Review of The Nightshade God (The Nightshade Crown, #3) by Adalyn Grace
Oh, The Nightshade God! The anticipation leading up to this final installment in Adalyn Grace’s Nightshade Crown series had me buzzing. After lush storytelling in The Foxglove King and a solid follow-up with The Hemlock Queen, I figured I was in for a treat. But as I finally flipped the last page, I was left with a complex mix of emotions, primarily leaning towards disappointment. Let’s dive into the details, shall we?
From the get-go, I felt the weight of not having revisited the earlier books. With two days of laboring over this tome—only managing 50 pages in one three-hour stretch—I realized there was a significant gap in my understanding. Recaps sprinkled throughout helped a bit, but they felt like breadcrumbs leading me nowhere. Despite my determination to power through, confusion loomed large more often than not.
The plot, centered on the fount and gods preventing Apollius’s rise again, was foggy at best. Dream sequences, quests, and prison encounters abounded, yet the narrative felt disjointed and almost filler-like. One of my main grievances was the lack of interaction between the three lead characters—Lore, Bastian, and Gabe. Their thrilling dynamic was severely underutilized. I yearned for those moments of camaraderie, only to find the characters apart for much of the book. Sure, there were dream meet-ups, but they couldn’t replicate the excitement of the trio together.
That said, when the throuple dynamic shone, it really bloomed. The brief moments of connection between Lore, Bastian, and Gabe were like glimmers of light cutting through the fog. Their chemistry flourished particularly in the epilogue, which, I must admit, closed the series on a high note—even with the bittersweet deaths of Bastian and Gabe. Their resurrection in that climactic scene added a satisfying twist that I appreciated, yet it couldn’t salvage the overall journey.
As I sat with my thoughts after finishing this book, it hit me: I’m unlikely to return to it. I don’t want to risk souring my fond memories of the earlier novels. This series, especially the first book, held a significant place in my heart, and I’d prefer not to tarnish that. But alas, if this installment had been my introduction to the story, I doubt I would have been compelled to seek out its predecessors.
In conclusion, while I know some readers will still be drawn in by the allure of an established world, others might find themselves lost within its pages as I did. The Nightshade God might better serve those who are die-hard fans, eager to revel in the completion of this saga, but for those who are casually curious or seeking a fulfilling finale, it might leave you longing for what could have been. As for me, I’m just relieved to be free from the struggle, but mostly, I’ll cherish the memories of the earlier books instead.
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