Worthy conclusion

Umbertouched was one of my most anticipated releases of 2018. And it didn’t disappoint! Why am I reading this now? Well, pneumonia and 4 other infections at the same time were a bit distracting so I lost the month of December and half of January entirely. I waited until I was well enough because I really want to savor this book. Usually when a series end – and it has a good end in my opinion – I’m satisfied. I’m not one of those people who want endless novella’s and spinoffs. I make an exception for this duology, I NEED MORE. But first things first.

Umbertouched starts where Rosemarked ends, with Zivah and Dineas on the run, trying to get home. Only, home might not have been what it once was. War is coming, and people change because of it. Dineas and Zivah have changed too, Dineas has lost himself and Zivah has to live with the consequences of what she’s done. I really can’t say more without spoilering. What I love about this book is how real it all feels. All the characters are really fleshed out, and we meet characters from the previous books which I loved! Dineas dealing with his PTSD is heartbreaking, and I loved how Zivah has grown, and how she deals with being terminally ill. That brings me to another subject: worldbuilding. It is soooo well done. Especially the medical part. It just all works, how Zivah treats people and how the Roseplague is very consistent and it really could exist in this world. But also how Zivah feels about it. What I love most is that there isn’t some short cut to end suffering, no magical potion that just waits to be found and as a reward for all their bravery and cunning, the heroine is healed. I hate that trope. I’m sure it has some theme like it stands for their healed hearts or whatever, but it’s just really hurtful for disabled people who don’t get healed. As if we are not enough with our disabilities. Sorry, I got a bit distracted there. The other aspect that feels very real to me in this book is war. It really is brutal and let’s just be honest, a lot of characters will not survive and those who do have scars.

And my babies Dineas and Zivah… I love them so much! They both grow so much in this book, despite a lot of hopelessness. I cannot help but love them to bits. And the ending is perfect, though I doubt all people will agree on that. But for me, it truly is. Thank you, Livia Blackburne, for writing such an amazing novel. I know they say it’s awesome for fans of an Ember in the Ashes, and yes, it truly is, but I also think this series might surpass it. As a huge fan of Sabaa, that is really saying something.