aarya's Reviews > Longshadow

2021 Fall Bingo (#FallInLoveBingo🍂): Series Continuation

Entertaining ending to a romantic/historical fantasy trilogy (I think it’s a trilogy as most of the loose ends are tied up, but maybe there are more books to come?). I do not recommend this installment as a standalone — you could theoretically read and enjoy LONGSHADOW without context, but I suspect that you’ll miss important backstory for secondary characters. For fans of the previous books: you’ll be delighted by many familiar faces from HALF A SOUL and TEN THOUSAND STITCHES.

I adored everything about Abigail — her loving relationship with her adopted parents and ghostly brother Hugh, her discomfort (and lack of interest!) re: fitting in genteel society, her unflinching bravery in the face of darkness, and her overwhelming generosity, even to those who don’t deserve it (thinking of a certain annoying ghost here!!!). Mercy is far more opaque — I don’t think I ever got a full sense of her character and motivations, but that opaqueness is clearly an intentional authorial choice. There is a shocking reveal toward the end and it 100% explains why the book is only from Abigail’s POV. Still: I wish we had Mercy’s POV for at least a chapter, even if it was in the end. I had a bunch of question marks floating in my head after the final chapter, and my curiosity is killing me!

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.