I was going to do a series review, but I found that I just couldn’t talk about the series without spoiling any of what went on in the first two books. So, if you haven’t read the first two books, do not go further than this. Please do go and check out my reviews though. The Bone Witch and The Heart Forger were both excellent books that I really recommend to any high fantasy lover. I did reread them before tackling this book, by listening to the audio books. I would also recommend those, the narrators, Emily Woo Zeller and Will Damron, do an excellent job.
The Shadowglass by Rin Chupeco
Publication Date: March 5, 2019
Summary from Goodreads:
Tea is a bone witch with the dark magic needed to raise the dead. She has used this magic to breathe life into those she has loved and lost…and those who would join her army against the deceitful royals. But Tea’s quest to conjure a shadowglass—to achieve immortality for the one person she loves most in the world—threatens to consume her heart.
Tea’s black heartsglass only grows darker with each new betrayal. And when she is left with new blood on her hands, Tea must answer to a power greater than the elder asha or even her conscience…
Confession:
“I will save the kingdoms, and I will save you in the process, and maybe I will save the bits and pieces of myself that need rescuing too.”
This book and series have been marvelous to read. I wasn’t sure how I wanted all of it to end, but it ended just perfectly.
As you know if you have read the other two books, the story is told from two perspectives, Tea’s and the Bard’s, but they are telling different parts of the same story. Tea’s part is the past and the Bard’s is the present. As you probably know they would, they do converge eventually. For the most part it was easy to keep these two story lines separate, but there were a couple times when there were similar events, mainly battles, where things got a little murky. At some point I think it would be interesting to read the stories separately, read Tea’s first and then the Bard’s, that way it would be chronological instead of skipping back and forth.
Tea continues to struggle against the black magic, but as the story unfolds you begin to see how she gets the way she is in the Bard’s story. I loved the way her character developed and how she fought against those who were trying to control her. The theme of love only intensifies as she struggles to save Fox and Kalen and the others that she loves, no matter the sacrifice. I liked her tenacity as well as her kindness when it was needed. She did not kill, unless it was necessary.
Lots of great secondary characters in this story. I loved Kalen as well as Khalad and especially Likh. Likh’s story line gets so much better in this story, I think you will love what happens. Lots of great romance in this book as well as the others. We don’t see as much of Althea, Mykaela and the other asha, but when we do their stories only got better too.
The plot of this last book was amazing. Tea and her friends travel to different parts of the Eight Kingdoms, and there is such a rich variety of cultures. There is also a lot of history of the asha and the world mixed in to the plot, which is something I always enjoy. It was interesting to see how revisionist history came into play in the plot, and how it lead them to what was really going on. A really good plot twist at the end, that I didn’t see coming either. There were some slow spots, but the rest of the story makes up for it.
The world building in these books is just suburb. I love when there is history and mythology woven into a world, and it is done so seamlessly in this series. The history and mythology becomes very important by the end. The culture of the asha was also fascinating, I loved the concept of young ladies who were trained to entertain as well as fight and kill. The daeva were also very interesting and so different from each other.
This is one of my favorite series that I have enjoyed so much. I do think that I will read it again at some point. It is a fascinating story of love and power in a world that is full of magic.
Confessions of a Serial Reader 