Book Review – Bright Ruin

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book: Bright Ruin (Dark Gifts 3) by Vic James
Release Date: July 26th 2018
Tags:  Fantasy / Dystopian / England / Gifts / Oppression / Rebellion / LGTBQ+ / Homosexual / Lesbian / Trigger Warning / Death / Torture
Other books in this series I reviewed
Gilded Cage / Tarnished City 

Possible spoilers for the previous books in the series

 In a world where the lower classes must endure ten years of forced service to unfairly advantaged, magically powered rulers, a teenage boy dreams of rebellion, his older sister yearns for love and knowledge, and a dangerous young aristocrat seeks to remake the world with his dark gifts. In Bright Ruin, the final book in the trilogy set in modern-day England, our heroes will lead a revolution that will transform–or destroy–the world.

 

Well oh my gosh, that was the conclusion to The Dark Gifts trilogy and what a wild ride it was. This trilogy is not without its faults, and I do have my pickings with this book too, but that didn’t stop me from loving it all the same. The whole trilogy for me is a solid 4 stars.

This book continues shortly after the ending of Tarnished City. Abby has headed out of London with Gavar, her sister and his daughter while Luke is in the clutches of the enigmatic youngest heir Silyen with his new, not so trustworthy, companion Dog. I say clutches but Luke isn’t complaining. It is interesting to see how the roles of the siblings have changed. Where first Luke was the revolutionary rebel and Abby the one with sentiments towards one of the Jardines, this has completely turned. Abby is now part of the movement against the government, trying to bring them down. Luke on the other hand is with Silyen, discovering things about the Skill, all thoughts about bringing down a government gone and only cares about protecting his loved ones.

It is a bit of a wild ride, this book. I wasn’t quite sure how things were going to end. Who was going to die? How would they bring down the government? What would be everyone’s role? Would Jenner turn back to the good side? (I’m still bitter about that from Tarnished city, just so you know, forever bitter.) It doesn’t perhaps have the most surprising twist in imagination but I think it was built up to rather well. I don’t feel this book was quite so dark as Tarnished City felt. There was still plenty of death but Tarnished City had a more depressing mood to it.

But I have to say that what made the book for me was FINALLY having Silyen and Luke in multiple scenes together. Their banter, Silyen’s flirting, Luke’s exasperation, Dog’s amusement at the two of them. It made this book for me. I loved every minute, and my gosh, could this book not just have been the two of them? And you know what, the thing happens people. The thing happened that I was hoping for since the first time Silyen showed any interest in Luke way back in Gilded Cage. And you all know what the thing is, right?

But my pickings with this book. One of them is that I feel like not everyone gets what is coming to them. Some people don’t take responsibility for their actions at the end there. There is a lot one can say about Gavar, but at least he did that. As a result some do NOT get the consequences that are coming to them and remain in a position I’d rather not see them.

My second picking is that I feel like what happened at the ending regarding skill was left too much in the middle. Like I know what happened in the main lines, but I want more details. I wanted the point of view of the person that did it. But of course just in this instance we don’t get that. It left me feeling a bit dissatisfied with the ending.

And lastly, this is a picking that I had throughout the whole series, I just don’t care about Bouda. Nothing motivated me to like her. There was nothing for me there to root for. Well except maybe her death. I think as a mom this might have been a big part because of how she views Gavar’s daughter. Like dirt beneath her feet. It was disgusting.