I really enjoyed the conclusion to this trilogy. It definitely helped to read the installment in closer succession. Of course, I cannot discuss much if anything that I appreciated or criticized since that would venture into spoiler territory. In the vaguest terms, the macro-plot, main character development, and romantic relationship came to believable and satisfying conclusions.
Cruz created a heartwarming story of these young kids who make a poor choice that leads them into Filipino mythology made real. Unfortunately, I could not fully immerse in the story because of some of the Filipino terminology which comes from a language quite different than English. I love the authenticity but that makes it difficult for someone whose brain has trained on English to not stumble over those words. As a more advanced reader, I can push through. Younger
readers, however, might become more discouraged.
I definitely wish that I had read the second installment closer to reading the first although with the conclusion publication date not available, it might have been better to wait even longer. For that reason, it took a little while to get back into the narrative. Even with that speed bump, I found myself engaged with these characters. Ibrahim’s narrative showcased deep character development drawing me into this world. I do not often reread but Ibrahim’s narrative feels rich
enough to entice me to reread both before the conclusion releases.
Everything I enjoyed about the first book seemed to not have made it into the conclusion to the duology. Chan expanded the perspectives with a lot of depth in almost every single point of view other than the titular (of the first book) character which was the only point of view I actually found enjoyable. Additionally, this narrative focused far more than I am personally comfortable with and – in my opinion – too much for the narrative on sex and versions of that. I wish
this duology had ended so much better than it did.
I really enjoyed this middle grade fantasy novel. Maggie is dealing with the unexpected loss of her mom who went missing several months prior. Maggie clings to the fact that her mom is still alive although everyone around her, including her dad, believes her mom to be dead. Through some interesting encounters with some classmates Maggie discovers that her world is much larger than she imagined and that fairytales are real. The book is not perfect with my only issue lying in
the development of the so-called friends that she ends up teaming up with. By the end of the book, these friendships made sense so the sequel will hopefully not have that issue.
This book and trilogy far exceeded my expectations. I really appreciated the time McClellan devoted to the aftermath of the revolution – practically the entire trilogy – and what it takes to truly establish a new and hopefully better government. While I would not say that character development is a strength of McClellan, I really appreciated seeing the culmination, especially for Taniel, in this conclusion to the trilogy.
