End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.
After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.
When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?
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"We are soldiers, Penryn. Legendary warriors willing to make legendary sacrifices. We do not ask. We do not choose."
I've been waiting for End of Days for what feels like ages. I'm so glad that I finally got it. And read the whole thing within a day. It's a wild finale with a somewhat surprising, but still satisfying conclusion. I enjoy every second of reading it and I will miss this trilogy.
This book is very different from the previous two. In Angelfall and World After, the tension builds up slowly. Intricate but can be a little bit frustrating at times. In this book, however, the plot cuts to the chase as Penryn and Raffe rushes to get Raffe's wings reattached and stop Uriel from initiating the final apocalypse. The taste of excitement and danger is palpable everywhere in this book. So much so that you can't possibly imagine the ending of the story, because there are so many things working against them. Of course, like I said before, I get an ending that I was hoping for, but not without consequences. But that's the beauty of the trilogy. Both of our beloved protagonists have to bear the consequences and try to make the best of it. Happiness certainly doesn't come easy for them.
It's impossible to talk about End of Days without talking about, well, Penryn and Raffe. Penryn is still the witty and amazing heroine that I love. Although the effect is subtle, she's stronger than ever. She's able to recognize the situation and make hard choices. Choices that can break hearts. Endurance has always been one of her best traits, but it is amplified in this book. Even though endurance doesn't mean that happiness and peace will eventually come, Penryn certainly deserves some form of peace. Raffe is also more bold in more ways than one. His reaction towards the relationship between Penryn and himself is much more prominent. He has shown more emotion and mental struggles than he ever had in the previous books. It's fascinating to see into the mind of Raffe, even though it's not a direct observation. Both of them have changed quite a bit since the events in Angelfall unfold. They went through a lot together and they have the ending they deserved. But despite the obstacles, they still manage to preserve the one thing that I love most above them - their bickering. It's always fun to read about them teasing each other and making jokes. The sort of lightness helps balance the tense situation.
The book itself is about tough choices, tough love and basically tough everything. But easy is no fun. Sacrifices are made when the humans are making their last-stand in this finale. Hard decisions are made when they decided to let go of each other for the better. Bearing burdens is commonplace. But the outcome of every tear shed and every blood dripped is perfect. End of Days couldn't be a better conclusion to a dynamic trilogy.
Rating: 9.5/10
