Jay Kristoff has this irritatingly infuriating way that he writes his stories. Arguably, it’s how any writer does, making the reader furiously invested in the characters (creating those fandoms we so love to harp on about), and then wrenching them from our grasp as things seem the happiest…or least destructive. That’s what he and Amie did to me in Aurora Rising (I’m still licking my wounds after reading that ending). Kristoff definitely seems to like to play these games of chicken that make many throw books in frustration! If you don’t believe me, go look at his Twitter feed and you’ll see what I mean. That’s the feeling Nevernight and Godsgrave gave me, and now there’s Darkdawn. You have no idea the anticipation that I had when this landed on my doorstep. I was determined to see this story through, despite every twisted turn of this man’s delightfully stab-friendly story. Let’s get this bloody party on the road, shall we?
A quick statement, if you haven’t yet picked up the Nevernight Chronicle, you totally should, it’s stunning. But also, maybe you shouldn’t read this review, because I’m about to spoil some things that bring readers up to speed for the final instalment that I’m about to review. So, for the sake of my sanity, please turn back now and go start the series from the very beginning.
Now, where we last left off, our dear Mia Corvere had left the Republic of Itreya in chaos after murdering Cardinal Duomo and there are rumours that Consul Scaeva is finally dead. In the midst of the chaos, Mia has made off with her brother Jonnen, finding out a secret lurking deep within the bones of the city. Their quest will take them from the underbelly of Godsgrave, across the Sea of Swords, back into the den of assassins that are now out for her blood, and finally to the Crown of the Moon. She’ll finally have answers about her existence as a darkin, and where her destiny lies…assuming she can survive it. It’s all led up to this, and it’s certain to be a bloodbath.
Let’s get one thing straight: Jay Kristoff will use his words to carve out your heart and put it back together piece by miserable piece. Each moment you spend with Mia makes turning that page more difficult, knowing that the promise our dear narrator made to us at the beginning of the series is coming. It’s fast paced and answers all of the questions we had at the end of the book, especially with Tric. We get to find out who our narrator is and what this whole thing means for Mia and those she loves. No one is safe, but then, we haven’t been safe from the beginning of this story. I do feel like we get to see lots of new relationships cultivated, and the appearance of a hilarious minor character from one of the previous novels will give readers the bit of humour that we need to continue on into this bloody journey.
Before you ask, of course there’s still lots of smutty scenes and romance, which I enjoyed. If it’s not your thing, that’s fine, but it definitely worked for me. Moreover, it didn’t feel forced and I loved the relationships. Mr. Kindly continued to be an excellent commentator until the very end, if you needed any other reason to pick up this book, let it be for this sassy-ass daemon shadow cat.
There are so many things I want to go into regarding the journey that Mia embarks on, but all I will say for now was that it was a satisfying read for me. I think it’s going to be unique for every reader though. One of my favourite things about Darkdawn were Mia’s interactions with Jonnen. It’s definitely not an insta-love sibling relationship, but then, that’s only wishful thinking in this world. As with everything Mia has done in this book, it takes an infinite amount of work, and patience, but I really like where this aspect of the story went.
This story has never been black and white. I feel like many readers can agree that despite having some sort of moral standard in terms of murdering people, this doesn’t make Mia a hero in any regard. I love that her ultimate goal is revenge. A small part of me wondered at the fact that she was so unrelenting in that fact throughout the series, despite bigger things being at play. Oh, and the way she reacts when those bigger things at play come knocking at her door are just *chef’s kiss*. I can’t wait to revel in other reader’s reactions toward this book when it finally releases.
I couldn’t find anything in this book to complain about, except maybe the massive footnotes that sometimes followed certain pages of the book. However, I can’t complain about those too much either because they definitely contain bits and pieces of the world that help give us a more rounded outlook of Mia’s world, and I especially love the folklore that comes through. It doesn’t meld well with the story, but they make stunning (if a little essayish) footnotes. They also come with that acerbic wit that the narrator so loves to use. Having to close this book was difficult, I’m going to miss all of the characters. I’ve read so many stunning books this summer, my favourite shelf is overflowing. You should go and pick this up, request it at your library…but get your hands on it. Mia Corvere will carve a place in your heart, with enough space for a little shadow shaped like a cat, with not-human eyes.
Darkdawn is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.
Will you be picking up Darkdawn? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
A ruthless young assassin’s journey for revenge comes to a stunning end in the conclusion of this acclaimed epic fantasy trilogy.
The Republic of Itreya is in chaos. Mia Corvere has assassinated Cardinal Duomo and rumors of Consul Scaeva’s death ripple through the street of Godsgrave like wildfire. But buried beneath those same streets, deep in the ancient city’s bones, lies a secret that will change the Republic forever.
Mia and her brother Jonnen must journey through the depths of the ancient metropolis. Their quest will take them through the Godsgrave underdark, across the Sea of Swords, back to the library of the Quiet Mountain and the poisoned blades of Mia’s old mentors, and at last the fabled Crown of the Moon. There, Mia will at last discover the origins of the darkin, and learn the destiny that lies in store for her and her world. But with the three suns now in descent, and Truedark on the horizon, will she survive?
