The highly anticipated and breathtaking finale of Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles by USA Today bestselling author Elise Kova.
One way or another… she will be the end of the world.
With powers that weren’t supposed to be touched by mortal hands, Vi Solaris is determined to free herself and the world from the deadly vortex it’s trapped in. This mission has taken her to forbidden lands and has … lands and has transformed her from a sheltered princess to a fearsome warrior.
But the ultimate triumph requires the ultimate sacrifice, forcing Vi to choose between the last tethers to her humanity and the very people she’s sworn to protect.
Vi’s story of magic, sacrifice, triumph, and love reaches its epic conclusion in Crystal Caged. Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles should be read in order:
Vortex Visions
Chosen Champion
Failed Future
Sovereign Sacrifice
Crystal Caged
more
First of I would like to praise Elise Kova for pulling of something that I know had to be very difficult to do, with the whole time traveling and all, and that is successfully binding the two whole series so cleverly together without any plot holes or illogical inconsistencies, as far as I could tell anyways. With the complexity to each series, and plots of their own that really took some fore-planning and thinking outside the box. That being said however, I unfortunately was not a super big fan of the outcome of the Vortex Chronicles.
A lot of people compare, or rather sees similarities between the Air Awakens series and Avatar, the Last Airbender. Following along those lines the Vortex Chronicles was what the Legend of Korra was to its predecessor; it had a lot of potential, but sadly couldn’t live up to the amazement and wholesomeness the first series delivered. Though Vortex Chronicles started of great with interesting characters, a star-crossed romance, adventure, betrayal and all that, I soon ran into the same problem as I did with LOK. Disregarding the first three books, the focus in the story was off on the wrong foot, mainly after the time travel.
It went from the focus on following the characters with so much emotions I felt along with Vi over the betrayal, losing her family and her new role in the world, and to then time jumps, travel here, time jump, travel there, and so on. It hindered me as a reader to experience the events and emotions along with the characters and in turn it felt like the only thing happening in the story was travel to places back and forth and jumping from month to month, or sometimes year to year. The previous emotional investment I had was hard to keep in a plot where the depth to the characters were missing. The only time I fully regained that investment was the few and far between moments that the plot slowed down and gave room for the characters to fully interact, like at the end of Crystal Cage with the loss and the reunion.
Much as in LOK, Vortex Chronicles even went so far as to change the unique matter of the world and magic we previously learned to basically be about the whole Christianity theme with the battle between God and Satan, only under different names. This may be more of a personal issue and many others probably liked that. For me though, I would have rather stuck with the magic and current world, characters and issues from the first to third book in the Vortex Chronicles. I know it kind of defeats the purpose of its title and the fore planning of it put in Air Awakens, but I found that world and issues much more appealing and in tone with its predecessor.
Even though I am mind blown over the whole time travel and how Vi fit in to the first series, it also took away key parts and characters in the story that were important for me to see, like her, her parents and brother’s relationship developing after a lifetime of separation, the issues with being royalty in love with someone outside the rank and two continents coming together. Characters I came to love was nonexistent after book three and then only briefly mentioned again in the end. The biggest issues from before the time travel was no longer an issue either which left me somewhat unsatisfied.
Although, I did actually still enjoy the end to the book with the reunion and her finally having the life she had waited for … I just wished that the middle of the story had been as enjoyable as the end and that I had gotten to see that ending (eg. reunion with parents) happen instead of it being mentioned only. Sadly this was my least favorite book in the series, but with the ending as it’s saving grace I give it three stars instead of two that I initially rated it.
What a sobbing mess this made me!! I cried massively several times throughout this!! Some of the scene were just so poignant and emotional! I love, love, love this universe. It doesn’t have the same vibes as Air Awakens and doesn’t quite feel like the same world building. It’s wholly unique! Seeing old characters and events taking shape with Vi having such a direct hand was a phenomenal aspect!! The inner struggle of Vi trying to keep in mind that these are not the loved ones that she knows is absolutely heartbreaking! I did think it odd while reading that we were reading of events from the actual AA, but it makes complete sense! It lead me to expect different events though honestly I wasn’t sure where the ending would take us! As for the romance, I was satisfied! This isn’t a romance centered series like AA is! There’s a clear definition of that even in book one. The time jumps… I expected them! I think maybe if they started with a whole new chapter each time one began, it’d flow better! We wouldn’t be trying to keep up with where we were in time at that moment (especially when having to set this book aside). The ending chapters did leave me with mixed feelings! I still am not sure how I feel about Vi coming back the way in which she did… If I could have one wish, it’d be that we had more of a happy ending in seeing Vi years from now. We’ve never seen Vi truly content and at piece. I loved the book summaries at the beginning!! Sheer brilliance!!! Now did this do the job of wrapping up years of Ms. Kova’s work? Yes!! I feel that it did! Did it take me on an adventure that gave me the range of emotions I’ve come to expect? Yes!!! Job well done! I am excited to see where the next series takes us!
Be still my heart. What a wonderful conclusion to the Vortex Chronicles series!!!