WELCOME
Dear Readers, Aliens and Creatures, Meh. It was meh. Not terrible, just an overall hardly satisfying ending. I give you – ‘When She Reigns’.
BASICS
Official title: When She Reigns
My title: The Final Drama
Author: Jodi Meadows
Publisher: @harpercollins
Fav character: The Celestial Dragon
Type: Book – Series
4/5
INTRO
I took some time before writing this review because I wanted to compose my thoughts. The plot in itself is interesting, a young woman is treated unfairly and must learn to survive and thrive on her own. Against all expectations, she manages to make, and keep, friends with people who are far different and far more capable than her.
It is a hopeful trilogy, which seeks to inspire readers to do better when it comes to showing compassion and care. A series that focusses heavily on loving dragons (which, as a dragon myself, I approve) but has dubious messages regarding family.
REVIEW
In book 3, things are beginning to make sense and fall into place. The friends have arrived on Anahera, where they must learn more about what is happening to the isles and the Mira Treaty and where must put the final parts of saving land, people and dragons together. There are still more secrets to be unveiled and questions to be answered regarding the location and safety of Mira’s and Histro’s parents, Kelsine and what remains of the Luminary Council.
They intend to find out all they can about what the Paorah of Anahera is planning, enlist the aid of the Algotti Empress and return with the bones of the firstborn child and most beloved of the gods, the celestial dragon. It’s a pity that things don’t go quite as smoothly, OBVIOUSLY, but we do see how much each of their powers have grown and the culmination of Mira’s powers as basically a channeler of energy and light.
They have not had an easy time of it but are doing their UTMOST to save their people. Poor kids. All of this is very interesting, but the execution of parts of it were strange and uncomfortable and I am still trying to figure out why… I mean, apart from my INTENSE dislike for Mira. She has too many misplaced priorities and lives a truly pathetic existence. Poor thing.
A lot happened, but it was somewhat underwhelming? 🤔💁 Meh.
OBSERVATIONS
▪️ I don’t believe the author was really able to connect with her characters. I don’t feel they were really pushed to their full potential and much of their interactions/emotions seem stunted.
▪️ The book also ends strangely. (I will spell the names of these people as I recall them 🤭)
- We don’t know who will be the effective ruler of this new isle, Mira names the isle, but there is no hint as to her desire to rule.
- Aaru is able to reunite with Safra – who has become like a sister – but he doesn’t seem as interested as he should about his actual sisters and their passing.
- There is no mention or hint regarding Chenda and Gerbel, how their relationship may progress, or even what their priorities may be, beyond Gerbel meeting withe her aunt.
- Hrito has lost his father, but we have no idea what his plans for the future may hold. We have never had any idea about what he really wants for the future.
- Illina has her parents, it seems, but we don’t know what kind of life she hopes for beyond a sanctuary.
▪️ Mira has NEVER asked her so called friends (maybe apart from Aaru) what they want for the future, which is probably why I could never believe/accept that she was truly caring. She is self-centered, selfish, spoilt, inconsiderate and she most definitely doesn’t put others before her, as we are made to believe.
▪️ Not only are the futures of the characters hidden in mystery, but there was very little in the way of romantic interest/romance… almost like the author couldn’t see how people could be attracted to these characters. Even with Chenda and Gerbel, there is nothing about how the showed their affection, they would just disappear together… want to look for each other, or be in their room.
▪️ As for the main romance between Mira and Aaru, while I was somewhat relieved that there were no romantic triangles and her being unable to decide between two men, it almost reads as though she was not SENSUALLY appealing… beyond her pretty face, there was no pull towards her as a budding woman. The same goes for the Algotti empress. She is supposedly not as lean as Mira… but… WHAT?! Doesn’t she have appeal?! Even if she doesn’t have a partner, we don’t know why. It’s almost like we shouldn’t care?
▪️ These teenagers had the most controlled set of hormones that I have ever witnessed or read about.
CONCLUSION
I don’t know. It was just weird. Stunted…
None of the characters seem to exist beyond the final period of the book. It’s like their life stops. We have no idea about their future and how they plan to make it happen. We don’t know if they will continue together or if they will each go their separate ways. It almost feels like we shouldn’t care about them… we should care more about the dragons.
It is unsettling… Like the author wasn’t interested in her characters beyond this story… I didn’t get the same feeling for the Orphan Queen books (up to where I read), so I don’t know if this is just a writing style.
What are your thoughts? If you had read the books, do you agree with my points above, did you get the same feeling? Please share.
Pages: 530
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Year: 2019
