Oh my dark, dark heart- I am not ready to say goodbye to this depraved batch of ruthless weirdos. But alas, here we are. I have loved this enchanting, yet disturbing trilogy of savagely sweet and sweetly savage love, and Coralee June gives these captivating, broken characters the ending they deserve. That they need. Grudge is an unexpectedly tender finale, the most emotionally rich and emotive of the trilogy. And I’m left with a full heart and undying love for the Malice crew.
Narratively, Grudge has a very different approach than the prior two books in the series. Malice was also trope subversion, an edgy dark seduction. And Wrath was an action packed character deconstruction packaged in a macabre red herring of a villain. At the center has always been the complicated, unexpected, and ever evolving dynamics of this unusual reverse harem romance, as well as the individuals’ own self-actualizing journeys. But our prior books have also been packed with entertaining action, sadistic villains, mafia intrigue, and twists that result in gruesome murders. But Wrath is blissfully and cleverly stripped down. Which is exactly what these characters need. The external forces have enabled them to delay facing their own demons and waffle on confronting the toxicity of their relationships with one another. Now with no gleefully ludicrous foe to face or endless bodies to bury, this Malice mafia crew must face the hardest enemy of all: themselves. The story is shorter, more focused, and certainly more emotively meta. Cora still brings a chaotic and dark tone, still gives us a breakneck speed, but this is a story about feeling, a story that is more existential and cerebral than the rest of the trilogy. The malice mafia crew have to now face the aftermath of all that has happened, and all that they have done, and what a better backdrop to highlight the complex and turbulent tensions between them than by forcing them to explore it in relative normalcy. The result is more focused, more intimate, more affecting. It’s the least dark, and the least violent, but somehow the most haunting.
Ironic really that a series that is infamous for a gruesome curling iron murder or its finger munching villain ends in this place. One that is sentimental in places, stripped down and raw in others. One that feels tender and loving. But isn’t that the very essence of Coralee June? This is an author that doesn’t just break rules, she joyfully deconstructs them. From the start, the Malice Mafia world has been trope defying and expectation subverting. So of course this finale would be nothing that we expect, yet somehow the closure these characters (and we as readers) want and need. With a narrative stripped down, Cora lets these characters, and their challenges, breathe. Fester. Boil. She’s subverted trope, she subverted foe, and now this finale subverts character. The once powerless and lost Juliet finds her autonomy and purpose amidst some of her most heartbreaking obstacles yet. Her unstable, fragile partner becomes her rock. Her invincible, controlling alpha becomes her vulnerable and supportive partner. And her insecure and selfish protector does her the most harm, but also finds security in sacrifice. And her narcissistic, Judas of a friend becomes a comfort and light. All evolve and reshape themselves, not only because they learn how to be the right partner for Juliet, but also because over the course of the series each has confronted their own demons and flaws. Each finds reasons to be better, not just for Juliet, but for themselves. For their family.
Because truly from the start this trilogy has really been a brilliant and poignant an emotional character study masquerading all sneaky underneath the flashy mafia intrigue, panty melting steam, comedic antics, and memorable macabre murders. The life’s blood of Malice Mafia comes down to emotional growth and acceptance. The character evolution of four broken, lost, and baggage laden individuals whose connection with one another forces them to face their long buried pains, to unpack their flaws, and to resolve the gangrene wounds between them. In some cases this means changing and evolving, in some cases making sacrifices and hard choices about priorities and values, and in others is about embracing or accepting the parts of themselves that haven’t been given oxygen for far too long. They started united by a family legacy, mutual enemies, and the universality of trauma- but now all they have is their love and an uncertain future. Over the course of the series Cora has systematically challenged and broken these characters, and now the question is if they have the strength and resolve to rebuild themselves. Can these characters learn to operate from love and compassion rather than malice, wrath, or a grudge? Can the most broken heal? Can they survive the consequences of their choices?
Of course, it’s Coralee June, so we still have some unexpected twists, dark humor, and loads of steam, but it’s the heart that shines the brightest in this finale. How four disparate, toxic parts learn to be whole and healing together. I’d have loved to spend even more time reveling in their absolution and their resolution when it all comes together in the end, but get so much closure to so many questions. And, if anything that’s an indication of the arduous but meaningful journey it has been for these dynamic and rich characters. The road has been paved with more than dead bodies- and this finale showcases that. Heartbreak, devastation, and the consequences of real mistakes all catalyze this finale. Cora evokes such raw emotions (what is this water leaking out my eyes?!) that it’s no wonder I cherish every page I can get, but in this finale, every page is packed with an emotive fervor- the kind that only Coralee June can write. A fervor that brings a lightness to this finale, a hopeful darkness to hold onto.