Book Review: Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

Darkest Mercy is the fifth and final book in Melissa Marr's fairy romance series - Wicked Lovely. Faerie politics, betrayals, lust, love, death and war... So how do you end a high-profile five book saga?

If you haven't read the first four books, read my quick spoiler free recap in the full review section below. With such an amazing plot and set of characters; covers that make you drool; and titles that entice curiosity on the most skeptical... how could you resist? 

BOOK SPECS:

Number of Pages: 327

Format: Paperback

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance, Fairy Romance, Romantasy

Tropes: Fairies, Enemies to Lovers, Love Triangle

SHORT REVIEW:

I absolutely love this series. Melissa Marr's a genius of a writer and would recommend Wicked Lovely, and therefore Darkest Mercy, to anyone. Is Darkest Mercy the best book of the saga? Not really. Then again, I cannot see the story ending any other way. Be prepared to run for the tissues.

HEART RATE:

SMUT SCORE:

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SERIES OVERVIEW:

Before we launch into the full review, you're going to need a little recap.

Wicked Lovely is the first book of the series and it introduces you to the plot as well as the four main characters: Ash (Aislinn) - a mortal gifted with the sight, she can see the world of faeries and she does not like them or her gift. Unfortunately for her, the Summer King, Keenan, has decided she is destined to be his next queen and the one who will end his curse. Unfortunately for him, Ash is already in love with Seth - a mortal who would do anything to help and save his best friend and love interest. And there is Donia, Keenan's love interest, who has also been cursed with him and is now part of the Winter Court and therefore out of his reach. While Keenan pursues Ash in the hope of saving his court, his enemy and mother - the Winter Queen - does what she can to prevent it from happening. While this book introduces you to the four faerie courts, it concentrates on the fickle, carefree, volatile and pleasure-seeking Summer Court and the more reserved, faithful and passionate Winter Court. Read my full review of Wicked Lovely over at Goodreads.

Ink Exchange, the second book, continues the story and follows Ash as she tries to find her bearings with her new gifts and keep everyone she loves around her. While it continues from where Wicked Lovely left off, it also introduces you to Leslie, a mortal connected to the Dark King, Irial, by a mystical tattoo and loved by the ex-Dark Court and now Summer King advisor, Niall. Through this second love triangle you get to explore the cruel, violent and tempting Dark Court. You also get to see Keenan, the Summer King, at his most manipulative. Read my full review of Ink Exchange over at Goodreads.

Next comes Fragile Eternity. When Seth realizes that to stay in Ash's life being a mortal is just not good enough, he accepts assistant from the worse possible faery, Discord, who takes him to the High Queen in hopes she will kill him and spark a war in between the courts. Desperate with grief over Seth's disappearance Ash seeks comfort on her wolf-disguised-as-lamb king: Keenan. And the conflict in between the courts deepens. Fragile Eternity also introduces you to the regal, logical, utopian and completely dispassionate High Court. Read my full review of Fragile Eternity over at Goodreads.

Then you have Radiant Shadows. This is where everything gets complicated and you are introduced to the new threat that was lurking on the background biding her time. You also get introduced to a new love triangle while the story still moves on for all the other characters. Sorry I am being so vague, but I do not want to spoil the endings and twists if you have not read the books. And by book four, this is a little hard to do. You can read my full review of Radiant Shadows also at Goodreads.

FULL REVIEW:

Ok... [takes deep breath] We finally made it back to Darkest Mercy, where all the fairy courts are about to engage in war when Discord plots to overthrow the new Dark King and everything gets turned on its head.

Plot & Characters

Honestly, to me Melissa is a genius. The sheer size and complexity of this story is mind boggling! It is not just that by the time you read Darkest Mercy there are about seven faerie courts involved - each with its set of regents, hierarchy and followers - but the fact that she manages to give each of them, and I do not mean just the courts but every character within them, very defined characteristics, personality and interests. Not to mention the politics in between the courts, which closely resembles real life politics - lies, manipulation, misleading, good intentions behind devious means and worse. As an inspiring writer, creating a story filled with so many characters that are all so different seems like a damn tall order, but Melissa manages it beautifully. 

Smut & Romance Score

Wicked Lovely as a series is all about romance and the complexity of relationships. Never mind a love triangle, the main romantic pair is actually in a love square. Throughout the series Marr also features different types of relationships, from the box standard hetero to bi, gay and polyamorous. Smut-wise, the characters in this book do have sex but it's never discussed, it's just hinted at and implied. And despite not having any heavy smut, the whole series still manages to be emotionally and sexually charged.

Writing

What amazes me the most about this series, though, is Melissa's contrasts: beauty is sickening, cold is passionate, perfection is boring, cruelty is noble, and death is merciful. The tittles to her books are a good hint of how she operates. Every first impression you have of any situation and any character gets thrown right out of window as you get to know them better. To the point that after all the lies, deceits, deaths and love affairs, you cannot really dislike any of them, apart from Discord and War.

Keenan is the typical example for me. Through his manipulations, misleading and lies, I can say I did not like him from the very beginning and was hoping he would pay for his sins. In Darkest Mercy, however, you discover a little more about him, and I found myself hoping he would also have his shot at true love and happiness. How do you go from wishing a character's death throughout the first four books to cheering for him at the very last one? [Scratches head in confusion]

Ultimately, for me, these books are also about human nature, as every court is the embodiment of a facet of human personality, and the fact that true happiness can only be found when a balance in between all those is achieved. I would most highly recommend this series to anyone. 

"Let Melissa Marr take through alluring romances, heart-stopping danger and sinister intrigues. Step into a world of shadows and desire - into the world of Faerie."

OUT OF CURIOSITY: 

Represented on the covers of the books are some of the key characters: Wicked Lovely - Ash, Ink Exchange - Leslie, Fragile Eternity - Sorcha, Radiant Shadows - Ani, Darkest Mercy - Donia. Even here Marr shows her contrasts: Ash, the Summer Queen, holds a frozen flower and Donia, the Winter Queen, holds a blossoming sunlit one.

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