hazel

Wow! This was an intricately plotted trilogy finale - I don't think I can recall how many plot twists there were throughout the book and I only finished it less than an hour ago. I've never read a book where the author was able to successfully interweave the rest of their series into their concluding book and come to a satisfying and fulfilling conclusion - both in plot and characterisation.

Holly Jackson has really left us with a remarkable piece of work. Every event, character and detail that wasn't resolved in the previous books really tied together to not only contribute to the thrilling plot, but also reinforce the theme Jackson introduced in her second novel: that the truth isn't all black and white and it doesn't lie in the procedures that are considered right in the society (the law system etc.)

As someone who has recently read a lot of young adult crime novels, it was really a pleasant surprise to see that the author further characterised the protagonist: Pip, and through the use of repetition, was able to enhance the connection we had with Pip. Pip was no longer just the perfect A grade student using her knowledge to solve a case, the circumstances were now linked to her and the people around her. I have yet to to see a young adult crime author successfully explore the concept of trauma and overcoming such trauma. Jackson was able to subtly depict the changing character and mental state of Pip, interweaving this appropriately with the events and plot twists that occurred throughout the book.

I really enjoyed this book over the others in the trilogy, as the plot twists and action occurred from the start of the novel, even though it is the one with the largest number of pages. I was hooked from the beginning to the very end. Although, I must admit I was slightly disappointed of the absence of detection; this book basically became a sole thriller rather than an amateur sleuth mystery. However, regardless of the change of genre, it still served to be a captivating read.

Most book/series endings are often unfulfilling, incomplete and just poorly written. But this one was definitely a memorable and satisfying one.

Five stars for excellent plot, characterisation, writing and conclusion.

3.5 stars ——

I was excited that Erin Hunter released a completely new series, with a setting that appeared similar to Bravelands (which I was really captivated by a few years prior). As someone who has grown up with Hunters' imaginative and diverse zoological worlds I thought I would be invested in this one.

However, I was quite wrong actually. Perhaps it is because I have adjusted my taste as a reader. I enjoyed, as always, the rich, detailed and marvellous writing style. And research into the habitats that pandas, leopards and other creatures was so clearly displayed. But the plot line so-far appears to be repetitive to the series of Bravelands and the story seemed to move quite slowly - with the protagonists' traits and circumstances being so similar to some in Hunters' past series.

I would say that an audience of the recommended age (8-12) would still enjoy this series . But it would be really nice to see the authors of Erin Hunter could create completely new plotlines and character-traits in their next novels!