The Everlasting is my perfect book – a mix of romance, fantasy, fairytale and time travel that presents a rich and fascinating world. The main characters were exceptionally well done, playing off one another and growing alongside each other until the heartbreaking ending that always felt inevitable. The villain is top notch, the stakes are as high as could be, and I always felt like I was reading something special. I’ve been a fan of Harrow since the Fractured Fables series and I’m ready to dive into the rest of what I assume will be deftly written fantasies. 

The Best Bits

• Alternating perspectives – they both see the world so differently
• The Villain – so many twists and turns that warranted a shouted ‘what!’
• The Yew tree – a character in itself

So many spoilers, don’t read on if you haven’t read the book.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Answering the Question “What is History?”

There was so much to unpack in the book’s critique of what makes history actual history. Is it the events that happened naturally or those that were manufactured to tell a specific narrative? It feels so fantastical to be unlikely in our actual world, but the further I dove into the book, the more it felt like something our own history has replicated. Everyone knows history is told by the victors and with time comes a shift from facts to mythology. The story centers on an Arthurian tale of sorts and how it morphs into defining a nation. We see how the stories of history can mold the world for the worse, lending rallying cries to those with evil ambitions. It makes you question what you know about our own world and how much of ‘history’ is just a retelling from those with nefarious intentions.

A Reluctant Hero

Una Everlasting is perfection as a hero. She hates her lot in life, she doesn’t want to fight anymore but she does out of an undying loyalty to her Queen. She’s painted as such a fascinating character, grizzled by constant battle and victory, but still beautiful and hopeful in a unique way unmatched in her time. We see her as the gruff, almost hateful, mythological figure from Owen’s perspective, but her own perspective presents a sarcastic, oftentimes funny, down-to-earth woman who just wants to live a normal life instead of being feared or worshipped everywhere she goes. There are so many warring narratives in her head, making her an epic story to follow. 

A Complicated Love Story

I loved how their love story played out. It’s unexpected but pieced together through endless reliving of the same events. They are connected in a kind of soulmate narrative, with past memories constantly colliding with the new version of their present. The later half of the book really allows their relationship to play out into a love that rivals any found in romance novels. It’s tender and deeply romantic while remaining playful and cognizant of the little time they know they have. I found myself caring so deeply about both of them. 

The Ending

It was devastating and I found myself tearing up as I flew through the pages. We get a happy ending in the last few pages but those leading up to it are truly tragic. The visual of Una guarding the sapling, hopefully waiting for decades, is so heartbreaking. 

Special Note for the Audiobook

This is one of the best audiobooks I’ve ever listened to, featuring two narrators who are perfectly matched to the characters. Una’s voice actor is especially epic, leading me to search out her other performances.