Endling: The Only (3)
Author: Katherine Applegate (The One and Only Ivan)
Published March 2, 2021
Page Count: 304
An Endling is defined as: (1) the last being of an entire race/species and/or (2) to go on a quest that will likely not end well.
The final book in the Endling series sees Byx, Tobble, Khara, Renzo and Gambler caught in the middle of a war between two countries with very corrupt leaders. Khara, now the leader of the Army of Peace, sends Byx and Tobble out as ambassadors to unite the races of the world in hopes that her team (and army) can create a better world for all who inhabit it. There is plenty of peril, surprises, magic and adventure along the way.
Reading Audience:
This book series is advertised for middle school aged readers, however adults will enjoy it just as much if not more. I’ll cover fighting, death, and other things to be aware of in the next section, but it does have some very intense parts that may scare some readers.
Stuff to be aware of:
There is no cursing or sexual content in the story. There is a line or two about how one species believes they evolved from a sea animal, but it is very brief. There is lot of fighting and some might be a bit graphic for younger children. One small creature ends up being empaled by a spear and some sentient birds get struck by lightening and die. One giant sentient bird smashes a man’s head with his talons. We are told that frostbite has caused some people to lose noses and ears. Some species do not marry, but they bread with each other. This really isn’t discussed in detail (and breading isn’t mentioned) but we find out that some species do not live in family units. They might have children, but they do not live/stay together. Kind of more like animals than humans. We are told that someone said “rude words.” One character cauterizes another character’s wound by using a heated sword. Some of the worse phrases you’ll find are like these: “eat your eyes out while you still live” and “don’t die until I’ve ripped out your heart.”
Overall:
I have read many books that I didn’t want to put down, however this one was different. By the end of a series I am usually excited to finish it up and see what happens. I like to see the whole, finished story and think about all the connections throughout the series. With this series I didn’t want it to end. I wanted to stay in the amazing and magical world Applegate created. There are so many characters and places I loved in this series. The world she built for this series is so creative and different. After finishing the book I wanted to keep going. I wanted to hear/read more stories of this world. Ive added this one to my favorites with the Wingfeather Saga and Sweep: A Girl and He Monster. If you want a good fantasy series with messages about extinction, family, doing the right thing, equality, and protecting your world and it’s inhabitants look no further!
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