Captured by the Darkling and forced onto a ship captained by the notorious pirate Sturmhond, they find themselves in pursuit of the second of three magical amplifiers that will make Alina powerful beyond belief-and bind her ever-closer to the ancient, evil Darkling. All they want is to put Ravka and the megalomaniacal Darkling far behind them. Sun Summoner Alina and former Ravkan army tracker Mal, once her childhood friend and now her would-be love, are on the run. The Grisha Trilogy turns from bildungsroman to political thriller in its second installment. This is a happy conclusion to a complex and engrossing series centering Black characters that makes the sometimes heart-rending journey worth it, both for the cast members and readers. Readers who made it through the losses of the second book, in particular, will be rewarded with an ending that feels earned. Once again, Barron skillfully weaves plot twists into the narrative, the greatest of which may surprise even astute readers. Even without this magic, however, Arrah is determined to help keep her people safe, but there’s not much she can do without this power-or is there? The point of view shifts among Arrah Efiya, her half-demon sister Daho, the Demon King and others, although Daho’s is the only viewpoint that does not unfold concurrently with the others. When they finally discover the tribal people’s hiding place, the latter aren’t pleased to hear of Arrah’s surrendered magic, as it was also the key to their safety from the demons who want to consume their souls. Arrah is also grieving her decision to give up the chieftains’ kas and her subsequent loss of longed for magical ability. Arrah and company return in this closer to a trilogy that started with Kingdom of Souls (2019).Īrrah, romantic interest Crown Prince Rudjek, and their friends are where readers left them in Reaper of Souls (2021): searching for the tribal people.

Rena barron kingdom of souls