Last Sacrifice
Richelle Mead
They come first.
My vision was growing dimmer, the blackness and ghosts closing in. I swore it was like I could hear Robert whispering in my ear: The world of the dead won't give you up a second time. Just before the light completely vanished, I saw Dimitri's face join Lissa's. I wanted to smile. I decided then that if the two people I loved most were safe, I could leave this world.
The dead could finally have me.
Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir's Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come.
Now the law has finally caught up with Rose - for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.
But the clock on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back...and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?
Join Rose, Dimitri, Adrian, and Lissa in Last Sacrifice, the epic, unforgettable finale to Richelle Mead's international #1 bestselling Vampire Academy series.
The Big Picture:
The main question is this: was this book a good ending for the series?
My answer is sorta-but-not-really.
I didn't love Rose as much as I did before. Her cheating annoyed me. That isn't a quality I want to see in a beloved character. The plot was split between Lissa and Rose's story. I liked Lissa's much better. Even if it seemed like it belonged in 'Castle'. Rose had some interesting things happen to her, but it seemed to vaguely follow a soap opera's plot. (Illegitimate child much?) The romance was great but terrible at the same time. Again, cheating. I loved that Dimitri and Rose loved each other still. That didn't mean Adrian doesn't exist anymore, though. The ending was satisfactory. I didn't like how things ended with Adrian, but that's what the spinoff is for.
Travel Companion:
If we traveled with the main character Rose Hathaway, she would be:
The Warrior
She would be the fighter. She would be the one to defend the weak. She would defend her loved ones. She would be a soldier. She would be a great soldier.
We would meet her on her leave. She would be teaching martial arts to children. We would join in on her class and see her fighting spirit. We would invite her to join us to see Russia. She would join because she had heard so much from her instructor Dimitri, and she wanted to see it for herself.
I liked and hated Rose in this book.
I liked her defiant nature. And she was loyal to Lissa. She would fight to the end for her. She kept her humor. She was a fighter. All the qualities that made me root for Rose. She was still Rose. Those things I liked. She was loyal. Defiant. Brave. Sarcastic. Witty. She defended her friends. She fought for them. I admired her for that.
But. I hated Rose because of her cheating. She could have let Adrian down nicely. I knew there was always chemistry between her and Dimitri, but that didn't mean Adrian didn't exist. She completely ignored her feelings for him. I could tell she loved him, but it didn't seem like that sometimes. She didn't have to be so harsh.
I liked her defiant nature. And she was loyal to Lissa. She would fight to the end for her. She kept her humor. She was a fighter. All the qualities that made me root for Rose. She was still Rose. Those things I liked. She was loyal. Defiant. Brave. Sarcastic. Witty. She defended her friends. She fought for them. I admired her for that.
"Ah, my daughter," he said. "Eighteen, and already you've been accused of murder, aided felons, and acquired a death count higher than most guardians will ever see." He paused. "I couldn't be prouder."
Location 704 'Last Sacrifice'
But. I hated Rose because of her cheating. She could have let Adrian down nicely. I knew there was always chemistry between her and Dimitri, but that didn't mean Adrian didn't exist. She completely ignored her feelings for him. I could tell she loved him, but it didn't seem like that sometimes. She didn't have to be so harsh.
The Adventure Begins (And Ends):
The plot was divided between What Lissa Is Doing and What Rose Is Doing. I wanted these two parts to have more connection. If Rose communicated, via Adrian, with Lissa, things would have been easier. Surprises wouldn't be revealed without any notice.
I actually liked seeing Lissa get back together with Christian. I liked seeing her try to figure out the Castle-esque mystery. Next time on 'Castle', who killed Tatianna? And seeing her go through the tests made me realize that Lissa was capable and strong. This part of the story was either A) murder mystery or B) Lissa has to go through tests to be queen even if no one can vote or her. The murder mystery wasn't too bad. It made the mystery-loving part of me happy. (Not that I read mysteries a lot.) You find someone who MIGHT be the killer. Oh never mind. Maybe this guy! No...not him. It seemed like a complete surprise when the real killer was revealed. And Lissa didn't even discover the killer's identity, and she was the one looking.
Rose's side of things was complicated. It was full of tension. Sonya Karp. On the run. Finding the Dragomir who could help Lissa become queen. I can't say I enjoyed it entirely. Sure, the action was great. And we met some people from Rose's past. But it was mostly Rose on the run. It was hard for me to enjoy this side of the story when I knew Rose wanted to fight. I knew she did. But she didn't, and I wondered where was her rebellious spirit. I wanted to see Rose fight back. And she did. In a very non-Rose way. Huh...
I actually liked seeing Lissa get back together with Christian. I liked seeing her try to figure out the Castle-esque mystery. Next time on 'Castle', who killed Tatianna? And seeing her go through the tests made me realize that Lissa was capable and strong. This part of the story was either A) murder mystery or B) Lissa has to go through tests to be queen even if no one can vote or her. The murder mystery wasn't too bad. It made the mystery-loving part of me happy. (Not that I read mysteries a lot.) You find someone who MIGHT be the killer. Oh never mind. Maybe this guy! No...not him. It seemed like a complete surprise when the real killer was revealed. And Lissa didn't even discover the killer's identity, and she was the one looking.
Rose's side of things was complicated. It was full of tension. Sonya Karp. On the run. Finding the Dragomir who could help Lissa become queen. I can't say I enjoyed it entirely. Sure, the action was great. And we met some people from Rose's past. But it was mostly Rose on the run. It was hard for me to enjoy this side of the story when I knew Rose wanted to fight. I knew she did. But she didn't, and I wondered where was her rebellious spirit. I wanted to see Rose fight back. And she did. In a very non-Rose way. Huh...
I'll Wait For You At the Gate:
Ugh. Dimitri and Rose were giving me such pain. They were such a good couple. They just didn't know it. I was relieved when Sonya told Rose about their syncing auras. I was like, 'At last. A voice of reason. Just get back together. Well...first break up with Adrian. Nicely. And then get back together.' They had chemistry. They had the spark. They were like puzzles pieces that fit together perfectly.
"That I do still love you."
Location 5979 'Last Sacrifice'
Where was that self-control? Did you have to do it then? I know you two loved each other, but that didn't mean you could just drop your pants and get to work. And leave a sock on the doorknob if you do!
The way Rose ended things with Adrian really annoyed me. She was so rude to him. Adrian loved her, and she treated him like trash. She barely gave him a reason. She said all the wrong things. Granted, I'm not sure how 'good' breakups go anyways. The things she said to him and the things she did with Dimitri when she was still with Adrian...well...there's just no honor in that.
Perks and Upgrades:
N/A
You Have Arrived at Your Destination:
The ending was just satisfactory. I didn't love it or hate it.
I was reeling from what happened with Jill and the accusations in the Council's hall. (Did Rose really need to do that publicly? And right then and there?) There was no reason for that.
And the romance part? Things with Adrian made me long for the spin-off. I wanted him to be happy. Next to Rose, he was my favorite character. He was kind and true to himself. He flirted, but he was loyal to Rose. I felt like Rose used him and threw him away. I wanted to see him truly happy.
I was pleased with the fact that Rose was finally a guardian to the person she wanted to guard. She got what she wanted in the end.
I had no questions left. (Well...I had one. What about Adrian?) I felt like the story was wrapped up. There was nothing I wanted to know about. The book ended neatly.
I was reeling from what happened with Jill and the accusations in the Council's hall. (Did Rose really need to do that publicly? And right then and there?) There was no reason for that.
And the romance part? Things with Adrian made me long for the spin-off. I wanted him to be happy. Next to Rose, he was my favorite character. He was kind and true to himself. He flirted, but he was loyal to Rose. I felt like Rose used him and threw him away. I wanted to see him truly happy.
I was pleased with the fact that Rose was finally a guardian to the person she wanted to guard. She got what she wanted in the end.
I had no questions left. (Well...I had one. What about Adrian?) I felt like the story was wrapped up. There was nothing I wanted to know about. The book ended neatly.
Rating:
3/5
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