City of Miracles by Robert Jackson BennettMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
"I will not let you forget who you are. I will be there to remind you... until you are you."
And thus ends one of the greatest trilogies I've ever had the privilege to read. CITY OF MIRACLES, like its predecessors, tells of humanity's attempts to recreate civilization with science and technology, after killing its miraculous gods a little under a hundred years ago.
But, as in the previous two books, it's VERY hard to kill what is divine.
What if there is a child of old gods, seeking out its siblings in order to devour them and take their powers for itself? There's nothing like SAVING THE WORLD levels in terms of stakes, and Book 3 gleefully brings together our favorite trio: the Viking-like Sigrud (who has the uncanny habit of surviving encounters with deities who want him dead), the politician-extraordinaire Shara (whose assassination at the beginning sparks all the events that follow), and female general-turned-politico Mulaghesh, whose definition of adulthood is EVERYTHING:
"My definition of an adult is someone who lives their life aware they are sharing the world with others... someone who knows the world was here before they showed up and that it'll be here well after they walk away from it. My definition of an adult, in other words, is someone who lives their life with a little f***ing perspective."
The last scene was an absolute masterpiece! T.T And THAT'S how you end a series, guys. I had Hans Zimmer's GLADIATOR soundtrack playing in my brain as I read the last couple of pages, and I think I wet the last page with my tears! Huhu.
You know it's a great ending when you're inspired to re-read Book 1. That's what the ending of Book 3 did for me.
Another hallmark of greatness: when there are references to tiny events in Book 1 that resurface in Book 3, seemingly unimportant but later revealed to be grace notes that show how much care and thought went into the plot.
Where do I sign up to be tattooed as a fan of RJB's?!!? This series is deserving of all the awards!
The strongest book, it must be said, was the first. The second was the weakest (gave it three stars). This third one was 4.5 for the most part but THAT ENDING is deserving of five stars, just for that poignant scene alone! Darn you RJB for breaking my heart and remaking it!!
What a journey. This series will live on in my heart for decades to come. A must-read!
View my review of Book 2 here
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