See my review for the original trilogy here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/695713031 ( )

The third volume in the trilogy starts where the second left off. Kaede and Takeo are now married in defiance of the norms of their culture and without the permission of Arai the powerful warlord who now controls a great part of the country. Takeo needs to fulfil his destiny as described to him by the holy woman in book 2, and to avenge his adopted father and uncle Shigeru. Kaede needs to travel to the domain she inherited from Shigeru's deceased lover and assert her claim, especially as the inheritance through the female line, operating only in that domain, is being challenged on all sides.

They arrive and start to organise the area but are aware that they are threatened by a number of different forces, including Arai and the Otori uncles who usurped his title to his domain. Takeo begins to build alliances with some unlikely groups, meeting resistence even from his close friend when this means treating the outcast Hidden (among whom Takeo was raised) as human beings. To nearly everyone else they are despised at best and at worst viewed as contaminations and subhumans to be exterminated.

In the course of negotiating with some old friends who have now turned pirate due to the oppression of the uncles, he learns of foreign barbarians (who sound European from the description, despite this being a fantasy based upon Japan rather than historical) and the firearms they use which would overcome the swords and bows of his own people. This eventually has a major role to play. However, his absence results in Kaede falling into terrible danger.

I did not enjoy this volume as much as the previous two unfortunately. A lot of it does consist of fighting from Takeo's viewpoint. As before, the sections where Kaede is the main character are in the third person which is a bit distancing, and despite her strength of character, which we saw in book 1 when she was often facing some pretty hopeless situations, in this she is reduced to powerlessness. The gender politics, based on the real position of women in Japan (and elsewhere) at this period means that, even before this happens, men defer to her husband all the time and do not take her seriously in any authoritative role despite this being historically the position in the domain she inherits. And her fighting skills, so prominent in book 1, are no use to her.

The body count in this series continues to be high with various characters being killed off, though some off stage, and there is a particularly sad fate for some of the horses.

I felt the ending relied on some lucky last minute rescues by minor characters rather than the lead characters being able to solve their own difficulties. And I was a bit thrown by the inclusion of an afterword set about fifteen years afterwards. So I found the situation in which they were left at the end of the actual story rather skated over. For all these reasons I am awarding this volume 3 stars. ( )

First half of the book seemed to drag a bit, but the second half picked up speed and kept me hooked and wanting to see how everything would turn out. There were some good surprises in the plot. As with the first two books, it was a bit hard to keep all the characters straight, but I managed. ( )

These books certainly walk the spectrum of love, hate, hope, grief, despair, subterfuge, cruelty, destiny, and prophecy in this sweeping action series set in a medieval Japan, though I had to remind myself of this when I tired of people over the course of the books being told to, or thinking of, killing themselves to regain their honour even though it’s fitting for the marvellous world Lian Hearn has created. This world feels real, as do the characters. Though the books don’t recount all the warfare, there’s enough action for the reader to visualise an immense battle and although I felt distanced from the brutality, this is understandable when considering this series is for the YA market. Still, there’s plenty here for adults to enjoy; indeed, some may prefer the simplistic storytelling, which still ignites the imagination. ( )

I was even less satisfied with this book than I was with the other two in the series. I am upset with a lot of things, such as the resolution and the character "development," but what upset me the most was probably Kaede's treatment as a character. It was evident in the other books, but it really came to a head here.

Despite the previous two books alternating frequently between Kaede and Takeo, this one gives Kaede only two chapters. We don't get anything from her perspective until 150 pages in. And when we do, it's because she's bemoaning the absence of Takeo. The formerly powerful, fiery girl who was taking her life into her own hands is reduced to something small, lonely, petty and jealous. Her character has completely changed, and not at all for the better. A woman whose main concerns were formerly for the well-being of her people, her sisters and her domain becomes obsessed with nothing more than being a "good wife," which she defines as being able to bear children.

Just overall I felt that the series had an interesting story idea, but the execution was ultimately inadequate. The story was smothered in romance and then hacked off rudely at the end with an unsatisfying conclusion.


Also, it should tell you something that death I grieved about most, rather than just being angry and confused at the writing, was that of Raku. I was far more excited to meet his foals at the end than I was concerned with the sappy reunion of Takeo and Kaede.

And can we talk about that earthquake? Okay no, I don't want to talk about it. I understand that deus ex machina is a legitimate literary device but that doesn't mean I can't regard this use of it as lazy. Oh, what's that? An entire army bothering you? Here let me swallow them up in a single paragraph. There, all better.
( )