An appropiately emotionaly impactful finale for a great but emotionally draining series. DAMN IT REBECCA WTF😭😭😭

As a reader, following Rins journey became one of the most exciting but worring experiences of my year, in terms of fictional characters. Tell me why I was cursing Nezha and venting with my friends at the end of book 2???

The fact that Rebecca Huang was able to finish this series is an accomplishment in and of itself with how complex the story is in terms of scale, but that she did it with this emotional impact in me is all I wanted.

I have to say, that The Dragon Republic is still my favorite book on the series but I still think this was an incredible entry. 

Once again, Rin and Kitay relationship stole the show, specially now that we could finally read her being open with him and they are on the same page in terms of their objective in the war. It was really sweet reading them being open with each other.

This time around Rin finaly has the power to make the war take a turn and hopefully, end it. But in order to do that, she has to face, her ex-enemy, ex-rival and, I'll say, her ex-situacionship, Nezha. I really love the way they learnt to trust and respect each other throught the years, so I was sad to see them become enemies again, but it was at least, full circle. 

Since Kitay and Rin are finally in synthony, Rin's god is in check, and she is a powerful figure, is the back and forth between them  what really sets the course to the events of The Burning God. And eventually their ends. 

To say that the ending is one of the most emotionally conflicted I have been with a fantasy triology is an understantement. On one hand, this is a tragic war series, so I was prepared for a sad and tragic ending. But on the other hand, I WAS rooting for Rin damn it. I know she is not perfect, like at all, she makes a lot of MONUMENTAL mistakes. She trusts the wrong people time and time and again, and by doing that risks the lives of the people coser to her. She is paranoid and impulsive with her decisions until the very end, with not even Kitay being able to sway her when she is at her worst. Her pride gets the better of her so many times, and she doesnt care exposing her people to unnecesary danger if that means one-uping Nezha. 

But... she is also a caring and loyal friend to Kitay, Venka

I know, but hear me out

, and in the past Nezha and she represents hope and freedom to people that like her, have being step upon their whole lives. She is shown to have her own moral compass and follows people that she thinks share her values, but following those people has only been for her own detriment and culture so I dont blame herfot hinking that she needs to step over them. She KNOWS that she has done wrong but she is also the only one, that we know of, that truly cares for freedom of the South and has actual power to do something. 

She was not born angry, she was made. And that isnt a justification for her actions but her cause is one that I think is truly selfless and worthy so Icant help but feel hope that what she is doing is for the best. Every other side in this universe is fighting for selfish reasons, but Rin... that is until war comnsumes her too. 

That is why it makes me sad to see her spiral until she becomes unredeemable in the eyes of even her closet friends. Her dream ultimately eats her up from the inside without her realizing. 

So at the end when she finally opens her eyes and she decides doing what she does, its painful. Because we the readers, realize with her that radical change like Rin wanted, is not happening in this character lifetimes. And it is sooo hard to settle, after all that death and horror, but that is realistic, even for a fantasy series.