You guys.
What was originally slated to be a 4-5 book series was suddenly a trilogy. That almost made me sick. There was no way Ee was going to be able to wrap up this story in just one more book. NO WAY. Couldn't happen.
It did. And it did so perfectly.
Before I get too involved, let me lead with this - this trilogy is and always will be PENRYN'S story. Not Raffe's. Not her mom's. Not Paige's. PENRYN. If Pen doesn't know something, we won't either. I've seen lots of theories being tossed around the internet about some of the side characters and even Pen herself. But the focus here is Penryn. Ok, and Raffe. Let's not get too ahead of ourselves here.
END OF DAYS picks up right where WORLD AFTER left us. Our hero & heroines deserve a break. And they get a brief respite, where Pen finally lets herself be a normal teenager for a minute. Maybe two. As much as that made me cringe a little, it was also refreshing to see. She has had a lot to deal with for a long time. So to see her a mess of hormones like any other teenage girl was actually good for her as a character.
This story had many favorite scenes for me. And since I want to leave EVERYTHING to be a surprise I will be as vague as possible from here on out. About the scenes, not my feelings. Of which there are many. And I MAY reference things out of order. Just to keep you on your toes!
Ballerinas. Holy crap on a cracker with cream cheese. If you know me, you know I am not a crier. I don't even feel a lot of emotions. But the ballerinas turned me into a giant puddle of red-headed goo. With the hell these people have been through, the fact that they can come together and share this heartbreaking beauty with others ... I have goosebumps. And as I type this I read this scene 2 weeks ago. Seriously. Holy cow. Incredible.
Pooky Bear. Still my favorite inanimate object character. She has a few tricks up her sleeve ... er ... scabbard. We all know she is more than just a sword, but some of her talents extend beyond the possible. She is a fantastic source of comic relief as well in a time where I can't think much would be funny.
"You seem to bring out new and unimagined dimensions from both me and Kooky Bear."
"Pooky Bear."
"Right."
"Come on. Say it, Raffe. I love it when you say Pooky Bear. It's just so perfect when it comes out of your mouth."
"She might kill you in your sleep one of these days just so she can get rid of that name."
The "trip" for Penryn and Raffe. Seriously one of my favorite flying scenes ever. And I couldn't imagine EVER sympathizing with Belial, but boy do I after this. I am terribly sad for him. We all know, maybe in the back of our minds but we KNOW, that he has suffered as a fallen. Well, to know is different than to KNOW. If you know what I mean. ;-) But back to Raffryn (Raffe + Penryn = Raffryn) - they had some intense moments. As always. But this section IMO had so many I wanted to quote them all.
"You should be with a nice human boy. One who takes your orders and puts up with your demands. Someone who dedicates his life to keeping you safe and well fed. Someone who can make you happy. Someone you can be proud of. There's nobody like that in this lot."
"Don't drop me." I cling tighter and press myself up against him a little more.
"Never." There's so much confidence and assurance in his voice. "I have you. You're as secure as can be."
The Final Battle. We all know there is at least one battle in this book. And since it is the last book I am going to refer to it as The Final Battle. My review - my rules. :-) Ee writes battle scenes like no one's business. And so much is on the line, that every move - every action, takes your breath away, and at the same time keeps you from taking another. It is INTENSE.
There isn't much more I can say that won't ruin some aspect of this story for you. I am afraid I've already said too much. To sum it up, if I had to, END OF DAYS is the best possible ending a story told in this world could have. This remains one of, if not THE BEST YA series I have EVER had the pleasure of reading. I sense a re-read in my near future.