I'm a huge fan of Rachel Aaron and I always enjoy her books and read through them (almost) in one sitting. This one was no exception but... I feel like there was something missing. Don't get me wrong, it's still a very enjoyable book, I was just expecting something different, maybe. The previous two books are about Opal battling for independence from her father, the great dragon of Korea. I was expecting this to be the theme that ties the trilogy together and the third book about Opal and Yong being forced to work together and slowly repairing their relationship and finding common ground.

Instead, their relationship is solved super quickly at the beginning of the book with a long cathartic dialogue which the author is so fond of (nothign worng with the dialogue as such, it was done well, especially as someone who grew up with abusive father it felt really personal for me) and the rest of the book they just spend working side by side like besties. It's not entirely plausible and it cheapens the plot of the previous two books somewhat.

I guess the main problem with the book for me was the plot / villain. It's no longer personal for Opal, she's fighting against him because her god said so - and in the ends it turns out she doesn't even care about the god that much. Yes, Nik's life is also threatened but there's never actual sense something might go wrong with him and the curse is purely a plot device.

Another thing that bugged me is Nik was missing for like 90 % of the book and we didn't get to see his character and his relationship with Opal grow.

Anyway, I love the DFZ. I feel it's something truly unique in the vast genre of urban fantasy and I'll happily read anything Rachel will put out from this world, but it feels like this book was "only" very good when it could've been spectacular.