Goldfinch by Raven Kennedy

In the first nine chapters, we get 5 different POVs. In the first fourteen chapters, it’s thankfully only 6. Queen Malina’s story at last blessedly converges with the main narrative the story is supposed to be set around and then she just disappears. I don’t know how long because I DNFed this book around the 55 - 60% mark. I’m sorry. I tried. I just genuinely could not get engaged with any characters other than Slade and Rissa. I was content considering this book finished after Rissa and Osrik admitted their feelings within the first ten chapters. 

What I saw of Auren was pleasantly surprising. She was less of a damsel in distress and more of an agent of her own change, but still, she couldn’t fully overcome the dark without Slade. God forbid a woman do anything on her own. 

I DNFed because I was just tired. It felt like the book was stagnating and there were too many different POVs to keep up with. I really really wanted to finish, especially given this is the last book in the series, but… I just couldn’t do it. I was so bored and felt this book shoving me headfirst into a six foot grave labeled ‘reading slump’.