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Monday, August 8, 2016

Review: The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson

The Beauty of Darkness
(The Remnant Chronicles #3)
Publication Date: August 2, 2016
Hardcover, 688 pages, Henry Holt. and Co.
Genres: YA, Fantasy

Lia and Rafe have escaped Venda and the path before them is winding and dangerous - what will happen now? This third and final book in The Remnant Chronicles is not to be missed.

Bestselling author Mary E. Pearson's combination of intrigue, suspense, romance and action make this a riveting page turner for teens.

My Review

It’s over. *sobs* It seems like too many good fantasy series are ending this year. *sobs some more*

I can’t believe there’s no more Rafe and Lia. It’s just weird. I’ve only been reading the series for less than a year, but I’m still sad to not be able to read Pearson’s fantasy books anymore. *sigh* I guess I’ll just get on with my review…

The characters in this ending grew in unexpected ways. Lia, well, I’m sure series readers knew where her storyline was going, but how readily she stepped up to the plate compared to other YA heroines who struggle with their positions was awesome. Lia didn’t back down. Now Rafe, I was worried about him throughout this book, but he became such a real person, and not just a handsome prince saving the damsel. He stepped up. And Kaden, well, he managed to just grow up.

All of this character development lead to a really established and intricate plot. However, there were some aspects of this plotline that were a tad unrealistic, like how easy Lia could sway others to her side. I’m not sure how much this has to do with Lia’s powers or if it’s just to further the story along, but it had me questioning things.

Additionally, the book was loooong. It was almost 700 pages. And, while I loved that just because it meant more Rafe, once I was finished with the book, I realized it could have been about 80 pages shorter. The beginning could have been squished together a wee bit more. None of this took away from my enjoyment, though. I loved everything about this ending. My only real wish is that I hadn’t spoiled myself by looking at the last page. (I know, I know, but a certain love triangle had me worried, and I wanted to peek.)

All in all, read The Remnant Chronicles. If you are a fan of fantasy, whether young adult or not, you’ll really enjoy this trilogy—Lia’s a powerhouse, the world is in a chaos of its own making, and forces have to join together to fix the craziness that’s been unleashed.

P.S. Does anyone else think the world on the map and in the story is the United States and that the Ancients are people in the past, meaning Lia’s time is in the real-world future? I was kind of getting that connection in this book, simply because of the ruins and various technological things that were described.


*Note: I purchased a copy of this book for myself. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

1 comment:

  1. Wow...700 pages? That is a long one. I am glad that you enjoyed this one even if it had a few problems. Great review!

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