genre: young adult fantasy/paranormalYes, this is my third re-read of this book.
It still astonishes me, how deep it goes. How dark. How Karou changes - HAS to change - in order to be the person that fate (and Brimstone) have set her up to be. Both she and Akiva make the kind of choices I've never had to make, because I don't live in a world that is ONLY hate and war, with no alternative. I was telling my husband about how much these books make me think about really big existential ideas, as I try to imagine what WOULD it take for people at war to JUST STOP. Let it go! BE NICE! HAVE MERCY! I think what's hard about this book is that Laini Taylor doesn't shy away from how black the soul can get when a person decides that mercy is not a choice - the things you'd do when all you have is hate and a fierce believe that YOUR idea of right is the ONLY one that counts. It's terrifying, really, and certainly applies to parts of our world today.
Second books are hard to read because not only is there not resolution but because we only go into more ugly places before we can come back out. There is little levity here, but there IS beauty, when unthinkable sacrifices are made and when there are moments when mercy and love are allowed purchase.
I can't wait to finish the series again.
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