I'm so glad Touraine stayed. It would've been so unsatisfying if she had left after all that she's been through, all the push and pull between where she feels belonging. And her final breakthrough of not giving herself life via Luca's offer, but breaking into the magic of her people to catalyze their freedom. She split that man's head open 💥

I would read a whole book about the rebuilding process in Qazāl!! I also feel like this book wrapped up pretty nicely to be a standalone too, which surprised me.

The only part I really didn't like at the end was the one sentence of Touraine questioning whether they're actually better off without Balladair? Girl I thought you had broken freeeeee. I get that decolonizing the mind takes a long time, but damn...

the epilogue makes it seem like Touraine might leave to go help Luca, so I'm gonna give myself some time to sit with the ending of this one because it was so satisfying.

Curious to hear others thoughts on the ending and next books if you've read them!