Darkest Mercy

Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

Wicked Lovely #5

 
The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.
  

Aislinn has been trying to hold her court together with only half the power of the regency, as Keenan is still missing. The Dark Court has suffered a major blow, one they may just not recover from. Donia, the calm Queen of the Winter court yearns for a love she can never have. Seth is torn between his new mother and the love he isn't sure will last. And War, she is using all of their weaknesses against them to start a war that no one is safe from. To push this point home, a mysterious fey with the power of death behind him lingers nearby. Everything has been leading to this book, and the final showdown.

The resolution between Aislinn, Seth, Keenan, and Donia was the one I was most anticipating. For such a long time all four of them have been fighting their natures and trying to make decisions based on a sense of duty rather then following their hearts. Duty is important, but what is life worth living if you must constantly deny your heart? Never would I have guess things would have been resolved the way they were. However, I think the resolution is absolutely perfect. Regardless of who you were "rooting" for, you will have satisfaction in knowing the characters will finally get a happy resolution, no matter what form it takes.

Things were incredibly chaotic at the end and it was a little hard to keep track of who was doing what in the final battle. However, I don't think this detracted from the story, in fact it added a bit of realism. Battles are messy, brutal and most definitely chaotic, and this book did a very good job of showing that. Even the victor in a battle will have losses as war is just not a pretty thing. I admire the author's ability to show this without completely dragging the tone of the book down.

I really wasn't sure how just one book could tie up all the issues that have been established between all of the characters from the first four. However, I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised at how everything worked out. I really feel this final book gave the characters the justice the deserve, and each their own slice of happiness, even if a little heartbreak was mixed in. I highly enjoyed this book, as it left a smile on my face once I finished it. If you haven't read the series yet, this is definitely not the place to start, as you'll want the full effect of starting from the beginning. As sad as I am to say goodbye, I don't think the series could have ended in a more perfect place. Fantastic read!

Rating:

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Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely)

Challenge Categories:
Outdo Yourself
YA