. This book
contains so many absolutely amazing developments, revelations which builds so
much more on this word. I love that there is more to develop, I love that there
is so much more to this world than we have seen and that when we finally
thought we had so many answers it actually turns out…
Yes I was always going to use this gif
In any other book I would yell “too much!”. And I’m not
even sure why I don’t on this one. There’s so much here. The world building
grows exponentially with revelations about the demon world, the nature of
potency, the nature of the Demon Lords, the rifts, the demon clans, the history
of the demons – that’s all huge world building developments. It’s immense and
makes the whole world look so much different and have so much potential for
more stories. Then we have Kara’s relationships, Mzatal, her aunt, her own
history, her power, her new friends, her old friends. There’s amazing complexity
like how she deals with Rhyzkhal.
And oh how I was suspicious about this because it looked
like we were going to go down that horrible redemption train route with this
utter villain – but even while he was humanised and Kara saw more to him than
the many who persecuted and tortured her, she still also maintained her anger.
Ultimately her decisions and evolution towards him felt a lot more like her own
growth and revelations than ever it was actually about him – yes, it felt like
a quasi-forgiveness path that focused more on the victim. I still can’t say I
was happy by it but it was far more substantive than a standard rapid
redemption pathway.
Then there’s her relationship with Jill which is PERFECT.
I mean they’re not perfect – they’re sometimes short with each other and say
careless things and they understand they forgive and the apologise and they
love and care for each other and it’s just such an awesome, amazing friendship.
There’s some really excellent, complex biplay between
Kara and Idris (because every relationship here is complex and excellent) and
some great interactions with people she doesn’t get on with but is willing to
work with.
Oh and Kara is badass and totally in charge. She’s an expert, she knows it and she is respected for it.
On top of that we have some really great action scenes
and a whole demon invasion and Kara taking point and control above and beyond
the Lords or anyone else. And a demonic mutation plague. And kittens!
All of this? It should be too much!
But it isn’t! Instead it’s one huge mass of awesomeness –
I loved every minute of it, I was fascinated by every aspect of it, I was drawn
in by every development. I was floored by every revelation and wanted more.
There’s so much there and I am riveted and that’s not just a comment on this
book but on this whole series that has so drawn me in. Someone would have to
physically drag me away from this book (except my nearest and dearest know me
by now and would never DARE do anything so foolish, instead opting to tip-toe
around me and occasionally proffer coffee at arm’s length).
There were, certainly, issues with me not recognising or
remembering every character in sufficient detail. That was an issue – and an
issue that I don’t say is a flaw with the book but further proof that the whole
series needs re reading. And again. And again. And why aren’t you reading it
right now? Why?
Ok, time to put down the fanpoodle… (wait, why are you
not reading this book?! Go! Read!) and address some issues I’m not as thrilled
by
Firstly, the whole Elinor storyline is probably the only
storyline I didn’t like or really see the point of. Kara could have stood in
for all this woo-woo without the resurrected Italian lady and her boyfriend.
We do have several POC – Dr. Patel the kind of cool South
Asian doctor and Kara fangirl who works for the humans battling the demons.
Paul Ortiz, psychic hacker who is now connected to Kadir. Lannist, one of the
ptarls. Janice Massi, a fiercely intelligent and determined Black woman who
helps address some of Kara’s knowledge of Rhyzkhall and the other lords, Rasha
Hassan the Middle Eastern summoner we saw before. And, most prominent of all,
Idris the part east Asian summoner and Kara’s cousin.
That’s a fair few characters and many of them were much
more prominent in previous books. In this book? Well, they’re there, they’re not
terrible stereotypes but they’re not hugely prominent.
The LGBTQ inclusion is also… dubious. We keep getting
lots of hints of Paul and Kadir together – but no confirmation and a fair few depictions
of disgust. The prominent (well for a given definition of prominent) canon gay
couple is Seretis and Rayst, the demon lord couple. And their relationship here
is tainted by betrayal… and then we get an utterly cringeworthy depiction of
Seretis completely sacrificing himself to humiliation, exploitation, slavery
(with more than a little sexual undertone) for the sake of Kara and the rest of
the cast. For a character that is so undeveloped this is especially unpleasant
Gah, why can you not be so perfect I can just fanpoodle
with utter glee? I love this book but like all other media I love, there are
flaws. I still love this.
