Naif has returned to the mysterious island of Ixion with information that is almost too shocking to be true - the Grave elders benefit from the young people who flee to Ixion, their attempts to keep their young people from leaving is just an act. Knowing that they benefit from the deaths of their own people helps Naif make the decision to return to Ixion and help stop the Ripers from using the island as their own personal playland - a place that they rule and where the people they appear to offer freedom to are nothing but cattle for the slaughter, a source of power and transformation.
But the Ixion Naif returns to is not the same island she left, things have changed. The leadership of the rebel bands on the island have changed, ideas and alliances have shifted, and not just among the humans - the Ripers are at war too. Brand has grabbed power and Lenoir is in hiding with a group of followers, moving from place to place to avoid confrontations as Brand gains greater control of the island. The only chance for success is for Naif to gather forces together to find the missing uther queen and free the uthers from their slavery to the Ripers, because without the uthers the structure of the island will collapse and lead them down the path towards revolution and rebellion.
Shine light is the final book in the night creatures trilogy and it is a satisfying conclusion to the series, a final chapter but not necessary the final story. This series is a blend between a richly imagined world described in rich language, and a fast paced story that doesn't intimidate its readers by being too densely or cleverly written. At times it feels a little bit of a let down that there is not more depth to the story, but it is nice to have a series that anyone can read. Naif makes both a great heroine and an anti-heroine - she is the centre of the story and the driving force for the action, but she also is just like everyone else, anyone could be her and she could be anyone.
I was up and down with this series, at times loving it at times unimpressed, and there was the odd moment with this one where it seemed like the editing could have been better, but de Pierres took two popular themes (dystopias and vampires) and created a fresh take, one that created a believable world and reached a satisfying conclusion. Hopefully there will be more books in the future with the same fresh vision from this promising author, and hopefully there will be more "flesh on the bones" of future novels because this one was a little thin for my personal taste.
If you like this book then try:
- Burn bright by Marianne de Pierres
- Angel arias by Marianne de Pierres
- The treachery of beautfiul things by Ruth Francis Long
- The hunt by Andrew Fukuda
- Banished by Sophie Littlefield
- Daughter of smoke and bone by Laini Taylor
- Thyla by Kate Gordon
- The demon trapper's daughter by Jana Oliver
Reviewed by Brilla
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