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bookish_emily's review against another edition
4.0
*4.5 stars* The Soul of Power is the final installment of the enjoyable Waking Lands series, and switches perspective yet again. Having experienced events through first Elanna's eyes and then Jahan's, we next have Sophy Dunbarron's viewpoint. Sophy is the bastard daughter of the exiled king of Caeris, and has been raised since the age of eight by Elanna's parents to potentially rule one day. Now that her half-brother Finn is dead and her father remains in exile, Sophy has assumed the throne of Eren and Caeris in the wake of Elanna's revolution. However, uniting a once-divided country proves more difficult than she anticipated. She must battle her detractors and those who work to depose her along with her own self-doubts in order to bring peace to a fractured land.
I have enjoyed this trilogy, which improved as it progressed. This last book is action-packed and keeps you turning the pages. It wraps everything up nicely and brings the series to a satisfying conclusion. The underlying foundation of female empowerment throughout is refreshing in the current times. I recommend this trilogy for fantasy fans who enjoy fierce female characters!
I have enjoyed this trilogy, which improved as it progressed. This last book is action-packed and keeps you turning the pages. It wraps everything up nicely and brings the series to a satisfying conclusion. The underlying foundation of female empowerment throughout is refreshing in the current times. I recommend this trilogy for fantasy fans who enjoy fierce female characters!
rcpope's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jmbq_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Glad to see Sophy's growth as a character in this final book in the trilogy.
moknita's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
katleap's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars
I received an e-ARC copy of The Soul of Power from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Soul of Power runs almost parallel to The Memory of Fire. This is Sophy's book and picks up right after Jahan has left for Paladis. This book has lots of politics in it as Sophy struggles to unite her kingdom, protect the refugees and keep the empire from invading. On top of that tall order Sophy becomes aware of a faction that wants her off the throne in whatever way necessary, even if it results in her death.
This book started off slow for me. Having already read Memory of Fire I know what is going on with El and Jahan. So the pick up while necessary, was a bit slow. I liked Sophy in The Waking Land and it was nice to get to see her in her element, struggling to be who she thought she ought to be instead of who she wanted to be. I also liked that she isn't a warrior but will fight for what she thinks is right and not at the expense of lives. I was happy to see a growth of the relationship between El and Sophy because they would be awesome together.
This was a good ending to the trilogy and I appreciated the epilogue because I wasn't left hanging.
I received an e-ARC copy of The Soul of Power from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Soul of Power runs almost parallel to The Memory of Fire. This is Sophy's book and picks up right after Jahan has left for Paladis. This book has lots of politics in it as Sophy struggles to unite her kingdom, protect the refugees and keep the empire from invading. On top of that tall order Sophy becomes aware of a faction that wants her off the throne in whatever way necessary, even if it results in her death.
This book started off slow for me. Having already read Memory of Fire I know what is going on with El and Jahan. So the pick up while necessary, was a bit slow. I liked Sophy in The Waking Land and it was nice to get to see her in her element, struggling to be who she thought she ought to be instead of who she wanted to be. I also liked that she isn't a warrior but will fight for what she thinks is right and not at the expense of lives. I was happy to see a growth of the relationship between El and Sophy because they would be awesome together.
This was a good ending to the trilogy and I appreciated the epilogue because I wasn't left hanging.
dr_tree's review against another edition
4.0
strong conclusion to the series. New narrator again in Sophy but back to strong female protagonist which resonated more with me.
tashva's review against another edition
2.0
Er. The previous books in the series weren't awesome but this one was just bad with its "Mother's love will save the city" theme.
visubooks's review against another edition
4.0
This is the last book in the Waking Land Series and I loved it! It was such a great ending to an amazing series! In this book we see everything from the perspective of Sophy. I really like how every book we see what is happening from different characters point of view. We see just how much growth Sophy goes through in this book. I also really liked the fact that we get a lot more backstory on her. It’s a really evenly paced book and all the questions that were left over from the other books were answered! Great book and series! Definitely recommend! I have fallen in love with this amazing world and characters and I’m sad to have to let them go now.
susibee's review against another edition
4.0
The Soul of Power brings us back to the rich world of political intrigue and magic created in The Waking Land and strengthened in the The Memory of Fire. The third book in the Waking Land series shifts the point of view yet again to a different narrator, this time to Sophy Dunbarron, the newly crowned monarch over the previously divided lands of Eren and Caeris. This shift takes a fresh new look at the world from the perspective of a ruler who is struggling to deal with the politics of conflicting national identities and the plight of refugees who are feared and misunderstood. It also explores what happens when an all-powerful character disappears and the world that was brought together by her power starts to fall apart. This engaging series also explores complex familial and personal issues as it concludes.
averyw's review against another edition
3.0
This was my least favorite book in The Waking Land trilogy. I thought it lacked obvious direction and didn't really feel like a culmination of the storyline. However, I thought it was a beautiful way to write a young adult woman. Bates captured the trials and tribulations of womanhood accurately and, as a young woman myself, I couldn't help but relate and want her to succeed. Overall, worth the read if you want some closure in the trilogy, but not necessary.