The Morning Star provides a lush blend of history and fantasy that keeps readers rapidly turning pages, never knowing what creatures await them in the next chapter. The main players– Katiya, George, Danilo, and Konstantin– are deeper and more thought-out than ever. The character arcs that some of those characters go through are fulfilling to read about. I also approved of how Katiya stays firm to her dreams and loyal to her family. An intelligent duchess far ahead of her time, she provides a good role model for girls. The new settings were a treat to read about. Smolny Institute has been left behind, but none of the escapades are lost! Egyptian mythology had been referenced to in the previous books, so it was delightful to read about Katiya’s adventures in the Land of the Nile. One of my favorites things about the series was that many of the royals mentioned were real people. What happens to them in the books is very loosely based on their actual lives. The show-stopping final chapter is the cherry on top. All in all, I believe that readers faithful to Katiya will enjoy the bittersweet, magical finale of The Katerina Trilogy.
