READ THIS SERIES!. That is enough.... ( )

The stunning conclusion of Jay Kristoff's "The Lotus War" trilogy. The book starts slowly, although I do like the way he summarizes the prior two installments via a review of characters, recapping developments and stating where they are now. As momentum builds, there are more twists and turns than San Francisco's Lombard Street (and dare I say it, a Harlan Coben novel.) There are incredible highs and lows, both literal and figurative for an almost too larger cast of characters. Endsinger does not shy away from the brutal realities of war. There is action, adventure, love, sadness, humor, politics, betrayal, violence and horror. At the core remains the story of the unbreakable bond and love between Yukiko (Stormdancer) and Buruu (thundertiger) although similar ones develop in this novel. The backstory of how Buruu became the Kinslayer and estranged from his species is revealed, and Yoshi's loss and redemption is special. I was aghast with the Lord of the Rings-movie reunion towards the end, but Yukiko's message about humanity spoke deep and meaningful truths, and the last chapter was nothing short of epic. What is next Jay? ( )

Yukiko doesn't deserve the ending of this book/trilogy.

While some improvements from the previous volume remained (e.g., much less "Hai, sama!" than the first book, wider range of characters), the book is a significant drop from the previous.

There's lots of plot points and misunderstandings and issues that could have been resolved just by talking. Like adults. Not even extensively or rationally! People who were communicating just fine earlier! There are things that aren't explained, not for lack of knowledge or ability, but just to make a dramatic plot point.

For example, Buruu explains that he was exiled for killing his murderous brothers and that he has a secret family back home. This was the most tepid, weak way to explain his banishment ever - because Buruu's crime is something that we can rationalize as being good. He killed a murderous bad guy! There's no reason this revelation had to be split over multiple chapters of waffling on it. Just to drag out the reveal. You can see the exact same thing with Kin's entire arc.

The prose is really lazy. There's a simile or metaphor on nearly every page. Occasionally, they work - the image of the thopers on the back of a giant insect makes my skin crawl. But most of the time its the same description over. And over. And over. Or its a cliched expression that has had a word swapped out with a Japanese one. Kitsune in a henhouse, I'm looking at you. Other times its a cliched expression but the author dresses it up with SAT words as if that changes things for the better. "Old habits perish reluctantly." So clunky. It reads like a high schooler trying to sound sophisticated, or swapping out words in a report with a thesaurus to obscure the fact that its a plagiarized Wikipedia article. The dialogue is often stilted.

I hate the pregnancy in this book. Yukiko is pregnant the entire book. Yukiko is treated like a walking gestational chamber. Her actions don't matter. Her opinions don't matter. All that matters is the fetuses. Sure, you could fight to save the world b-b-but w-w-what if you lost the baby?!?! Yukiko is ridiculously passive the entire book - because she isn't a character anymore. Just a receptacle for the almighty fetus. This is driven home again and again - and she's only 16/17. This isn't strong female characterization. This is, in fact, the opposite. She is even shoved out of the final battle so Yoshi can be fridged.

There's some great moments. The Guildsmen all slamming their skulls to the Endsinger's music still creeps me out, days later. So creepy. But there's not enough.

P.S. If you need to shed blood, one of the stupidest ways to do it is to slice the palm of your hand. Great way to cripple your hands permanently. With all the advanced medical science they apparently have, no one figured out better ways to draw blood that don't leave a hand horribly scarred and potentially crippled? ( )

More comprehensive review to come when I write up my reviews for the previous installments, but all in all a gorgeous end to an incredible fantasy series. Tears still in my eyes, and best of all not all of them are from sadness. ( )

This is an amazing series. Kristoff's writing is very, very good if a bit lengthy at times but he makes you feel what the characters see in an incredible way. The ending wasn't as dire as I expected. Lots of characters die but it's to be expected in that kind of story. I cried a little, I'll admit. But it was a wonderful read. ( )