[4.5]
In which we learn to love Adam, Gansey is having sad boy hours, Blue is going Through It, and Ronan maybe achieves some chill and direction.

I can't say I liked this as much as The Dream Thieves, but considering how low my expectations were going in because the general sentiment seemed to be that this is the least good of the Raven Cycle books. Well I still loved it. For such a complex and subtle work, it's hard to pinpoint what didn't work as well and the things I can think of kind of feel like nitpicks. Like even though the prose was a step down imo from TDT, it was still really effing good. And the character work was a little weaker, but maybe that's just because Ronan already had his major moment and he's my favourite character. I also Did Not Like Greenmantle and Piper, but that was the desired effect so like yeah of course I don't like the asshole bad guys. Also I for once wish a book was a little longer and more slow paced, but do I really want that? Or am I just enjoying it too much to want it to be over?

These books continue to be a masterwork in surrealist magical realism and complex character dynamics. I'm starting to get sad that there's only one more book after this. I've stretched out my reading so much and I'm not ready for it to be over.