Review: Shadow Heir – Richelle Mead

Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead
Series:  Dark Swan #4
Release Date:  December 27, 2011
Publisher:   Zebra Books
Page Count:  352
Source:  Amazon, via my own wallet
Buy the book at: Amazon 

Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land’s prophecy-haunted queen, there’s no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born-children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld. . .
The spell-driven source of the blight isn’t the only challenge to Eugenie’s instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can’t trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can’t–or won’t–reveal. And as a formidable force rises to also threaten the human world, Eugenie must use her own cursed fate as a weapon–and risk the ultimate sacrifice. . .

I have mixed feelings about the final, yes final, book in the Eugenie Markham Dark Swan series.  I was compelled to read the Dark Series after starting the Vampire Academy books and wanted to devour anything that was Richelle Mead.  I loved insomniac Eugenie as she struggled with the knowledge that she was a somewhat evil Fairy King’s daughter and that she will fulfill a prophecy that would change not only the Otherworld, but the human world as well.  She fought off otherworldly creatures as they tried (mostly unsuccessfully) to wreck havoc in our world, while dealing with the repercussions (mainly inheriting 2 Fairy Kingdoms) of her jaunts into the Otherworld.  In addition, she tried her damn hardest to make sure that no unwanted pregnancy came from her relationships with Dorian or Kiyo, her shapeshifting ex-boyfriend.  She’s determined to set her own course, prophesy be damned.

In this final installment, Eugenie is still smack dab in the middle of Gentry politics and determined to find a safe place to stay until she gives birth to the prophesied evil spawn (her son Issac, as well as his twin sister, Ivy).  Eugenie makes a decision she thinks she must, but I was left wondering if that decision was truly for the best.  Sure, she was able to receive the human medical care that was needed for both herself and the babies, but living her life constantly looking over her shoulder really didn’t give her anymore sense of peace than living at either hers or Dorian’s kingdoms.

Of course, Eugenie can’t give birth to her babies and then live a life of serenity.  Soon after their birth, she’s forced to return to the Otherworld to help rid a magically blight that has infected the majority of the Otherworld.  She had Dorian at her side, but she’s also forced to have Kiyo assisting them.    While the groups journey to ridding the blight is intriguing and entertaining, what I enjoyed the most of this part of the story is Eugenie’s understanding of her relationship with Dorian.  Yes he manipulated her.  Yes he lied to her and used her.  But Dorian is always at Eugenie’s back, no matter what.  He’s proved this to her time and time again, but it took this journey for her to finally see what I had personally be hoping for her to realize…Dorian was her better half. 

I would have been ok with the story ending here, with the blight resolved and Eugenie and Dorian getting their HEA.  But the ending took a strange turn, finding out Eugenie father, the Shadow King, had actually had heirs other than Eugenie and her sister, therefore absolving Eugenie’s children from being said prophetic evil spawns.  And I won’t even get started on the revelation that Kiyo decides to share with Eugenie.    That little speech had me rolling my eyes and thankful that Kiyo was a fictional character, otherwise great acts of violence would have ensued.

Despite the ending, I enjoyed the last book in the series.  I almost wish there would be a fifth book or perhaps a novella, which could tie up some of the looser plot points from this one (meaning what happens with the babies and Eugenie and Dorian, but I can live with how things ended.