TLOS3: Grimm Warning - a review with spoilers...
I finished the book last night and oh my goodness. This out of the three is by far my favorite. The plot and the writing is just better. Chris tied in so many different elements and all the different characters into a wonderful book. He also expanded on the world he created in such amazing and awesome ways and just kept the suspense and interest up with every turn of the page.
I loved just how having the twins separated worked out -- I think it helped each of the characters grow and really showed the readers just who they could be separately as well as together. I appreciated the new characters for how they affected Alex and Connor in the very beginning. I thought it was a bit interesting that there was a parallel in how Alex and Connor both had crushes and were going through basically the same things even while separate. (I really liked Bree, btw!)
Aside from going over all the plot points that I liked, I was a big fan of the history getting mixed into the book and just the idea that the villain could be from the past in our world and not someone magical. The history, his thoughts on politics and just like in general popping in from place to place were great additions to the book...
I found it very interesting indeed the reveal at the end. I'm not going to say that I guessed it....but I had a feeling.
From the moment that the grandma and Mother Goose are talking about her last secret and they mention the other possible heir I was sure that it had to be the masked man...and for a moment I did think "uncle?" but for a little while I did think of the twin's father but obviously the timing wouldn't work....
Now this is the thing that gets me: we never get to see what Alex and The Masked Man talk about before he is gone and Alex is telling her brother that she just saw their father. So, either he leaves without saying anything...or he admits to being their father...or lies about being their father...because the only thing that really makes sense is that he is their father's evil twin brother.
I can say with certainty that Chris did not plan this far ahead when he wrote the first book simply because he only meant to write two books so this was probably something he came up with when planning this book and thinking about the fourth. So we shall see what happens...and I cannot wait.
I've been thinking about the book all day today at work because it was so damn good.