A review by faithtrustpixiedust
The Living by Isaac Marion

4.0

Does the world deserve forgiveness? Does it deserve another chance?

I was very conflicted as I read this. The overarching emotion I felt throughout was disappointment. Unlike the rest of the series, this felt like it lacked a real direction. I wasn't sure what the goal was, and what had been the established goal at the end of The Burning World was pretty much entirely forgotten until the climax. Conflicts were often repeated multiple times, or borrowed from previous books, and it left me feeling drained and frankly a little pissed off. A lot of time was spent flipping through perspectives and I felt like I didn't have enough time to feel much of anything for most of them. The scope of this was too big sometimes and the plot was left drowning in it.

We all decide the shape of the world, the sum of all minds together. Change has to be chosen.

But luckily, Marion is an amazing writer, and his way with words and imagery pretty much saved this. R completed his ongoing character arc all for the better and the conclusion was probably the most emotionally heart-wrenching, yet also heart-warming, endings to any series I've ever read. While I flip-flopped between considering DNFing it or framing it on my wall, I think that ultimately, this was a fantastic book that perhaps I will appreciate more on a second read through. And, of course, the themes are so profound and thought provoking. Even the bad guys sometimes manage to pull you in. Overall, I am so glad I read this and even more than that, I'm so glad Isaac finally got to release this book into the world, and I'm more than excited to see what strange paths he follows next.

Every choice has a price. We all owe a debt to this world for the things we take from it, right or wrong, cruel or kind. But these laws are soft, these laws are alive, and sometimes a debt is forgiven.