The stress of my own TBI is still too recent for me to be okay reading about one right now. I will try this again later.

I have no words that aren't spoilers 

FONDA LEE I AM IN YOUR WALLS. GOOD GODS. 

This is quite possibly the best series end book I've read. Fonda is a true master of political intrigue and character development. I was sobbing. I am in awe. It's worth every one of the 700 pages.

I'm having some trouble gathering my thoughts on this book and series. Maybe I'll come back and edit this review at some later point, because I'm not sure how coherent or comprehensive this one will be.

What I can say is this series has been the first fantasy series I've fallen in love with since I was in middle school. I think the world-building is truly second to none, and the concept and delivery of these books feels refreshingly different to me. The phrase "brought to life" is somewhat overused as a descriptor for writing, in my opinion, but I truly felt it with this series. I found the world and characters incredibly believable. The way Lee writes her characters, the strengths and weaknesses each possess feel like two sides of the same coin in a way that feels very natural, and I believe contributes to their overall credibility and realism. The fact that, despite the evolution and growth of every character throughout the roughly 25-30 year span during which this series is set, these characters retain their believability, is a testament to Lee's ability to create lifelike characters.

I will say the extended time period for the trilogy was something that frustrated me at times. There is an incredible amount of political and corporate intrigue within this series, but so much of it is more...hinted at, rather than fully-explored. I think this trilogy easily could have been a longer series if Lee chose to delve into those aspects more fully. I respect that she didn't want to slow the pacing and action too much, but so many impactful plot details being sidenotes throughout the series made it somewhat difficult to keep track of things at times, in my opinion. Or maybe I just wasn't paying close enough attention.  

Anyways, despite the occasional frustration, it's a choice that paid off in the end, in my opinion. This extended time period contributes to the epic scale of the story, and allows Lee to give her characters truly fitting and satisfying endings that I don't think would have been so impactful if Lee hadn't shown how the characters and grown and evolved throughout 30 years of their lives.

In particular, Hilo's ending is just epic. Frankly, it was always obvious that Hilo isn't the type of character to fade quietly into the night. The fact that he knows that too is what I always liked about him. His last stand, foreshadowed early on and then subverted again and again and again, was the perfect ending to one of the most satisfying character journey's I've ever encountered. Ayt Mada being forced to retire and live out her days in humiliation is similarly a perfect ending to her story. I love how both of their endings reflect the values of the Green Bone society that Lee had painstakingly developed over the course of this trilogy. In the real world, death isn't often something epic or consequential. But within Lee's universe and the context of Kekon's Green Bone culture, it almost feels like a victory.

Just in general, an extremely satisfying end to an epic story, even if sometimes I felt like the time skips were a little jarring.

Also, I just want to say again how much I love the characters. Hilo honestly might be my favourite fictional character ever. I love how dramatic, vindictive, and ruthless he can be, while simultaneously having a huge heart and always putting his family before himself. His growth from a bloodthirsty loose cannon in the first novel to a ruthlessly pragmatic and respectable patriach was such an amazing character journey. I also loved seeing Anden go from insecure teenager to a highly competent and reliable adult. Wen's and Shae's female perspectives within such a male-dominated society added a huge amount of depth to the story, and I enjoyed how Lee portrayed both as having their own strengths and capabilities that contributed to the war effort, while also allowing them to maintain their femininity. And even though his character arc was mostly limited to this final installment, I found Niko's journey to be very eventful and was very fascinated by his portrayal. 

I'm so glad I was able to spend time with these characters, and I truly loved this series. Amazing work by Fonda Lee. 

I can’t believe I finally finished this trilogy. It’s one that will definitely sit with me for a long time because I love books that make the reader question what it means to be a good or bad person. For about a week, I’ve lived inside this book and felt a roller coaster of emotions. The Kaul’s and all of the characters in these books are extremely flawed but Lee portrayed each person with such complexities, individuality, and empathy that I felt connected to them. I desperately want to see this trilogy as a film series or streaming show.

One of my favorite series of all time-- I really grew to love the Kaul family for all of their flaws and mistakes, each member doing the best that they can in the impossible circumstances they face. The last installment of this trilogy considers both old and new questions pertinent to the novel's title: how does the next generation overcome the trauma of the previous? How does one live up to the burden of tradition and forge a new legacy of one's own? What does a legacy look like in the making? The stakes are higher than ever, and no character is safe. Prepare your tissues, prepare for therapy; I couldn't sleep after I finished the last page.

Fonda Lee has cemented her series as one of the cornerstones of modern fantasy with her cast of characters who are so richly realized (I FEEL LIKE I KNOW THEM AS PEOPLE), incredible political machinations fitting for a gangster epic, and razor-sharp writing with a grittiness I found gripping. This series will be one I'll be thinking about for a very long time-- and will be keeping on my bookshelf FOR ALL TIME.