Kiersten White: Bright We Burn (The Conqueror's Saga #3) | Lara
Haunted by the sacrifices he made in Constantinople, Radu is called back to the new capital. Mehmed is building an empire, becoming the sultan his people need. But Mehmed has a secret: as emperor, he is more powerful than ever . . . and desperately lonely. Does this mean Radu can finally have more with Mehmed . . . and would he even want it?
Lada's rule of absolute justice has created a Wallachia free of crime. But Lada won't rest until everyone knows that her country's borders are inviolable. Determined to send a message of defiance, she has the bodies of Mehmed's peace envoy delivered to him, leaving Radu and Mehmed with no choice. If Lada is allowed to continue, only death will prosper. They must go to war against the girl prince.
But Mehmed knows that he loves her. He understands her. She must lose to him so he can keep her safe. Radu alone fears that they are underestimating his sister's indomitable will. Only by destroying everything that came before--including her relationships--can Lada truly build the country she wants.
Claim the throne. Demand the crown. Rule the world.
“She was a dragon.
She was a prince.
She was a woman.
It was the last that scared them most of all.”
Lada has gotten everything she ever wished for – Wallachian throne. After terrible childhood and many years of living as a hostage, she fought and killed her way to the top and claimed a title of Prince of Wallachia. But, ruling a country is far different and harder than just taking one. Soon, Lada establishes a system of absolute justice in order to get rid of all forms of crime. Since ruling isn’t just killing and leading battles, she soon misses her younger brother and his diplomatic skills and wants him at her side.
Meanwhile, Radu has moved back to Edirne to escape Constantinople and horrors he witnessed in the months during the siege. He is being eaten up from the guilt of leaving Cyprian, Nazira, and Valentine, who have disappeared and haven’t been heard from since the day of their escape. Radu is doing everything in his power to find them, but it’s like they’ve disappeared to thin air. As time passes by, he gets a letter from Mehmed saying he misses him, and despite all Radu’s confusion and mixed feelings, he cannot say no even if he wanted to.
So THIS IS WHAT I CALL A FINALE OF A TRILOGY
This book is exactly what I needed. It’s like all the things I loved in the first two books combined with things they lacked. And it. Was. Amazingggg. I was swept off of my feet and stabbed in the heart and died and then came back just so I COULD FINISH THIS BOOK. I don’t know what I expected after two slightly monotonous-ish books, but Bright We Burn is certainly going places. Such a thrilling and shocking finale, full of love and betrayals. The plot was packed with action, plot twists, battles and unresolved conflicts that go back to the childhoods of our mc trio.
Stakes are getting higher and the real game is on – a game between two rulers when there is much more than just their lives they might lose. I was genuinely impressed and surprised with every battle and all those strategic traps and political schemes from both sides. Although I kind of knew how are things going to end for certain aspects/characters I was still surprised and kept on the edge of my seat for the whole time.
“I heard she is giving land to anyone. Can you imagine? No family name, no boyar line. She gives it to those who deserve it. So I hope she never marries. I hope she lives to be a hundred years old, breathing fire and drinking the blood of our enemies.”
I would die a thousand deaths for Lada Dracul. If I ever thought she could not get any more badass and amazing, I was so terribly wrong. Since she got the throne, she became the most amazing anti-hero I’ve read about recently. She got her throne and she will do everything to protect her country and her people. She turned Wallachia into a community full of loyal people with the ideal – people who want to fight back and stop being used by those who held the power. I got the chills every damn time Lada did something shocking – like that battle where she destroyed like the third of Ottoman forces, or when she left a pleasant surprise in Tirgoviste – how do you fight someone who is always two steps ahead of you? She went extra way just to spite Mehmed, and she did it with style. I don’t think there is anything that can piss off an emperor more than his ex-lover kicking his ass. Yes she was ruthless, yes she as cruel, but she was a dragon and she was fighting for an ideal – seemingly small and unimportant country managing to stand against the most powerful empire in Europe. My heart was breaking for all the losses she endured and the way she started feeling even more alone towards the end. She became such an important part of my heart in these weeks I was reading this trilogy and I won’t be able to forget about her for a while.
“She would walk into that tent, and she would stab her first friend, her first lover, her only true equal through the heart. She did not want to, she found. But she would do it anyway. It was what Wallachia needed, what it demanded, and Wallachia came before Mehmed. It always would. It had to.”
Radu officially became the lamest character in the history of literature. He finally started to pull away from Mehmed, but still remained a traitorous little cunt who simply cannot do anything for his sister. His “peaceful” ways and inability to actually choose anything made him whiny and weak, and I couldn’t stand his traitorous ass for more than 2 seconds in a row.
“I know your brother’s past. And I know that he can still find happiness even in the darkest of circumstances, because his faith sustains him. What sustains you?”
“The blood of my enemies.”
These three books were a great ride – one I didn’t expect to like so much. It got from good to great and I can’t wait to get to know more of White’s work.
0 komentari