A Reaper at the Gates

I FINALLY FINISHED THIS BOOK. It was literally sitting for six months waiting to be finished.
I loved this so much! I think it actually helped that I left it alone for six months after reading like 90 pages because everything I remember about the beginning was really fucking depressing. When I started reading again things were finally picking up and getting more exciting!
Can I just say I am such a hoe for the Avitas/Helene ship, like I am all the way here for it, from the second I started reading the book again I was just like “I NEED THIS, I WANT THIS, GIVE IT TO ME!”
Like, Avitas is just so chef's kiss.
Helene's singing literally saves their asses so many times, like we wouldn't be here if it weren't for that. We'd all be fucking dead. Thank god for her singing. And also, thank god she didn't stay an emotionless blop, I was so scared I would be mad at her the entire time, but I wasn't. I actually love her, even though it's annoying how she always underestimates the Commondant, and I need her to trust Harper more because he's smart and knows things, but all that is besides the point that I really fucking love her.
Until Laia was making her way to Antium, her storyline was by far the least interesting. Every time we went back to her, I was just like “no! i want more Helene!!” Elias's was also interesting, but that one was quite frustrating because it was really just a waiting game on when things would start to go to shit.
I cannot BELIEVE Cook, I cannot- like I can't- I just- I can't. I really fucking can't. And Darin knows, but I can't for the life of me figure out how the fuck he knows! He's only a couple years older than Laia, it makes no sense that his tiny little brain would have been like “must remember, must notice, must gather information.” Because Spiro did not tell him all this. So how??? In Kauf? The Commondant???? I DON'T KNOOOOOOOOW. Also, I really thought he was lying about knowing how to make the steel. He was way too hesitant... I'm sure the next book will let me know.
Speaking of the Commondant, when is this bitch going to fucking die off, I cannot with this piece-of-shit lady, I just- ugh, you can't see me but I'm pinching the bridge of my nose just thinking about her. And honestly, the jinn? They are only a single step below the Commondant on the scale of terribleness, like A SINGLE STEP. Because they are fucking shitty AF too, like why y'all gotta be so manipulative???? The fuck did these people do to you, they weren't alive A THOUSAND FUCKING YEARS AGO WHEN EVERYTHING WENT TO SHIT. I just can't.
I have this theory, that something is up with the Commondant's health, like for some reason I think she's poisened or something and will die slowly, in like a year. I'm either remembering something subtly mentioned in another book, or it's just wishful thinking. I don't know.
Also can we just talk about Laia and her rash decisions for a second because a bitch is fed up, okay. She jumps to conclusions in a second, and it's not cute, Laia, it makes you look real fucking stupid. EVERYTHING IS NOT ABOUT YOU! Don't project yourself onto things that obviously aren't you! Like, shit, just sit the fuck down and think about it, geez.
When we got to the last chapter, I was confused about where Elias was at. I wanted him to jump in and be like “hey! how's ending humanity going?” but he didn't, so I guess he was preoccupied, but like, with what? HE'S IN THE FUCKING FOREST.
Anyway, I don't think I have much else to say. It was really really good, I loved it. It's a rough plot, but like I mentioned, I think it helped me to be seperated from the terribleness of the beginning and get back into when things were heating up. It's sad because it's war, but I didn't think it overpowered everything, it didn't feel like it was just war, war, war, with more war. It was really balanced and I loved that. It was just really well done, in general, and I just can't wait for the next one! It was so good!