Queens of Mist and Madness takes place immediately after the events at the end of the previous book. Thank goodness for this because I was shook by the cliffhanger ending and not having immediate answers.
I’ve mentioned this in previous reviews about this series but once again the magic system is such a notable aspect to this world. Just when you think you must know everything there is to know about the magic, something new is introduced about it and this is something I love so much about this series. Em continues to find new ways to use her magic, unthought of before and I was once again so enthralled by this unique magic system, reliant on pulling colours from the world around oneself.
I continued to love the characters, both main and side. Creon is very overwhelmingly my favourite. I love everything about him, the smug sarcasm he wields so humorously, his overall badass nature that hides a surprisingly cinnamon roll-like soft side. The passion and ease with which he seduces and loves Em. The darkness he contains from so much agony and lack of caring from anyone else in his life. He has such a complex backstory that makes him so real and rife as a character. He has been through so much and doesn’t know what happiness is meant to be like and it provokes so much sadness and heartfelt caring in me as a reader. But there’s also Tared, quick with his little quips that always have me laughing, and his heartwarming devotion to Em that has him always looking out for her in an almost fatherly manner. And also her father himself, Agenor who has become such a quick favourite much to my surprise as his character steadily develops and reveals the man beneath, one who gets shaken up by his only daughter calling him father by accident.
I will say I find Em to be a very frustrating main character to read from her point of view and hers alone at times. She can be the definition of if you just communicated this wouldn’t be a problem. Lack of communication causing issues between characters is a big pet peeve of mine, and Em has the tendency to take the cowardly route, and instead of pursuing a conversation and getting to the bottom of the issue, she just takes the easy way out and ignores it which always causes issues later on that could have been simply dealt with. She does this multiple times with Creon and it felt so unnecessary, creating strife between the two that could have been solved if they just talked. At this point I just wanted things to be simple between these two because I felt there had been enough problems to keep them from their happiness together in previous books and I just wanted a break for them.
However, I also felt a lot of satisfaction in her growth. As Creon tells her multiple times, she works so hard to make herself small for others and this is something she finally sees and understands. This was a satisfying revelation for her and it forced her to actually make peace with who she is now and just made for such incredible character development.
Then there’s the plot itself. Wow is this finale intense. There is so much politics in this book, which I ate up, not to mention the intense battles at every turn. I’m all for both and the politics seemed next level in Queens of Mist and Madness which I ate up. There was so much navigating of allies and trying to recruit more groups of people to the cause while tiptoeing around their disapprovals and difficult requests. It was phenomenal and had me eating the whole story up, flying through the pages like never before. It was so action packed and full of character development which had me so invested in the entirety of the book, it frequently anxiety filled for said characters.
If you haven’t started this series yet, this is your sign to do so as it is officially complete and it’s perfect for fans of fantasy. If you have, you won’t want to miss the conclusion as it’s a wild ride and worth every minute. The ending definitely had me a bit teary and filled with nostalgia for the entire series, not to mention dealing with the inevitable sadness that comes with a phenomenal series coming to an end.