Goodreads Summary:
The champion must not waver.
The champion must not fear.
The gate of darkness closes.
Elisa is a fugitive.
Her enemies have stolen the man she loves, and they await her at the gate of darkness. Her country is on the brink of civil war, with her own soldiers ordered to kill her on sight.
Her Royal Majesty, Queen Lucero-Elisa né Riqueza de Vega, bearer of the Godstone, will lead her three loyal companions deep into the enemy’s kingdom, a land of ice and snow and brutal magic, to rescue Hector and win back her throne. Her power grows with every step, and the shocking secrets she will uncover on this, her final journey, could change the course of history.
But that is not all. She has a larger destiny. She must become the champion the world has been waiting for.
Even of those who hate her most.
Oh, this book, this series! It was so much more than I expected and I loved it.
This finale was amazing. At first I was a little worried about the new adventure for this one, with so much going on in the capital was Elisa really going to be able to achieve all she was going after without loosing something? But oh man, Elisa just continued to show how smart and strategic she is and how determined she was to fulfill all of her goals.
One of the things I really loved about this too, was the fact that Elisa is fighting for the ‘big picture’. She wasn’t fighting for a crown she thought only she deserved, she was fighting for her people, for what she knew was the best opportunity for peace and growth within the kingdom and the continent. On top of that she’s fighting for the man she loves, for the friends who have stood by her side, and for understanding of her Godstone and her ‘mission’ as its bearer.
She grew so much in this series and I think it’s a testament to Carson’s writing that it was done in such an organic way. The Elisa we are introduced to in the first book and the one we leave on the last pages of this one are completely different people, but it’s not hard to believe how one became the other. Elisa is an all out warrior by the end of this and I think it’s so amazing that not only is she whip smart, but now physically capable.
Oh Hector. I loved the addition of his POV in this book. It’s the first time in the series we’ve had any voice besides Elisa’s narrating, but it worked really well. His chapters were sparingly placed, and only ever added to the plot progression and character development. It was so much fun getting a look inside his head after getting to know him better in the second book.
I also loved that everyone got their happy ending. It wasn’t easy though, and I think that’s what makes the best happy endings. They all had to fight for what they wanted, and they all come to their conclusions a little broken and a little changed, but also with a better understanding of themselves and a new appreciation for what they are able to keep.
Overall, Loved it! Loved it all! Go read it now if you haven’t already!
My second read of this book left me with many of the same feelings from the first read through. I will again point to the alternating POV, Carson did such a good job creating two distinct voices. It’s very easy to tell when we are reading Hector. And I know I rave about how much I love the relationship between Elisa and Hector, but it’s so rare to find such a strong relationship in this genre. I really loved the involvement of Storm in this, he’s truly become a part of the group and his adaptation to the Joyans plays such a large part into what Elisa is trying to achieve. All the characters go through so many changes, and I loved seeing older characters, like Elisa’s sister, showing up and giving light to just how far they have all come since the first book.
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