This Ends in Embers - Kamilah Cole

 

Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book for the arc!

This is the sequel and last book of the Divine Traitors duology. I got really excited to see this one on NetGalley so I requested it although I read the first one in French. It can be tricky to change languages in a fantasy series, but this was a smooth read. The only difficulty I encountered was that I had forgotten a lot of elements even though only 6 months had passed between the two books. 

Since this is a sequel I won't enter in too many details about the story itself. The two sisters are, again, separated here, but this time they have no way of communicating with each other and have to just hope the other one is loyal to their sisterly bond.

It is very hard to see characters suffer and feel so guilty all the time, especially when you remember that these two are only teenagers. Eliana is always self-doubting her actions and thoughts, thinking she should be MORE, and on the other hand, Faron spends her time berating herself, thinking she should have known better, etc. Reading this as an adult is very different sensation than to read it as someone who is the same age, but I wish someone around them had remininded them that they were only kids with too many responsabilities for any person and give them a hug. I did like that, when Irians were protesting the queen and the Maiden Empyrean, they challenged the fact that they had followed a 13 year-old into battle because she claimed the gods had chosen her. And speaking of gods, were there no other people praying them to also end the war?? How could they be complaining afterwards that she was not mature enough to understand "the bigger picture"?? They were scared of having another Empyrean be corrupted by the first dragon, but then you don't chose a litteral KID who still doens't know who they are!

I have no problem with the Chosen One trope in YA, I know sometimes it feels ridiculous that a 15 year old is supposed to succeed where so many adults have failed, but I really don't think it is that far-fetched to think that a teenager can be a leader of change (looking at you Greta 💖). However I do need someone in the book to address that, and here, I feel like it wasn't done properly (and lovingly).

I just hope they are therapists in their world.

Rep : black MCs, lesbian MC, aspec MC, anxiety, PTSD, brown and black side characters
TW : survival guilt, PTSD, anxiety, war, blood, death, torture, manipulation, genocide (mention), imprisonment