Title: Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely, #5)Author: Melissa Marr
Rating: 5 of 5
Format Reviewed: ARC provided by HarperCollins Canada
21.1 x 14.5 x 3 cm - 326 pages
February 22, 2011
Harper
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.February 22, 2011
Harper
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.
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For years Melissa Marr has used her gift of writing to create the incredible Faery world found in her Wicked Lovely series. Throughout she has weaved passion with pain and has reveled in change, but all good things must come to an end. The final book, Darkest Mercy, will hit shelves today concluding the beloved series. The beautiful and spellbinding ending rights every wrong and leaves no stone unturned.
Like the other books in this series, Darkest Mercy tackles the disconnect between a Faerie's desires and devotion to their court. Despite the complex web of characters that Marr has created, this book aims at bringing together those who have been most prominent in the series. It focuses its energy on the stories at the heart of each novel and it brings closure to decisions that have been hanging over each character's head.
One thing is for sure, no court, nor Faery, is safe in this book; they are all touched by loss and motivated by love. While everyone is subject to some sort of transformation, it is hard not to think specifically of Aislinn. From mortal to fey, readers have watched Aislinn grow into a wise reagent who rules with passion and grace. Darkest Mercy gives her the time she needed to find solace in her sunlit skin and to believe in the role that she was destined for. Marr uses the opportunity to end Aislinn's emotional roller coaster, and to do the same for the other characters who have been searching for some sort of peace.
Darkest Mercy is about grief, loyalty and about love. It is about making the right choice even when it's wrong and about being with the people who bring you the most happiness. If you have loved this series from the beginning then you will not be disappointed by Marr's conclusion. She has brought a sense of balance to the series that could have only been achieved by allowing the characters to evolve in the manner that they have. Darkest Mercy may be the end of this series but the many characters we have known and loved will forever live beyond the pages.
-Christie
Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for this advanced copy. :) For more information about the book you can visit the HarperCollins Canada website, follow them on Twitter or visit their Facebook page. Happy reading!
Really well said! I really loved what you had to say about the overarching themes of this book and the series as a whole. I thought Darkest Mercy was a satisfying conclusion as well!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful review! I've only read the first two novels in this series but plan on getting the rest now that this one is out. I can't wait to read them! I think it's great that no one was safe in this novel. It's important for the author to stay true to the story and it seems like Marr did.
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