in my opinion this was the best book of the trilogy. it. was. so. good. fast-paced and engaging, the tension and surprises and twists last until the very last page, there was conflict after conflict. it was like watching every little piece of a chess game fall into place, revealing the hidden truths and the big reveal that has been developing since the beginning.

i didn't think i was very much invested in the first law until now. yes, i've enjoyed every book (if i didn't i wouldn't have continued with it after the first one). even if they didn't change my life i had fun, and i liked the characters and the overall concept of the series. but this one sealed the deal for me and now i find myself being forced to read the other 7 books of the first law world. one step at a time, that is.

there truly are no happy endings for any of the characters and honestly i expected no less. some got what they deserved and some didn't... but what any of the main characters 'deserve' is a complex topic itself. i have to admit that i grew attached to logen, glokta and jezal. how did this man convince me to love terrible characters, some of them objectively evil people, is something i don't understand but i won't question it anymore. to be honest, it's my own fault. the characters are never painted as simply good or bad, nor the author tells you who to love and who to hate because it isn't that simple. yes they're awful people, full of flaws, making questionable actions and driven by their even more questionable morals. yes, i love them. yes, i will be reading every single first law book.