Series: Nevermore
Author: Kelly Creagh
Page Count: 448
Published: July 28th, 2015
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
5 Stars ★★★★★
In this conclusion to the Nevermore trilogy, Isobel fears that reality may merge with the dreamworld. Varen is still lost to the dreamworld and Lilith hasn't loosened her hold on him, which leaves Isobel unsure if she will ever be able to save him. Having to venture into the dreamworld once again, she confronts Varen only to find that he may not believe that she is even truly alive or real.
Convincing Varen that she still cares for him and that she is, in fact, real, proves to be no easy task. But if she fails, she might put the whole world in danger. Unsure of who she can trust, only one thing is for certain: nothing will be the same ever again when this is all over.
I've expressed how much I loved the first two books of this trilogy multiple times in my blog posts, and as with all my favourite books and series, I was dreading the ending. I put off reading this for a long time because I just didn't want Isobel and Varen's story to end! Finally, I forced myself to pick this up.
While I'm sad that the trilogy is over, I am very satisfied with the ending. I won't give anything away, but I will say that the author added a few twists at the very ending that made my emotions go crazy! One minute I was in despair and the next I was relieved. If you're a fan of the first two books, prepare yourself for the last few chapters.
Kelly Creagh's writing style was amazing, as usual. Her wording comes across as elegant quite often, with detailed descriptions of the setting and creatures that Isobel encounters. However, her descriptions never overwhelmed me, they were perfectly balanced and easy to follow. I put a lot of emphasis on the descriptions of the setting because the setting is vital to this book, with Isobel venturing in the dreamworld. The dreamworld, with its surreal imagery truly blew me away once again, and as I read about forests and Gothic mansions and everything in between, the writing immersed me entirely and I never wanted to leave.
As for the characters, what can I say? The two lovers, Isobel and Varen, are perfect for each other, in my opinion. They juxtapose each other in all the right ways, and while at first they might seem to fit stereotypes as the cheerleader and the Goth, this is certainly not the case. Isobel is intelligent, loyal, and determined, and Varen is genuine, complex, and overall incredibly likeable. Gwen, one of Isobel's friends, also plays a role in supporting Isobel through hard times, and her happier demeanor brought a lighter perspective to some of the issues in the book at times, which was also appreciated. All of the other characters, from Isobel's parents, to Reynolds, to Pinfeathers, continued to blow me away because they seemed so real, just like in the other books, and they all contributed something to the story, whether that be something small or something incredibly important. Of course, I hated Lilith with a passion, because she had the most evil intentions towards the main characters. As a villain, she was despicable, and I always hoped that she would lose in the end.
I honestly don't even know what else to say, I loved this trilogy so much. I'm speechless now, I don't know how to express how amazing these books are. Everything from Isobel and Varen's relationship to the dreamworld created a story that hooked me from the first chapter of the first book, and even though I've finished the conclusion to the trilogy, it hasn't let me go. I don't know if it ever will, I just enjoyed this so much, I'll probably re-read the trilogy many more times over the course of the coming years. My only complaint is that this trilogy is over! I don't want it to be over.
Overall, this is a great conclusion to one of the best trilogies that I have ever read.
I recommend this to people who like YA paranormal books with unique creatures and conflicts. If you are looking for a story with romance, thrills, and even a bit of mystery, this trilogy is definitely for you.
