Darkdawn

Starred review from May 13, 2019
Fearless assassin Mia Corvere, a darkin who bends shadows to her will, continues to pursue vengeance against the man who destroyed her family in the gripping conclusion of Kristoff’s Nevernight Chronicles. Mia thought she’d killed Consul Julius Scaeva, her power-hungry nemesis, but she was wrong. Pursued by assassins, towing her little brother Jonnen (Scaeva’s son) along, and aided by her loyal friends and her lover, Ashlinn, Mia crosses treacherous seas and a brutal wasteland to reach the place where her education in the fine art of death began: the Red Church. That’s where Scaeva, who wants Jonnen back, holds Mia’s mentor hostage. Mia dares to hope for a future without bloodshed, but the price of claiming it may be too much to pay. Kristoff effortlessly draws together multiple threads from the first two volumes and packs in plenty of wickedly sharp, beautifully choreographed, and gloriously bloody fight scenes while offering humor, heartbreak, and a few jaw-dropping surprises. This is a poignant and exhilarating finale to a superb fantasy series. Agent: Josh Adams, Adams Literary.