My Initial Reaction...
I'm so sad it's over! I went into The Witch With No Name so worried about what Kim Harrison was going to do to the characters I've grown to love and she kept me on pins and needles until the very end!
Note: Seeing as The Witch With No Name is the LAST :( book in the series, expect some series spoilers
The Characters...
There really weren't any new characters in The Witch With No Name, which was nice, since I wanted all the time I could get with the full cast I've come to love. Rachel was so RACHEL ---> she drove me crazy! Will this girl ever stop doubting herself and those who love her? Mostly, I'm glad this standard feature of her character didn't just suddenly vanish. Rachel has come a long way and has learned to trust and depend on others so much more than she ever would have dreamed possible way back in Dead Witch Walking, but she's not 100% cured of self doubt.
Trent, though, is doing his damndest to make her believe in them. I think their relationship in The Witch With No Name was EXACTLY what I've been waiting for and it was so worth the excruciating wait. Trent, who used to be so devious and closed, is so incredibly open with his love for Rachel. He can't seem to help himself - he's head over heels for her. I loved it!! :)
In the months between The Witch With No Name and The Undead Pool, my greatest anxiety was about Ivy. She was the one I was least certain about - I felt like Rachel and Trent were on their way, even if they'd have some bumps. But Ivy's future was so uncertain - and I just wanted her to have her HEA so badly. Obviously I won't tell you - but I will say that Kim must have felt what I felt - because in so many ways this is Ivy's book. I mean, we all knew it was going to come down to this right? Can Rachel save Ivy's soul? Needless to say, I was anxious about this pretty much from start to finish - and I will say I cried a lot and though Harrison did a brilliant job with this thread. My one complaint is Nina - I'm not in her fan club. But, she seems to make Ivy happy, so for that, I will agree to like her. Some.
I definitely felt the transition to an ending & new beginnings though too - particularly in Jenks. We've seen this coming, but his garden is just more and more empty :( We also didn't see as much of Quen as I would have liked, but this too felt like a transition - Trent is all growed up :) Quen has had this fatherly like quality, but that role is coming to an end in Trent's life.
Rachel's mom had a much bigger role in The Witch With No Name than I expected, but it was brilliant to see her and Takata. Her life has changed so much now that she's with him and you can tell she's become the powerful witch she put on hold for her children. Her moments were highlights for me... as were the moments with the Demons. Holy hell! Who would have dreamed I'd come to care for this group of "bad guys" so much? I love this about the series in general - NOTHING is black and white, something Rachel's been learning on her journey from witch to demon. Al broke my heart so many times over and Newt! Y'all know we can always count on some crazy surprises with her!
Clearly The Witch With No Name delivered what I was looking for in the character department. I loved seeing everyone, even Ellasbeth because she just adds her own unique flavor to the story.
The Story...
I recommend making sure you really understand what happened in The Undead Pool before reading The Witch With No Name. It was a bit complicated with the Elf goddess, but so important for what happened in The Witch With No Name. For one, Landon is still out to get the vampires and make elves #1 - and he'll do anything to get there. We already know how he feels about Rachel, so it's no wonder he has no qualms about letting her be a causality to his schemes.
Of course, Landon wouldn't have a leg to stand on if Cormel weren't so damned stupid and stubborn about getting his soul back. I don't think I realized the man could infuriate me on such a level. Cormel's pulling out all the stops to force Rachel into figuring out how to reunite undead vampires with their souls - and he's blind to the potential consequences.
Landon and Cormel's madness end up putting everyone at risk, even the demons. The action never seems to letup in The Witch With No Name as Rachel goes from one near disaster to the next - and you seriously wonder if ANYONE is going to get a HEA or if the whole world is just going to fall apart. I was anxious pretty much from start to finish!
Concluding Sentiments...
The Witch With No Name was such a satisfying conclusion to this incredible series. I'm incredibly sad it's over, but I know it's time. Thankfully, Harrison has one last treat for us - a novella from Al's point of view releasing October 28th! Squee! Then it will really be over :(