Review: Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff

Posted by Jessi (Geo) on November 25, 2019 | 0 Comments


Review: Darkdawn by Jay KristoffDarkdawn by Jay Kristoff
Series: The Nevernight Chronicles #3
Published by Thomas Dunne Books (9.3.2019)
Genres: Adult, High Fantasy
Format: Hardcover, 512 pages
Source: I own it


5 Stars

The Republic of Itreya is in chaos. Mia Corvere has assassinated Cardinal Duomo and rumors of Consul Scaeva’s death ripple through the street of Godsgrave like wildfire. But buried beneath those same streets, deep in the ancient city’s bones, lies a secret that will change the Republic forever.

Mia and her brother Jonnen must journey through the depths of the ancient metropolis. Their quest will take them through the Godsgrave underdark, across the Sea of Swords, back to the library of the Quiet Mountain and the poisoned blades of Mia’s old mentors, and at last the fabled Crown of the Moon. There, Mia will at last discover the origins of the darkin, and learn the destiny that lies in store for her and her world. But with the three suns now in descent, and Truedark on the horizon, will she survive?

My thoughts

CAUTION: SPOILERS FOR GODSGRAVE

I am the war you cannot win.

Holy SHIT. I basically sobbed through the last like quarter of this book, heh. This book wrecked my feels! Jay, you’ve done it yet again!!

We all knew going in that Mia was going to die in the end. However, we didn’t know the deets, and I’m quite happy with how everything played out. It was bittersweet! View Spoiler »

“You kiss like you kill, Mia Corvere.”
“And how’s that?”
“With finesse.”

I fucking LOVE these characters, you guys. Stabby and badass Mia. Prickly but genuine Ash. Tragic, loyal Tric. Mercurio with his tough-as-nails facade hiding a soft mushy center. ECLIPSE. MISTER KINDLY. I especially love Mister Kindly! He’s my favorite character of the series! View Spoiler » Even Jonnen grew on me, the little shit. I’m glad Mia got a bit of a family!

I love the romance, too! I don’t often get super on board with F/F romance (or romance at all, honestly), because I can’t relate, but HOT DAMN I loved these girls together. I am Team Ash all the way! (Which I know is an unpopular opinion, baa baa black sheep) They are both so fierce, and Ash is so hard and prickly toward the world with the exception of Mia. I love how tender she is (but still fierce!) when it comes to Mia!

“I’ve got no claim. She’s not mine. She’s hers. But if you think for one second I’m not willing to bathe in blood to be the one standing by her side when all this is over, then you’re insane. Do you understand me?”

I did feel kinda bad for Tric. He’s so hopelessly in love with Mia, but she loves Ash. It’s tragic, really. I usually despise love triangles, but this one works for me. I don’t mind them as much when there’s a clear side – it’s when the MC flip flops back and forth between love interests that it irks me. But Mia was pretty clearly in love with Ash, and loyal to Ash, even though she may have had feelings for Tric. (Side note: Did you read Three? YOU NEED TO READ THREE. It will melt your face off with its sexy.)

Also, can we talk about how badass Adonai was when he faced Julius?! HOLY SHIT, DUDE. That scene was just fucking glorious!

I can’t really talk about anything else without spoiling things! View Spoiler » Such a beautiful end to an amazing series! I’ll miss it for sure!

Favorite quotes

SO MANY AMAZING QUOTES!!!

If you’d asked him why he’d taken that raven-haired waif in all those years ago, he’d have muttered something about her gift, her grit, her guile. He’d have laughed if you’d told him he needed her as much as she needed him. He’d have cut your throat and buried you deep if you’d told him that one turn, he’d lover her like the daughter he’d never had. But in his bones, even as he ended you, he’d have known it was true.
I’M NOT CRYING YOU’RE CRYING

“But that’s why I adore you. And the more I live it, the more I realize ‘deserve’ has nothing to do with this life. Fair is a fairy tale. Nothing’s claimed by those who don’t want it, and nothing’s kept by those who won’t fight for it. So let’s fight. Fuck the gods. Fuck it all. Let’s take the world by the throat and make it give us what we want.” Ash kissed her again, the taste of burning tears on her lips. “Because I want you.”

“…i am a part of you, mia. before i met you, i was a formless nothing, looking for a meaning. the shape i wear is born of you, the thing i became is because of you. and if i must do what you will not, so be it. at least you will be alive to hate me…”
MISTER KINDLY I LOVE YOU

“….HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS, CHILD…”
Mia tapped her breast and smiled. “Explains my empty chest.”
“…FOOLISHNESS…” Eclipse scoffed. “….YOU HAVE THE HEART OF A LION…”
“A crow, perhaps.” She wiggled her fingers at the wolf. “Black and shriveled.”
“…YOU WILL KNOW THE LIE OF THAT BEFORE THE END OF THIS, MIA, I PROMISE…”

To live in the hearts we leave behind is to never die.

“I am a daughter of the dark between the stars. I am the thought that wakes the bastards of this world swearing in the nevernight. I am the vengeance of every orphaned daughter, every murdered mother, every bastard son. I am the war you cannot win.”

“I’ll not leave you to face this alone,” Mercurio said.
“I’m not alone. I’ve never been alone. You’ve been with me ever since that grubby, spoiled little brat stormed into your store and demanded you buy her brooch. You saved my arse that turn. And in some small way, you’ve been saving it ever since.”
Dude, the beautiful father/daughter interactions between these two in this book gave me all the feels!!

Fear was a poison. Fear was a prison. Fear was the bridesmaid of regret, the butcher of ambition, the bleak forever between forward and backward.

Overall Assessment

Plot: 5/5
Premise: 5/5
Writing style: 5/5
Originality: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
World-building: 5/5
Pace: 5/5
Feels: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Overall rating: 5/5

Jessi (Geo)

Posted in: Book Reviews | Tags: , , , ,

Subscribe to Novel Heartbeat to get more posts like this!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.