Bright We Burn (The Conqueror's Saga, #3) by Kiersten White

Bright We Burn (The Conqueror's Saga, #3)

by Kiersten White

5 stars

I don’t think I’ve ever given 5 well-deserved stars to a book that’s left me with so many mixed feelings.

Lada is, undoubtedly, one of the best and worst main characters I’ve ever read about, and while she constantly made me want to physically insert myself in the books and strangle her, I really admired how committed she was to rule Wallachia freely, and how determined and willing she was to sacrifice anyhting and everything to attain that goal. I couldn’t help but understand her struggle as a woman in her time and root for her to win and show all the men (especially Mehmed) that she could not only be just as powerful as all of them, but also inspire thrice as much loyalty in all of her subjects (which made me like her as a character all the more for it).

Radu, on the other hand, was so.. mellow in comparison. But I loved that about him. I love how he is portrayed as her complete opposite; not only in general disposition but in his motivations and goals in life: finding and fighting for love and happiness, regardless of where he is (contrary to Lada’s: fighting for where she is, her home, the place she loves, forgoing completely love and happiness if necessary).

The ending was amazing. I had read prior to finishing the last book several reviews about it, all raving how satisfying the ending was. Naturally, I tried to guess by myself what it was going to be like, but I spectacularly failed to imagine what type of closure would evoke such feelings in very harsh reviewers, and I was very pleasantly surprised.

All in all, this amazing series of books was incredibly enjoyable and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who doesn’t mind reading excellently written (albeit astonishingly gory) books.