Review:
Once again, I have to be honest: I read this book in 2015, I wrote this review in maybe 2017 based on my notes about how I felt toward the book right after reading it, and I’m now finally posting it in 2019. So I don’t know how I’d feel about the book now, but this review is how I felt about the book when I read it.
I actually liked this book even better than the other two! There were a lot of things I liked, so I’ll go from least exciting to most exciting because why not?
The whole trilogy was really consistent, in a good way. The writing, the pacing, the likeability of the characters, etc. was pretty steady throughout. I did give this one a slightly higher rating, but, considering I was with the characters for three books and grew to really love them, that makes sense.
This one also had a more intense, more action-packed plot than the others (there was a war going on this time even), and the other two had a very similar plot whereas this one was different. I liked how everything kept building up and up and up at a really good pace without much time in between to even breathe (but just enough so I wasn’t overwhelmed) until it reached a crescendo, and I wasn’t disappointed.
I loved how emotional and intense that scene was when *SPOILER* they spent the night healing Danello from the poison. I don’t think a whole lot of emotion was written, but you could feel it anyway because Nya would not have spent an entire night being in just as much pain as Danello, exhausting herself, not stopping to sleep or eat or use the bathroom or do anything, if she didn’t love him. And Tali and Soek wouldn’t have also done the same, transferring the pain from Nya into the pynvium, if they didn’t also care in some way about Danello or about Nya or about human life in general. And then the way the people of the town came to bring flowers and light candles and sing prayers just added even more to it. *END SPOILER*
I also liked that the book didn’t end with one of those epilogues about the characters’ kids’ names. It wasn’t open either though. Everything was just wrapped up really well without going too far.
The book also had some humor, like the last two. I especially loved that they called the camp on Jeatar’s farm “Jeatown.”
But the thing I loved most, once again, was the characters. They were so lovable! Or, at the very least, entertaining or intriguing. But again, I won’t include all my thoughts on them here since I already did that in my review of Book 1.
So overall, I really liked this book and thought it was a strong finale with a great ending!
Recommended For:
Fans of Books 1 and 2 in Janice Hardy's The Healing Wars series. Anyone who likes middle grade high fantasy and lovable characters.
More Books in the Series:
Book Review: The Shifter (The Healing Wars Book 1) by Janice Hardy
Book Review: Blue Fire (The Healing Wars Book 2) by Janice Hardy
Book Review: Darkfall (The Healing Wars Book 3) by Janice Hardy
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The pain shifting thing sounds interesting- is she like an empath or is that not even the right descriptor? I read a story once about an empath who could take on other peoples’ injuries and heal them, but I don’t know if that’s technically an empath or if an empath is just someone who can FEEL/ be influenced by other peoples’ pain. Maybe I’m overthinking it haha. Or maybe I just thought of a discussion post topic. Gah.
Anyway… I just noticed this was middle grade since I started reading the review while barely glancing at the cover. And then I saw your note at the end about MG. Glad it was good!!
Well, my definition of an empath is someone who can feel the emotions of others, and I feel like pain isn’t an emotion? But I guess empaths feeling pain could also make sense in a way. But basically in this world, there are people who can take pain from someone and put it into this special material, but the MC can transfer pain from someone into someone else if she wants.
Yeah, I don’t normally read MG, but I enjoyed this one!
I love that you’re posting a review for a book you read awhile back. 😉 I’ve been thinking of doing the same. This isn’t a genre I’d necessarily read but I do like that the writing, pacing, etc., was consistent and that you enjoyed the characters and plot. I happen to know a little man who’d very much enjoy a series like this so I’ll keep it in mind for his birthday. 🙂
I figured it might still be helpful to the author and readers! I hope he likes it if you get it for him 🙂
I would rather a series was consistent rather than get worse? But I prefer when my series get better with every book. I gave the first book in the Gone series by Michael Grant, for example, five stars. And then I gave every single one after it five stars but I do think that with every single book it just gets better and better so I would add a star if I could! Great review of this one 🙂
To be fair, the series did get a little better, I gave this one a higher rating than the other two! But I also love when series just get better and better. Thanks!