4.5 stars - I know when I started this series that I wouldn’t get a happy ending. Yet somehow I did, but I also didn’t. A heart-wrenching devastating ending that just made sense. This books was blessedly more fast paced than the first book, but sadder than the second book so it seemed right to rate it right in the middle. I appreciate that R.F. Kwang maintained her realism surrounding war and the flawed characters within it. She didn’t bend to the typical fantastical ending (as much as I wanted these trash babies to succeed) and she has my respect. I also got bonus sad times with the Nezha POV of various encounters with Rin throughout the book.