I’m so glad that I finally made time to return to this series. It’s definitely my favourite ongoing series right now, and despite a slower start here because it had been a while since book #2, I found it fairly easy to get back into and start to really love once more. This was actually supposed to be the final book but as Liu wrote it was clear to him it needed to be split into two books as there was too much to include. Although I wish I knew the end, I am also glad to go back into the world once again later this year when the final one comes out. I’ll be super sad to leave it, but I also can’t wait to see what Liu has up his sleeves!

What I absolutely loved about this book was the second half. The first half had lots of great moments and developed the story across the world with particular focus on some of the key characters of this book. Definitely Unredeemed Dara and the Lyucu are a key focus point for lots of the first half, and although Dara does feature at some moments it’s the second half of the book which is based on Dara predominantly and which I adored.

The world continues to evolve and develop in this book with more scholars/masters teaching students and a huge focus on invention and innovation. The Lyucu story is pretty stable at the start of this, but it soon turns fractious and savage and filled with unspeakable horrors. Meanwhile, the focus on stories which starts right from page 1 is maintained throughout the whole book and I loved the way that Liu managed to weave extra mini stories about gods, heroes, enslavement, bravery, determination, culture, love, trust and so much more in. We see segments of the Gods and we see the mortals of the world as they tell one another stories and act out tales to one another around campfires, on ships, in towns and cities. We see innovative ideas starting to shape new stories and new ways of living, and we see blending together of cultures and divisions of cultures based on the leadership.

The characters who stand out most to me from this are definitely the Blossom Gang and Kinri and Dandelion, however Thera’s story was a heartbreaking one and Goztan and Tanvanaki have a pretty hard road in this book too with the shift in ruthlessness and their harsh pasts.

The second half of this book is a big shift from where you think things are headed at the start, and I adored it. I’m so glad Liu took the time to delve into the culture of Dara through a foreigner’s and native’s eyes and to compare and contrast and meld it into one. This section of the book is filled with ideas that I loved, love itself, passion and care and friendship. It’s filled with flavour and food and performance and drama. It’s long and yet I still could have read more. I just fell head over heels for this part and it was a definite 5*s for me.

The representation in this book was definitely something I noticed with gay characters mentioned and disabled characters being enabled and a key focus. One of the Blossom Gang, Rati Yera, is in a wheelchair and yet she’s vital to the gang and their success and she’s never looked down on or pitied or dismissed. She is an inspiring inventor of amazing works and she is admired by her friends and strangers alike. I really enjoyed her inclusion and felt like so much of her character is defined by her route through life and I loved seeing her triumphs along with the rest of the gang.

There were a few reveals in the end of the book I didn’t anticipate and I love when a book manages to surprise me and excite me and this did that. I look forward to seeing how the threads of so many disparate and unique stories are pulled together in the final book. I’m certain it’s going to be a wild ride.

5*s on this one for me as although I know it won’t be for everyone with the slower start and shift in focus, it ticked everything I didn’t know I wanted. Loved it. <3