Darkdawn

Book Title: Darkdawn

Author: Jay Kristoff

Series: The Nevernight Chronicles #3

Date Started: May 19th 2021

Date Completed: May 31st 2021

Genres: Fantasy, Action, Thriller,  Romance

Quality Rating: Five Stars

Enjoyment Rating: Five Star

Final Rating: Five Stars

Review:

The final chapter in The Nevernight Chronicles ties up pretty much everything surprisingly neatly, and just as satisfyingly as expected. Kristoff's players on his chessboard press forward with calculated, organic moves, all towards the Queen waiting at the very end.

I'd forgotten just how intense these books were. They just don't stop, from start to finish. And it doesn't get old: somehow each action scene feels new, the revelations are just as revelatory, and the things we knew were always going to happen still feel like twists. I actually find it a little funny that the final finale was actually probably the least exciting bit, I suppose because we all knew how it was going to end.

Mia's great, as always. And it's been nice having this big cast of characters the whole way through the series, even if they do step on and off the stage; without taking away from Mia as the protagonist, Kristoff can balance different sub-plots and people so that we become attached to things from all directions. It's one of the reasons his twists and turns land so well; because we care about the whole picture. (Also, just to note, this is how you can write women sexily, and use smut and cursing and crude jokes, without objectifying and shaming women and other groups.)

I also really respect the 'screw destiny' vibe, while still having that prophecy-driven force in the storytelling. The chosen one has always been a problematic trope, but (as with so many things) Kristoff manages to adapt it to complete the story with due justice to Mia and all the other n0n-chosen ones who are just as key to the victory.

I don't know just how much Kristoff did plan ahead, but nothing in Darkdawn felt conveniently moved in the plot just to pull off a twist or a climax, as happens so often. Things fell into place like they were divinely planned - in the way all great fantasy epics are, by nature, constructed, but seamlessly.