Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 27/09/2024
Published by: HarperVoyager
ISBN: B0CZS7Y138
‘The Ending Fire’ brings this series to an impressive conclusion with considerable character development and a satisfying ending.
Similar read: Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner
Cover:
This design nicely captures an aspect and the genre of the story. It also fits well with the previous book covers in this series, and the colour scheme makes it stand out.
Writing:
Once again, I was blown away by the intricate world-building, especially the creative expansion of the magic system, creatures, politics, and religions. The simple writing style also quickly drew me in with vivid descriptions, and I loved the large scope provided by the multiple points of view (POVs).
Stories nourish the mind and feed the heart
Storyline:
The story begins with a helpful recap of previous events before delving into the character-driven storyline. I found the first half a bit slow, with little tension, but the second half was packed with gripping moments and action. Despite some anti-climactic and predictable moments, the high stakes and themes like addiction, belonging, and oppression also kept the storyline engaging.
Main character(s):
Although the story is centred on Hassa, Sylah, Annora, and Jond, they all initially seemed passive as other characters drove major events in the story. However, this allowed each character to experience significant character development, making them realistic and easy to root for.
Secondary characters:
The vast cast of old and new characters was challenging to track but skillfully used to drive the story and support its large scope. In particular, characters like Yona and Kara stood out to me due to their important roles and strong personalities.
Knowledge is not just about facts. Like muscles aren’t just what make you strong.
Romance:
The longing between Anoora and Sylah, along with the new connection Jond forms, fills the storyline with angst. While I am not usually a fan of romantic angst, it did not feel overdone here and actually made both relationships realistic and sweet. I also loved that both relationships contributed to the growth of the main characters and received a satisfying end.
Narration & Audio:
Nicole Lewis and Dominic Hoffman did a fantastic job with this audiobook. Nicole Lewis, in particular, perfectly captured the emotions and nuances in the story and enriched it with character voices and vocal effects.
Do you agree or disagree with anything mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below.
To read other book related posts, click here or check out the tag cloud for more options.
[…] The Ending Fire by Saara El-Arifi and Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner are both character-driven, epic fantasy finales that share a similar blend of high-stakes politics and romance. […]
[…] recommend The Ending Fire by Saara El-Arifi. Like this book, it offers an intense and satisfying conclusion to a high-fantasy trilogy with […]
[…] Similar read: The Ending Fire by Saara El-Arifi […]