Sunday, June 14, 2015

[Review] End of Days by Susan Ee

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End of Days
Susan Ee
[Penryn & the End of Days #3]
YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Published: May 2015 (Skyscape)
Format: digital
Pages: 344
Rating: 3.5 of 5
 
End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

My nails to celebrate completing the trilogy!

On to the review!

Warning: spoilers to the max, baby

This book was sorta disappointing for me. There was all this great build up to an ending that didn't deliver.

The characters grew a nice amount and the banter was as good as always. Raffe was more present and that's a plus. Penryn accepted her place in helping the humans that survived the beginning of the end and everything up to that point. I like that, even in the end, she wasn't trying to be a hero. She was still having reservations about saving everyone, but knew it was for the best. (Just a side note: Obi was my favorite and it's a shame he had to die for Penryn to reach her full potential.)

There were parts I didn't like, but the main one that stands out is when they went to the Pit. Like, time travel? How confusing and why does that work? The descriptions of the Pit weren't the best and I couldn't imagine it at all. There was just a lot of plot convenience going on and I can't say I appreciate that.

Also, the ending. I don't agree with most of what happened. The locusts attacked before the angels because?? And then when Raffe calls the Pit lord. I understand that his sacrifice of his wings is supposed to show how much Penryn means to him, but it seemed so out of character. He worked so hard to get them back and nothing stopped him, not even his feelings for Penryn. So why now? And his Watchers seemed so casual about having been in the Pit. They joke around like it didn't cause them any harm. Also, there were a lot of them introduced at once and I couldn't keep track.

I believe I am done with my raving. I just can't agree with the way this book was handled. It felt like two books packed into one and I believe that if two books were written instead of just the one, everything would have been handled better. I am not placing the blame on the author for I think she would have been more than capable to deliver.

There were things I did like. The chemistry between Raffe and Penryn near the beginning of the book was more well done than the stuff packed into the end and I wish it had been conveyed during the rest of the book. I appreciate what was there, though. I like them together, they really compliment each other.

TL;DR

Good:
+ Penryn and Raffe go well together
+ character development
+ unique resolution

Bad:
- weak descriptions
- ending was rushed
- out of character moments

Final Rating: 3.5 of 5

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