The most important relationships here are predominantly platonic. I really feel like this series went so far past its original sort-of-fucked-up-love-triangle focus. And my favorite Lada quote is a spoiler, so I can’t put it here, but I think she’s one of the best-written antiheroes I’ve read recently and I really like it? Every moment of planning she has made me want to scream with joy. I love how cunning Lada is, how she does everything differently than expected. Lada, who I hate and empathize with at the same time.

Assuming one survived long enough to heal.Īnd then… there’s Lada. Broken things healed thicker and stronger than they were before. There was something to be said for having his heart broken so many times. Kiersten White is really one of the few not-openly-queer authors I trust most with writing queer characters.

He is so careful about expressing his love for other men, and it’s so realistic not only to the period, but also to my experiences in our current world. I love how well Radu’s sexuality is written. Radu’s characterization has come so far since And I Darken – in Now I Rise, Kiersten White really made me love him, and I just… relate to him so much. He could not say the same for his sister’s.

It was an odd sort of thing to take comfort in, but he accepted it. What Mehmed and Lada did-because of what they set their hearts on with both people and land-was far worse than anything Radu’s love could ever lead him to do. Lada loved Wallachia above all else, and this was the result. But it was not his own love that was poisonous and destructive. He had felt guilty for the way his heart yearned for other men. This series is about misogyny, about internalized homophobia, about religion, about learning what you deserve in a world that wants you to accept nothing.It is a character and theme study that I just… adore. This series is political and character driven, which is… such a deep mood for me. Okay, so basic TL DR: This book is my second favorite series conclusion I have ever read and nothing can ever beat it and oh my fucking god, I loved this.

but did I find this conclusion incredibly satisfying and one of my favorite series conclusions ever? hell yes. please Kiersten White I’m a nice personĭid all of this happen? not necessarily.

please just let Radu, Nazira, Fatima, and Cyprian be gay in peace.

honestly I think Lada’s going to die no matter what for historicity if nothing else.

you know exactly who I want him to be happy with.

Here was my lowkey spoilery initial list of what I wanted out of this sequel: I do not have the Words To Convey how much this ending for a series meant to me Personally, I feel as if my heart was ripped out of my fucking chest and my life was just changed for the better.this ending means everything to me.

Bright we burn by kiersten white