Book Review: Finale by Stephanie Garber

In a word: FABULOUS!!!

I have been in love with this series since the first book, Caraval. Legendary continued the magic, and it was tough to imagine the conclusion bringing everything together in only one more volume, but it did – and did so beautifully. Each volume has outdone itself both as an individual story and for its place in advancing the underlying series storyline.

While I’m exceptionally sad to see this one end, I’m delighted that it ended so well. And maybe (hopefully) “ended” is a misnomer – despite the fact that this has been reported as the final book in the trilogy/series, it seems to me that Garber has (cleverly) left herself some wiggle room with the ending. I, for one, am hoping like mad that she will take advantage of it, because she’s devised a brilliant and original world that she has populated with fantastically detailed, intricate, unusual, deliciously complicated characters, and it would be a shame to let them all walk off into the sunset…

I kept thinking the adventures couldn’t possibly get more intense, dramatic, or colorful in each successive book, and Garber managed to surpass my expectations (no small feat, that!) each and every time. The plots are intricate and interwoven to the perfect degree. The characters are magnificent in their quirks, foibles, secrets, and twisty turny motivations. The attention to detail is spot-on, balancing description with action in the perfect blend to keep you furiously turning pages and second- (and third-, fourth-, and fifth-) guessing yourself until the bitter end.

It has been a glorious ride – exactly what one would expect from Legend and his crew – and here’s hoping that the reception the books has received will convince the author not to walk entirely away just yet!

My review copy was provided by NetGalley.