BRIGHT RUIN brings to an end the DARK GIFTS trilogy which began with GILDED CAGE back in 2017. This series delivered on nearly every promise it made back then, resulting in an extremely satisfying experience for this reader.

We're back with all the same characters, (well, the ones that are still alive), and resuming their individual dramas in an unsettled London, dominated by Equals. In this series, Equals are born with special powers, magical powers even, which allow them to control all sorts of materials and energies. As such, this world Vic James has created allows those rich in these powers to control and enslave those who are not. (Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and all that.)

But what James has so Skillfully done, (Skill being the name given to these "powers"), is that she's woven in political commentary that is eerily on point with today's events all over the real world. Ruling classes and/or class warfare? Check. Political parties scheming and planning to keep the unSkilled quiet and working- with their noses to the grind? Check. Those rich in Skill, (or in our world, dollar bills), easily gain more wealth, while holding their feet to the throats of the those not so blessed? Check. Using fear to keep the masses afraid and not too interested in what's REALLY going on? Check.

"Fear was the superpower they all possessed. And unlike Midsummer’s monsters, there was no limit to the number of people they could control with it."

What Vic James has done here and done in a timely manner, (I'm looking at you, famous fantasy writers whose series' remain unfinished-you know who you are), is deliver a trilogy that has something for everyone. Even though it's categorized as YA, I would be wary of recommending this to the super young YA crowd, as many of the political points would go over their heads, (and possibly bore them), but also because there are extremely dark themes and violent scenes. That aside, I would recommend this trilogy to everyone else-fans of dark fantasy and horror most especially.

My only issue with this final book is that everything seemed to wrap up rather quickly-the denouement came fast and furious, and it seemed like one big blow or discovery after another-rapid-fire style. Not that I'm complaining, but I think I wanted to savor events just a wee bit more.

Vic James has proven herself to be an author to watch and I know that I will be watching closely for anything she puts out. If she can make me,(a die hard YA avoider), read and enjoy an entire YA trilogy, than who knows what else she may be capable of? I can hardly wait to find out!

In the meantime, I highly recommend this book and the entire trilogy.

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.* ( )

Initial Thoughts: “I will be the first to admit that the first novel in Vic James’ trilogy was not my favorite. However, I feel it drastically improved during the second novel and thoroughly enjoyed the read. This final novel though is unbelievable. It is a culmination of the previous two stories, complete with violence and gore, intrigue, battles of all types, near escapes, betrayal, and magic. The chaos that reigns between the Skilled and the Unskilled reminds me a bit of the one-percenter milieu and everyone else, with much of the fight between the two groups reminiscent of the current struggles between Republicans and Democrats. This story, however, has the added benefit of magic and people willing to make sacrifices for their cause. I tore through this series finale with gusto, even going so far as to sneak reading some pages during work. For a series that has what I feel is a lackluster beginning, the ending exceeded all my expectations and left me breathless with adrenaline. It will be difficult finding a novel to follow this one.”

Now: I stand by my statements. Just the thought of Bright Ruin slightly elevates my heart rate. I especially appreciate that while there are a few clear Baddies, most of the characters fall into the gray area of morality. Neither bad nor good, they make the best decisions they can with the best information available in hopes of achieving their goals. Some of those goals may be a bit more altruistic than others, but that does not make them evil characters. I like that Ms. James did not make most of her characters so very black and white but forced them all to make choices between the lesser of the two evils. These choices lend the characters an air of realism, for it is easy to make blanket statements about right and wrong when things are calm but much more difficult to follow through on such statements when facing a life-or-death situation – of which there are many throughout the series. I rather liked the ambiguity of the ending as well because it fits with the chaos of the revolution. To end the story any other way would be to ignore the critical tenets of the story and defeat the purpose of many of the characters’ struggles. I remain impressed with the series in general and with Bright Ruin in particular because Ms. James pulled all of the story’s strings and wove them together to make a much stronger story that culminates into something splashy and violent but also realistic. It is that realism which most impresses me and will continue to do so for a while.

This was the last book of the trilogy and though it had a very dramatic and exciting end, I felt like there could actually be another book in the series.
This story jumped between Luke, Silyen and Dog and the friendship that surprisingly grows between them. Abi and Midsummer and their plans to bring down the "Equal" establishment, and Gavar, being torn between protecting his ungifted daughter and the family that he is beginning to see is more and more corrupt.
The characters were really well fleshed out and people I didn't like so much in the beginning were surprisingly becoming more important to me. I was also surprised by who got what was coming to them and those who unexpectedly got what they certainly did NOT deserve.
Overall I thought it was a satisfying conclusion to a great series. It had some unexpected twists that I didn't see coming but it left a few unanswered questions. Definitely worth reading. ( )

Wow! Loved the Dark Gift series by Vic James and Bright Ruin was a fantastic finale. I have waited so long for the last book! Now that the last page is read, I am left with that crushing feeling caused by end of series withdrawals. I can only hope the author has more in store for readers (aka me) in the future.

Going into this last book, I was wondering how all of the political intrigue was going to end and who would be the winners and who would be the losers. Therefore, it was great that the book picks up right where Tarnished City ends. I am happy to report that some characters got what they deserved and yet others did not. Of course, this is a dystopian series, so I expected this along with the deaths of characters whose actions warranted a better result.

The thing that surprised me the most is how my feelings about the charter of Silyen changed. I never liked him, I found him to be too creepy for my tastes. In Bright Ruin, Ms. James delved deeper into his psyche and it helped me to connect with him. If she hadn’t, I would have been sorely disappointed with how it all shook out in the end. Also, Luke and Abi have changed roles, Abi has now taken over the role of revolutionary and Luke is the one who is sympathetic towards the Jardines (or at least one of them).

I would love to give more details, but if I did, I would spoil this exceptional tale for other readers. I will tell you that this series has some of the best world building I have ready in a long time. The charters were done with such foresight and thoughtfulness. Even when the roles of Luke and Abi changed in the story, you get it. The plot moved along swiftly and even though the story moves between multiple characters it all worked seamlessly. No doubt I will reread this series again sometime in the future.

I highly recommend this series to all loves of fantasy, especially those readers who crave that dystopian element. Word of caution, you need to read the books in order starting with Gilded Cage. These books are not intended to be read as a stand-alone.

I received an ARC from the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review.

For more of my reviews, and author interviews, see my blog at www.thespineview.com. ( )