Ugh. Where to start with this one?
It wasn't as hard to read as Breaking Dawn. But it wasn't easy. Most of the time I would be in the middle of reading the book... wishing I was doing something else. That's never a good sign by the way. You don't want your readers to be wishing they were not reading your story.
This book had a major strike against it. I just didn't give a crap anymore. All these bad things are happening to the characters, but I really couldn't care less.
Seth gets kidnapped... but I don't remember how. Oh right. They were trying to go through another secret preserve. Yawn. I think the major problem with this book was that Mull was trying to make you feel how terrible the bad guys are, how terrifying, how threatening by killing off character that we don't care about at all. Mull even goes as far as to introduce these Eternals who are immortals that must die before the demon prison can be opened. Kendra and the gang rushes to stop these Eternals from dying without knowing that the readers don't really care... at all. In fact we're hoping that she won't rescue them so that something exciting might happen. The game of cat and mouse gets real dull after awhile.
In fact, you need these Eternals to die to get a move on with the plot. So why bother even introducing us to them? Why bother taking up valuable chapter space to introduce the Eternal to us, attempt to make us sympathize with him, when you know and I know that the Eternal must die. A much more effect way to handle the Eternals is just to make Kendra and the gang always too late. Or maybe they come just in time to watch one of the Eternals die. The last one, we can get to meet, feel bad for her, and then you can kill her. That death would be more meaningful. She was the last one, the last hope. We meet her, get to know her- and the readers generally want to save her. You'll even trick them into thinking "Oh! She's still alive! They've got time! They might win this!" THEN YOU KILL HER! That will create natural tension. It would make the readers actually mourn her loss, even if we never got a chance to really know her.
In all honesty, I wouldn't have included the stupid plot device in the first place.
So two new characters get introduced in this book. Nagi Luna, an evil demon witch mastermind which I guess is supposed to mirror the evil witch with the knots from the first story. And Gavin 2.0. No, his name isn't Gavin. But really that's all he appeared to be. His real name is Bracken... (I like Gavin 2.0 better) and he's a unicorn. Meaning he's Kendra's new love buddy. I kind of saw him as Mull's way of apologizing to all those Gavin fans who were upset when Gavin turned out to be evil (rather randomly I might add) in the last book. He's a unicorn, Kendra! So it's safe for you to fall hopelessly in love with him!
Anyway, stuff happens. Kendra's leads a rescue mission to save Seth. Which fails. Then Kendra leads a rescue mission to save the Eternals which also fails. I mean so far, the book's looking great!
Seth rescues himself and goes on an epic quest involving Patton, creepy fate witches and a sword. I mean, his whole half of the story starts with him being skewered, imprisoned, and then coming back to Fablehaven to... accidently let loose a demon a hundred times worse than the bad guy they were already fighting.
Way to go Seth. Way to fall into the most obvious trap ever.
I'm sorry Seth. I don't hate you. It's not your fault that your author doesn't take you seriously.
Anyway so Seth ends up accidently killing one of his friends. Which is... semi touching. I actually thought Coulter's sacrifice in the second book was much more noble and touching. Really if Mull put the same emotion behind that scene into this one, it might have made me sad... maybe. Anyway, so his friend dies, and yet again I'm not really sad about it. Seth goes on a quest to make things right.
And already it's more interesting than whatever Kendra's doing. After all Seth's team consists of Vanessa (who I always thought was pretty awesome) and the satyrs (who I automatically liked because their grandpa didn't like them). I mean already you have the makings for a more interesting adventure. And for the most part it is. And a more fruitful one at that. Seth's actions very well saved all their lives.
But then, of course, Mull has to take it all away. Because of course, Seth can't possibly save the day can he? Only Kendra has that deus ex machina power. Even if it would make more sense that Seth be the hero. Kendra has to yank the spot light away... again.
So we get to the island the prison is on. And all the characters are moaning about how they're all about to die. And I say "No such luck, guys! I wouldn't get that lucky!" Then Mr. Gavin 2.0- Unicorn guy pipes up and says "Hey! We might not have to die after all! I have a vague plan up my sleeve! Just trust me!" And in all honesty, the way the pull the whole stupid thing off isn't important. In fact, it was the most stupidly obvious plan I'm kind of annoyed that I didn't see it coming. Not as bad as the first book but still...
What is important is that Seth gets a whole chapter to be a hero. And in that chapter he takes out not one but two really powerful demons. With the awesome sword that he collected on his quest, I might add. The task of defeating these demons very nearly kills him, but it still was a pretty sweet moment.
And just when I have the smallest... oh who am I kidding. I was pretty sure at the end of that chapter, Mull was going to piss me off again.
So Seth comes back to the sidelines all beaten up. And Kendra, seeing her brother in this state, is really upset. She picks up his sword and... turns super sayian.
Now to understand why I hate this part of the book you have to understand something about this sword. Seth went on a half a book long quest to get this sword. His blood sweat and tears are in it now. And not only did he have to go kill people for the sword, it chose him as its new owner. The first new owner in over a century. Seth was supposed to be seen as this remarkable human being for having accomplished such a feat. It was his one true outshining of his sister. It may not have been as pretty a accomplishment as her "fairy born" crap was. But it was something he worked hard for. He earned that sword.
Kendra picks it up after it "calls to her" and freaking turns into a super fairy chick. She goes all berserker on the biggest and baddest king of demons and manages to KILL him WITHOUT a single scratch. You can't say this wouldn't sicken you. I mean it sickens me just typing this.
Might I also add that both the Fairy Queen herself and her son (Gavin 2.0) were fighting the demon without so much as scratching him. And little Kendra comes out of nowhere and hacks him to pieces. This should piss every reader off. Obviously it didn't, because people put this book on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
How Seth must have felt when his sister picked up "his" sword! He kind of laughs it off but you can tell through Seth's body language and dialogue (even if Mull didn't mean it) that Seth is not thrilled with his sister's success. I may be reading into something that isn't there. But when Seth started downplaying his own role in their victory when explaining to his parents and praising Kendra's- I just wanted to give him a hug. Wouldn't you feel like crap if that happened to you? I mean, sure you'd be happy to be alive. And you'd be glad that the demon king was defeated. But wouldn't you feel like all your hard work was just to be a messenger boy for your elder sister? Talk about incoming inferiority complex.
Mull even writes in something along the lines of "Seth wasn't even upset that Kendra defeated the demon king singlehandedly..." in exposition. But really, that was more like Mull trying to cover up his mistake. He knew Seth would be pissed. But instead of writing his character like his character were a real person, he pretends that Seth is okay with the whole thing. So that in the final scenes, Seth seems real distant and out of character.
I think Mull just realized that he was almost done with this stupid series and just couldn't stand to write anymore. So he didn't put any serious thought into how Seth might have felt. And instead focused on the Gavin 2.0 and Kendra love story. Which is really not that cute. Most of the time I was just like... oh just kiss her and go away already. I'm tired of both of you.
Seth was supposed to have a minor quest at the end. Something he promised the fates. But Mull didn't think it was important to follow up on it because it would mean Seth would get to do something awesome and Mull hates Seth.
So he ends the series with Kendra sharing a tender moment with unicorn boy. And Seth kinda off to the side, wondering when he will get his own book series.