Amnesty (The Amberlough Dossier #3)

I read this trilogy in a state of dreadful suspense. I was hooked by the central relationship from the moment it was introduced. The downward spiral of events was so compellingly laid out over the course of the three books that I really feared the author would not give me the happy ending I wanted. And this conclusion is not precisely happy; our anti-heroes come to rest aging, ill, beaten, and exiled. But together, and after all they’ve been through that is enough.

I’ll preface this review by saying that due to some hiccups with my pre-order, I did not get this book on the day of release. That really doesn’t matter, I’ll figure out the shipping with amazon, no big deal, it’s whatever. The ONLY reason I mention it at all is to say that when it became apparent that I wasn’t going to get the physical copy on the release date…… I ordered a kindle copy. Because I couldn’t wait a single more day to read this book.

And it did NOT disappoint! I read the first in the series over the span of four days, I read the sequel in two, and I read amnesty in one. There’s something about Lara Elena Donelly’s prose that is so immersive — it’s beautifully descriptive yet still crisp enough to cut, and very hard to step away from. Anytime she describes food, my mouth actually waters……… the hallmark of a good fantasy….

It’s so easy to get swept up in the intrigue and the glamour and the bombastic nature of the first two books. Amnesty is a little different. While it still includes all of these elements, it really cuts to the interpersonal core of the series, laying emotions and relationships raw. I don’t want to give away too much of the story for those who have yet to read the final novel (or even the entire series) but Amnesty was both cutting and healing. Donnelly is an author who really knows how to push her characters through the wringer, to make them fight for everything (especially each other), and her stories feel…. incredibly well balanced: every win is the result of a sacrifice, and every sacrifice has a suitable pay-off. I don’t know if it was the conclusion I expected, but it was the conclusion that was right, and I am very satisfied with it — even if I want to go and cry my eyes out knowing that it’s over. The Amberlough Dossier as a whole is such a complex, glamorous, brutal, intense, well written series, one that I’ve been recommending to anyone who will listen to me, and it’s hard to let it go… but I am very excited to see what Donnelly has in store. In the meantime, I’ll just have to settle for re-reading the Amberlough Dossier again and again.

This book gave me so many FEELINGS. The whole thing played out like a movie in my head and I was gripped with fear and anticipation until the very end. I have utterly adored this trilogy since AMBERLOUGH came out and though I was dreading the end, I needed it, too. Well, AMNESTY gave me everything these books have always given me, characters to die for, politics and treacheries, bombs and glitz, wordplay and yearning, and by the last page my heart was so full, I could have gasped.

I cant wait to see what Donnelly does next. And Im sure Ill read these books again in a year or so, you know, when my heart stops racing.

The tale is done, the war is won, what are the consequences? Amnesty is a heartfelt and gripping exploration of the aftermath of revolution, it’s time to face the music and the characters we’ve known and love are forced to confront their actions. Nuanced and lovely, it was a delightful conclusion to the Amberlough Dossier. It ended as it ought and rewarded readers who deeply loved Amberlough and Armistice. I can’t wait to discover Donnelly’s next project!

Yes, I thought it was the perfect ending to the trilogy. I’ll leave it at that. My fellow reviewers are better at it.

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