"Love may give you strength, but retribution gives you purpose."

The Final Strife is a fantasy story rich with discussion of oppression in a world where classes are divided by the color of their blood. The worldbuilding was intriguing, especially as the book progressed and plot twists were revealed. I'm always a fan of stories rich in history, and this book was no different.
The story follows three main POVs: Sylah, an Ember disguised as a Duster; Anoor, a Duster disguised as an Ember; and Hassa, a Ghosting. The three women come from different classes but are connected in their wish to see change in the world. I did find the book a little slow at times. It could be the beginning of a reading slump, but I really just didn't connect well to the story. There was a fair amount of action throughout, especially towards the end, and the plot twists kept me entertained, but overall I just felt like the story dragged on for a while. The middle of the book focused more on the characters' inner growth, in my opinion, and because I wasn't super invested in the characters, I didn't love the slower pacing.
The main cast of characters is definitely intriguing and complex, I just didn't really feel attached to any of them. Sylah's struggle with addiction was empowering, but she was fairly stubborn and set in her ways, and she got on my nerves a few times. I liked Anoor a little bit more, and I'm excited to see where her character arc takes her, but she was a bit trope-y. Hassa was probably my favorite, and she was the only one whose POVs I really looked forward to. In terms of side characters, Gorn grew on me, I liked Kwame, and I absolutely despised Jond.
Fans of fantasy stories rooted in history will enjoy The Final Strife and the romance, action, and social commentary it has to offer.

3.5/5