rowanthorn ✨'s Reviews > The Empty Grave

5 STARS, but i only rated it that because it wouldn't let me rate it more. IT DESERVES 1000000 STARS. IT DESERVES ALL THE STARS.

oh. my. goodness. what an EPIC, FANTASTIC conclusion. it's been almost a week since i finished this book and i'm still trying to get my thoughts in order about it...i hope everyone enjoys ranting and gifs and ALL CAPS, because you're about to get a lot of them. i can't believe the series is over....i've now made it my mission in life to get everyone in the known universe to read the lockwood & co series. this series is everything and more.


what i liked: (besides everything)
1. this was the culmination of the whole series, and the plot showed it. the story was, as always, fast paced and full of hilarity, tears, adventures, friendship...it made me feel so many things. questions are answered, secrets are revealed, friendships change, and characters grow. this book has EVERYTHING.


2. the characters. MY GOD, THE CHARACTERS. i haven't felt this way about a group of friends since harry potter.

george is my library-hunting, information-finding, donut-eating dude. i'm glad he got more of a plot-line in this book. he is like a boy hermione who eats more donuts. he gets ALL THE HUGS.


lucy is badass and she knows it, but is also filled with worry and fear and is all around relatable af. she's the best narrator. when she grows up she would totally be molly weasley. i just love her and i feel like we're friends. we're totally friends.


lockwood is...everything. and this book made him so much more dimensional, if that was even possible. he was already SO complex of a character, but this was a whole 'nother level. i could write a book about how much i love lockwood. his energy, his love for his friends, even his love for danger and his semi-death wish. if you gave a young sherlock 100x more heart and love and people skills, that's lockwood.


and hey! even quill kipps! i liked quill freakin' kipps at the end of this book! who knew it was even possible??

and then lets talk about holly. namely the fact that i LIKE HER NOW. *gasp*. i know, i know. i hated holly with a PASSION when she was first introduced. HATED. with. a. passion. i absolutely could not stand her. lucy hated her so i did too, because that's what friends are for.

BUT NOW??? I LOVE HER. if that doesn't show you the genius of jonathan stroud's amazing ability to write and create and build characters, i don't know what will.

3. i honestly liked everything. every part of this book. every word, every sentence. i can't go into detail because i'm not about that spoiler-life, but i. loved. every. single. thing. and the ending. i haven't been so 1000% happy with an ending to a series in a long time. it was the absolute perfect ending. I HAVE NO QUALMS WHATSOEVER. my emotions were at an all time high, and when i read the last word i just sat there in silence, thinking about the end of an era.


I'M NOT EVEN PUTTING IN A SECTION ABOUT WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE, I REFUSE.

RECAP: GHOSTS. FRIENDS THAT ARE LIKE FAMILY. FAST PACED ACTION. TEARS. HILARITY. SCARINESS. EDGE OF YOUR SEAT EXCITEMENT. THE BEST CHARACTERS YOU'LL EVER MEET. A SIEGE. LOTS AND LOTS OF GHOSTS AND GHOSTHUNTING. EMOTIONS. THE END OF AN ERA. JUST READ IT IT'S AMAZING.