if this series, particularly the last book, has no fans, i'm dead. 

i think this series is faulted a lot for its slow start and plot, but i think it's because the author really dedicates the time to manifest this world and all the love, strife and mysticism it contains. i love a series that follows characters and shows how the world can change them and they it, how they love and fight and grieve, not just others but themselves. it's one of those books where each character served as a foil for a human quality: okoa and his yearning for meaning, balam's poisonous ambition, naranpa's desire to belong, xiala's love and serapio's struggle for selfhood. 

there were some parts i wished were expanded on, like xiala's reconciliation with her mother, naranpa's role in the plot, okoa's relationship with his sister and the ending to their story, as well as the rest of tova's. i did love the ending, though. it was tragic but also raw with hope. 

i will miss serapio and xiala who were my favourites just because i loved their growth and them together, but i will also miss iktan who i grew to love, and balam who despite his intentions i found really enjoyable to read. 

i think the author could definitely do a spinoff series in this universe, there's so much more to explore not just in tova but in other countries that had been mentioned. or maybe a prequel series about the spearmaidens?