kathrynleereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Across time and space, they both find themselves being manipulated and coerced by Corien, leader of the angels and the Undying Empire.
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Spoiler
I will say, however, that I found her ending to be quite fitting. It was a perfect balance of demonstrating that she made the right choice, while also acknowledging that she was still too deeply connected to the Empirium to live a normal human life anymore.Spoiler
My favorite hat on Audric was definitely fatherhood at the end of the book. Seeing him moving on from the events of the prior years and really just embracing his role as Eliana’s dad was wonderful to read.Spoiler
The other main inconsistency with Ludivine was the fact that she left.This was so out-of-character for her that I actually went back and reread a bit to make sure I hadn’t missed something.
Evyline - Honestly, Rielle didn’t deserve Evyline. She was loyal to Rielle without a single doubt.
Even when Rielle sided with the angels, Evyline shifted her loyalty to Audric, knowing that he was Rielle’s best chance to come back to herself and the right side.
Spoiler
Her trust in Rielle as they walked to Rielle’s death was so complete and incredible after everything Rielle had put her through.Garver - I love this man. Right in the Furyborn prologue, he had reminded Simon to not judge Rielle too harshly because she had once been just a girl.
He seemed to understand better than most of the characters that what Rielle was going through was not her fault (at least entirely).
Tal - At no point in this series was I a fan of Tal. His whole relationship with Rielle was so weird and bordered on the line of an obsession.
Spoiler
I wasn’t sad when she killed him.Obritsa - For such a young girl, Obritsa really had herself together.
Atheria - I love Atheria with my whole heart. Her presence acted as a sort of moral compass.
I also appreciated that Atheria’s role as a moral compass extended past Rielle to Audric as well. She was by his side the whole time he fought, helping when she could, but being a constant supporting presence.
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ELIANA'S TIMELINE
Eliana - I’ve been trying for days to put down all my feelings about Eliana and the ending that she got, but I just can’t seem to fin the right words.
Spoiler
And all that growth, all the strength that this beautiful girl held, all the trials and hardships she went through were erased, just like that.I’m so grateful for Zahra and the fact that, through her, a spark of the person that Eliana was still lives on.
I’m happy that she now gets to grow up properly, with Audric and Zahra and Simon there, but the hardships that she went through made her the person she was.
Simon - Simon’s story simultaneously aggrevated me and made me so deeply sad.
The idea that he underwent such incredible torture starting at the age of eight is horrible.
And for that revelation to happen only hours before he is then killed by Corien? Brutal.
He deserved so much more than that ending, and I hope that little Simon eventually gets the ending he deserves with little Eliana.
The Prophet - After a book and a half of guessing who The Prophet was, Lightbringer finally confirmed my hunch.
Spoiler
Ludivine always tried to be so respectful when entering someone’s mind, and I found it difficult to believe that she would ravage Simon’s mind like she did.He followed in his sister's footsteps but stayed true to the person he was, studying and loving stories more than anything else.
Spoiler
I also think it was fitting for him to go with Eliana and be with her on the terrace that night. For Eliana's sake, I think that was the only way for Remy's story to end.Spoiler
She had the opportunity to see the life that Eliana lived in the future before it was erased and therefore was able to see how she had loved and died for Eliana."May I tell you the rest?" she asked. "May I tell you the story of your daughter?"
Tears in his eyes, completely undone, Audric nodded, and then he listened through the night as Zahra spoke of a future that would never be.
Those were the words that broke me and finally drew out all the tears I’d been holding in.
Suffice it to say, Lightbringer broke me.
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Torture, Toxic relationship, and War
Moderate: Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Confinement, Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual content, and Slavery
Minor: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Pregnancy, and Animal death
angstifies's review against another edition
the pacing is REALLY REALLY SLOW and things aren’t going in the direction them to go and there are a few useless POVs that just feel thrown there and i don’t enjoy reading them at all.
Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Grief, War, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Blood, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Murder
Minor: Vomit, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content
taryn_g's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy and Fire/Fire injury
orphic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Death, War, Violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Torture, Toxic friendship, and Sexual content
Minor: Body horror and Pregnancy
ka_ke's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and War
Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Death, and Pregnancy
claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Honestly, this book was a bit tough to get through. I still enjoyed it and the story kept me engaged enough, but it was pretty depressing and had more violence than I really wanted to read.
Spoiler
The ending was...unexpected for me, which may be silly because it was essentially what they had been planning the whole time, with the whole traveling-back-in-time-to-change-Rielle's-mind plan. Somehow I still thought they were going to find a way to save everyone's lives in the "present" (Eliana's time period). I know that Corien and the Empire were really bad for a thousand years, but erasing all of those lives (including half of the characters we, as readers, have come to love!) felt wrong too. Though it was sad, I thought Rielle's ending was also fitting—a normal happy ending would feel forced and unrealistic after the extreme upheavals of her life. It reminded me both of Enna Burning, and how the elements almost overwhelm and kill Enna and Isi, and also how in The Lord of the Rings Frodo is too scarred after carrying the ring to have a happy ending. I did appreciate how the threads of the two stories came together, with both Ludivine and Zahra showing up in both times, as well as the scene with Simon at the end.Happy ending meter (no spoilers, just the general vibe of the ending):
Spoiler
I guess it's happy? Sort of? But not really? This is a tough one.Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Child death, Sexual assault, and Vomit