Eternal Ruin sinks its teeth into you and will not let you go. It is an incredible sequel that adds so much to the world, story and characters of the original but still leaves you desperate for more.Immortal Dark was a new obsession for me and fed perfectly into the vampire renaissance we're seeing at the moment. It was a dark, suspenseful, and seductive Dark Academia vampiric fantasy mystery with more than a touch of romance. Therefore, the sequel had a lot to live up but Tigest Girma smashed every expectation and delivered an elevated continuation that heightens the stakes, the world and the depth of our central characters. It is a smash-hit and you'll be left demanding more.This sequel gives us even more insight into the lore and history that informs the magic system at play and the mythos that underpins the culture around Uxlay. It is fascinating and adds even more rich texture into the complex tapestry of this world. Girma heightens the stakes further by introducing these new elements that tap into the extended mythos-there is a sense of fate and foreboding. It sets up even more for going into the final act of this trilogy. There are plenty of exquisite surprises in store, even as they may break your heart. These new elements have far-reaching consequences and the twists serve to truly change the course of everything.This lore and history adds further layers to our central characters as well-primarily Kidan and Susenyos. Their perspectives are so interesting to follow and we get even more details about their lives and that of their families, with Kidan delving into the secrets of her parents and how this intersects with the power plays in the present. You get the sense of everything being on the cusp of ruin. The school politics of the first book are about to explode out into the world and nothing will ever be the same.Intertwined with this is Susenyos' past which he too must confront with the return of both friend and foe from that brilliant conclusion at the end of the first book. It is a searing exploration of colonialism and oppression that speaks to the deep-seated rage and atrocities hidden by history. His history is one that is steeped in blood and sparking the rage he has fought to control-you get a fuller sense of his motivations and his single-minded goal that may have become more complex. Kidan's character arc continues to be a masterclass, with that palpable anger and grief threatening to consume her. She has to channel this somewhere and her investigations continue as she must learn the secrets of her house in order to survive. Her classes also escalate as the classmates she went through thick and thin with are also now having to navigate their positions as house heirs in this intricate web of nepotism, power and history. With the two of them combined, the relationship is sizzling and moves from love to hatred within just a few pages. They feel like a powder keg that could explode at any given moments and the consequences from this will change the world as they know it.Nothing is quite as simple as it seems and we have an introduction of other perspectives that serve to deepen the story. They link in with the mythos expansion Girma offers and I am very very excited to see how this will play out. There are plenty of twists and turns to enjoy here and Girma delivers a masterclass in tension and pacing. You will keep racing through the pages as you just have to know what will happen next. Everything builds to a phenomenal conclusion that is heart-breaking and thrilling in equal measure. Both of these books have had brutal endings that make you crave the next story immediately. Girma certainly does not hold back and the story is all the better for it.Eternal Ruin is an unmissable sequel that heightens the original and makes you desperate to pick up the next book. It enriches the story and delivers plenty more shocking surprises.
