I didn't expect to dislike a Marissa Meyer book, as she's one of my favorite authors. The story felt long-winded and stretched for no reason because truly not much happens. I think it would have been better as a standalone rather than a doulogy. I was extremely invested in the first half, then I kind of lost interest, and the story lost its grip on me and stopped feeling so magical. I liked the romance at first and thought that Marissa really knows how to portray attractive male protagonists! But then it fell flat.

I should have been sad when her father became a nachzehrer (undead). The children's deaths were gory but didn't surprise me, and I felt nothing. Though I was a bit scared at end of the book when the Alder King threatened her to lie for him and i raced through the pages. It reminded me of The Heart of Betrayal. The King did something similar to the protagonist, and that kept me on my toes the whole time and was the reason I liked that novel.

Anyways, I don't think I'll be picking up the sequel anytime soon.