In the “thrilling conclusion”* to the dystopian trilogy that began with Gilded Cage and Tarnished City, the people of Britain rise up against their magically gifted masters. They must break the system—or be broken.MAGIC RUINS. WE RISE. The rules are simple, the system cruel: the lower classes must give ten years in service to Britain’s powerfully gifted rulers. With one uprising crushed by the … rulers. With one uprising crushed by the glittering elite, commoners and aristocrats alike now take sides for a final confrontation.
At the center of it all are two ordinary siblings: Abi Hadley and her brother, Luke. Each has reason to hate the ruling Jardine family. Abi, who was once their servant, now seeks revenge for a terrible wrong. Luke was imprisoned on their whim—but his only hope may be an alliance with the youngest and most powerful of the clan, the cold and inscrutable Silyen Jardine.
Risking everything to end a bright and shining tyranny, Abi, Luke, and Silyen find themselves bound by a single destiny. Their actions will change their fates—and change the world. But at a cost almost too terrible to contemplate.
What price would you pay for freedom?
*Library Journal (starred review, Pick of the Month)
Look for all three books in the mesmerizing Dark Gifts trilogy:
GILDED CAGE • TARNISHED CITY • BRIGHT RUIN
Praise for Bright Ruin
“Fast-paced, entertaining, and a satisfying end to an epic story [with] dramatic class division based not on mere financial wealth but on a family’s magic.”—Booklist
“A triumphant conclusion to this outstanding fantasy series . . . It will keep you up at night until you finish it, and you’ll take a huge breath as you can’t believe the story is over. If you haven’t read the first two installments, please do so, and then jump into the finale. You’ll fly through them all as you see Britain as you’ve never imagined—and you’ll hope against hope for the freedom that may never come.”—Bookreporter
“Rebellion comes to a deadly boil in the final chapter of James’s Dark Gifts alternate history fantasy trilogy (after Tarnished City). . . . [An] intricate tale of ruthless scheming and bloody betrayals backlit by an unquenchable glimmer of hope.”—Publishers Weekly
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Hands down one of my favorite 2018 releases. The Dark Gifts trilogy hooked me from the very first time I read Gilded Cage, and Bright Ruin only further proved why these books are so dear to my heart. Exceptional writing & story.
Full review is up on gajajkos.com in case anyone is interested 🙂
With phenomenal world-building, both loathsome and lovable characters, politics, rebellion, and power struggles, Dark Gifts has been an exceptional and intelligent YA dystopian/fantasy series from beginning to end.
If I’ve read other series with such incredible character arcs, they don’t immediately come to mind. Several of these characters will surprise you, and aren’t what they initially seem or eventually become. As with the previous books, the author certainly doesn’t balk at putting them through trials and tribulations, heartbreak and heartache, and occasionally death.
I can’t recommend this series enough, and it’s easily a crossover for adults who are skeptical about reading YA. If you’re a fan of complicated and intricate storylines with remarkable world-building and character development, this series is for you.
What an ending to a great series. I finished it last night and I am still mulling over the ending. I am hoping that there will be a series after this one so that I can find the closure. I understand what happened, I just want to know what happens next.
This is the third book in a series and they have to be read in order. The basis is that the ruling class in England have powers that allow them to keep a choke hold on the people without “skill”. They devote years of their lives as slaves in order to provide free labor to those who are already wealthy. This book is the final of an uprising.
The story basically revolves around two families: the Hadleys and the Jardines. The Hadleys are oppressed and the Jardines are the rulers of the country. There are some unexpected developments between the two families that made me feel good and uncomfortable. It is a complicated relationship. One of hate, respect, betrayal, and romance.
Vic James does not pull any punches in this story. It is brutal and fascinating at the same time. I can’t help but compare it to some modern-day governments. It is really a commentary on the abuse of power and the resiliency of the oppressed. If you are looking for a light and easy read, this series is not for you. This is a book that makes you think. It is violent and contains innuendo. Some of the main characters are masterminds of evil, there is a lot of coarse language including the “f” bomb.
I usually stay with the light and fluffy books, but I enjoyed my time with this trilogy. I would definitely read more from Vic James. She paints a picture that is fascinating.
Just like the previous books, the story switches between the main characters and follows their life in a dark and painful world.
This series isn’t a light read, and it leaves you thinking.
I’m a bit satisfied, but I’m also slightly unfulfilled by how things end, but you’ll just have to read it for yourself to come to your own conclusions.
I’m still unsure about how I feel about this book.
Final book in a great trilogy! Start with Gilded Cage and enjoy this story of an alternative Britain. Spanning from servitude to revolution with a cast of characters who never are who you think they may be.
4.5 stars
This was one of my most anticipated reads and I have been dying to get my hands on it! Vic James has taken readers on an emotional journey with a cast of characters that will have you cheering one minute and then angry and crying the next. Bright Ruin is the third book in the Dark Gifts trilogy and is not a standalone.
I was really conflicted reading this one. On the one hand, I couldn’t read it fast enough, but on the other, I wanted it to last forever. I will apologize in advance for the vagueness of this review, but I don’t want to give anything away. Just know that there are plenty of magical moments (some because of Skill and others not), as well as some painful endings and outcomes. I have grown to love these characters and yes, some definitely got theirs in the end, but the hardest lesson I learned over and over again, was that “you don’t get to save everybody.” That “nobody is safe” kind of dark cloud kept the momentum going in this story and kept me on my toes. Some of the goodbyes were so abrupt that one sentence the person would be alive and well, and the next, BAM!, dead as a doornail.
I think the characters that I loved and surprised me most were Silyen and Gavar. They were both in this morally grey zone that had me both hating and loving them. Both characters evolved and changed throughout the series, but I felt that throughout their journeys, they remained true to who they inherently were – for better and for worse. That unapologetic, take no prisoners attitude, actually made them more endearing to me. Though things wrapped up very quickly at the end of the book, I liked that there was a certain amount that was left open ended for the reader. I’m really hoping that this opens the door (pun intended) to a future spin off.
Overall, a fantastic series that I’m sad has come to its epic conclusion.
*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*
Do NOT let the short review fool you – this was a HUGE story… Unfortunately, without giving spoilers for the series, it’s tough to turn the final book in a trilogy into a free-standing review though!
That said…
OH MY GOODNESS!! I LOVED this series, and while I’m sorry to see it end, am delighted at how it all came together AND at how the excessively talented Vic James managed to curtail any desire to drag things out (surely such desire must have been present – this is a gloriously imagined world and I too found it difficult to leave, and it wasn’t even my own!)… This was the perfect wrap up to a taut, beautifully-crafted series – there was high drama, a ton of action, and enough resolution to bring the story lines full-circle without feeling forced, drawn out, or over-done. The characters practically leapt off the pages, as did the action/adventure/drama/intrigue/duplicity. The world was marvelous, full of the perfect amount of detail to allow my imagination to engage vividly and actively, picturing everyone and everything surrounding the Equals and rebels in their struggle for control. This is an excellent trilogy and I hope James has plans for more in the future, because I thoroughly enjoy her writing…
My review copy was provided by NetGalley. Bright Ruin releases on October 9 – so you have time to catch up on the other two books if you haven’t already!