I found the end of this book hard to digest. Throughout the novel McKinley clearly makes a point of emphasizing Damarian gender inequity in Aerin’s quest to solidify her birthright in the eyes of the citizens and fellow royals, and demonstrates time and again the idiocy of these social mores when Aerin vanquishes every obstacle in her path despite being female and an alleged half-witch.

Yet the final obstacle – becoming queen – is where McKinley falls short and, in my opinion, completely derails the work she’s spent the past couple hundred pages preparing. Not only is Tor made king over her despite her bloodline making her the heir apparent, but this decision is not fought over;  in fact Aerin essentially turns down her birthright anyway, which doesn’t make sense when the entire book is about her journey to earn it.

I wouldn’t have as much of a problem with this if it was more clearly depicted as Aerin realizing at the end of her journey that she doesn’t want to serve a people who don’t value or appreciate her, who refuse to trust her, and cling so desperately to their rigid social forms and bigotry, and that her turning down the throne was the beginning of a new journey to reclaim herself and become a traveling night, or ambassador, or … literally anything other than what actually happened. Because she marries Tor. And becomes queen. And ends up serving Damar anyway, but not even as its sovereign, but the sovereign’s support – even though she has done more for Damar than, well, literally everyone. And is only deemed a passable royal after she marries Tor.

To me, McKinley’s attempt to present a strong female hero dissolves at its most critical point. Once again the narrative closes on a Queenmother whose own achievements are deemed as less important and valuable than a man’s. Even when those achievements include, you know, actually slaying a dang dragon. 

Yeah.