Book Reviews

Review: The Righteous by Renée Ahdieh

The Righteous swept me away. After The Damned, I wasn’t sure where the book would go, but WOW. This has to be my favorite of the entire series so far, give me more Pippa and Arjun! Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.

Summary

Following the explosive events of The Damned, Odette faces a vampire’s final death. The Court of the Lions have done everything they can to save her but have failed. A healer from the Sylvan Vale could help her, but only Arjun Desai, as a half fey, can cross the boundary between realms. The Sylvan Vale is a world Arjun despises, and in return, it despises him. But knowing it could save Odette, he returns to the Vale with all haste, leaving the mirrored tare between the two worlds open and unwittingly setting the stage for both love and war.

It’s mere days until Pippa Montrose is to wed Phoebus Devereux and become a member of his well-heeled family, offering salvation to her own. But Celine is missing. Pippa has no idea where her best friend has gone, but she’s certain it’s in the company of vampire Sébastien Saint Germain and that Arjun can lead her to them. Pippa enjoins the help of Eloise, the daughter of a powerful sorceress, to discover the gateway Arjun uses to travel between worlds. Pippa, tired of hesitating in life, marches right through in search of her friend. But what she discovers on the other side is a dangerous, duplicitous world full of mischief and magic she doesn’t understand, and most unexpectedly, she finds love.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Considering all the revelations from The Damned, and the pacing, I wasn’t sure how to approach The Righteous. But then I found out that Arjun and Pippa were basically the main characters throughout the book and I was sold. I was so intrigued by these characters in the other books and I loved seeing Arjun and Pippa bloom. Also they are now my favorite ship of the entire series okay!? Not only that, but I feel like the pacing was more even in The Righteous – sure there were twists at the end – but the action beforehand was spaced out.

If you also like those VERY dangerous Fae, with cruelty and a bit too much immortality, then you will love this book. Overall, there was just so much to love in The Righteous. With the title alone, this book asks questions about what choices are right, who is in the right. But undoubtedly I fell in love again with Pippa and Arjun. Ahdieh allows them to truly shine and to expose their vulnerabilities and fears. And what relatable, empathetic, fragile, vulnerable characters they are.

We realize how much both of them have been hiding their doubts. How fiercely Arjun just wants someone to care for him, even though he’s hardened his heart. And how much is weighing on Pippa in the book. In this web of lies, betrayals, and promises, their chemistry is electric. All their wounds and trauma are exposed to us, and to them, and we witness their character development. Towards the end, other perspectives are introduced again to ramp up action for the finale, but the pacing just allows these characters and their unique story to unfold. I almost got lost in them, before remembering all the stakes for the world.

Overall,

The Righteous naturally explores questions of power. Whether power can ever be good, especially if it’s combined with ambition. It wonders how happy we all are where we are. And what we will do to chase happiness. I cannot wait for the sequel, the finale, and The Righteous has invigorated my love of the series.

Find The Righteous on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.

Discussion

What quartet series is your favorite?


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