The conclusion to The Scholomance trilogy is nuanced with grief, romantic relationships, more reluctant allies, and social commentary. This book felt a lot more adult than the first two, and honestly I’m so fine with YA series maturing as the characters grow because it’s logical. Not only did El and Orion save the rest of their classmates, but their work ends up overhauling their world’s entire enclave and Scholomance systems, and in the end, they save each other. 

I thought El’s reaction to grief honestly mirrored my own when I was her age. Young adults are still figuring out love, sex, and relationships—romantic or otherwise. Plus the hormones and plague of emotions exacerbating and exacerbated by the grief made everything messy and confusing for El, and for me. Five stars!