The City of Mirrors: The Passage Trilogy, Book 3

The whole trilogy is just amazing. In this final instalment, we get to know Zero, the first to be infected. The reader has always known about Fanning; he has lain in wait for us, his story waiting to unfurl. The first to be reborn as a demon of sorts: flyer, vampire, drac,. Anti-Christ figure? Perhaps.Jonas Lear: mad scientist - visionary, narcissist. His claim is that he wants to save his wife, yet the suspicion that he is chasing his own glory is impossible to set aside. Through his determination, his success sets catastrophic events in motion "the twelve" are infected, manipulated, used most horribly.Amy, just a child, is so different to the rest, though she is used, arguably, even more cruelly than most of the rest. This we already know, but this is the book that builds our knowledge of the genesis of the infection. CarterAmy is almost sidelined for the first half of the book, which itself raises questions...tension - where is she, when will she come back, how and why did she disappear? Amy exists in a dreamlike existence, protected by Anthony Carter, they are very close companions - the innocent convict and the innocent child/woman, separate amongst the others, of whom there are - yes, you know it - the 12, a familiar number, which includes only one woman (another metaphor/analogy, dare I suggest?). Carter, known for his eventual refusal to kill people for their blood, as, "the one who would not".There are so many Biblical signposts, if you care to look out for them. You don't have to be devoutly religious to recognise them and I certainly experienced goosebumps, as well as that spine tingling sensation of having my grave walked over! I remember reading "The Omen" many years ago, now, whilst having a similar sense of chilly fingerstips lightly creeping up my spine!Here is more of the same, if, like me, such supernatural/Biblical ideas make the hair stand up on the back of your neck!In the Bible, the name Anthony means "priceless" and "he who is worth praising". To praise can mean to highly compliment, yet, of course, God and Jesus are constantly being praised; in the hymn, "Praise Him", the faithful are exhorted to "Praise the King of Heaven", God and by extension, Jesus. I couldn't help but notice similarities between Carter and various Biblical tropes, although there is no overtly preachy heaviness to these religious metaphors. Within the metaphor of "The Garden of Eden", Carter and Amy spend many years together, innocently tending to the garden, which is also inhabited by representatives of God's Kingdom, such as birds, toads and, yes children - as well as the possibility of a snake!Amy resides with Anthony for many years in the garden, taking both of them out of the more exciting action.Meanwhile, we have others to get to know and love and fear for.Sometimes I felt irritated to be taken away from Amy's story as a central protagonist, but very soon, I am swept away again.The story of Fanning, the Zero, is riveting and heartbreaking and could be a book in its own right.Throughout the final novel in the trilogy, the winding, meticulous, meandering rises and falls in the action continue to take your legs out from under you.The intricate plotting drags you in and doesn't let go - but this is not a book to be read in one gulp. I frequently took breaks from it, to ruminate on events, so richly described and beautifully drawn. Each of the coterie of main characters are real, flesh and blood people who live, die, Iaugh, suffer, give birth, kill, love and fight their way through against appalling, mismatched odds. I believed in every one of them and was quite a bit in love with many of them.The tension created almost drove me insane! As I've already made note of, the whole series is underscored by a magical sense of the divine, maybe God, call it what ever you want to - a supernatural element that is made even better by such a lightness of touch. It never becomes overbearing, but it's there, as real as any other character presented. It is not explicit in the religious sense, more implied and handled with great skill.This is a long, winding, thought provoking read. Not to be rushed. (This is a long and winding review, something I just don't usually do.)I hope you read this powerful set of books and love them, as I most assuredly do!!

Absolutely loved these books. Was a bit gutted to have it ending, finishes perfectly. Just need to find another series of books that grips as much as these do.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.This is a very fitting end to a trilogy that's original and compelling. In parts, it reads like a campus novel, which makes for an interesting juxtaposition to the relentless horror of the virals. There are parts where the pacing lags a little, mostly towards the beginning of the novel and I felt that the epilogue, while interesting, was a little bit too long. That being said, Cronin has crafted a narrative that grips you utterly. His characters are well rounded and emotionally convincing and he ensures that his scenarios are believable, despite being in the midst of a vampire apocalypse. The trilogy as a whole has been a real pleasure and I would recommend the books to anyone who likes their vampires evil as opposed to romantic leads. This is a satisfying conclusion to a series that for me, was a revelation.

The City of Mirrors is the final book in the trilogy The Passage.In the second book, the twelve were felled, and this changed the outcome for mankind. Or so they thought. Zero was still out there somewhere. He is the one who must be destroyed if mankind is to have a future.All I can say is that this third and final book in the series didn’t disappoint, and the finale is not what I expected. Even though each book stands at around 700 to 800 pages, the author outdoes himself with fresh material at every turn. While these three tales make for epic reading, I cannot recommend this trilogy or the author highly enough. I rate The City of Mirrors a solid five stars. Go out and buy this series. I’ll be looking out for more books by Justin Cronin.***NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

After reading the trilogy again for the second time the story ending brings a tear to my eyes. Wonderfully written and a story that grips you from start to finish

Flyers!ive been waiting many moons to read this book. Many years ago I was recommended to read The Passage by a friend,and I couldn't put it down! Then when it was time for The Twelve to be released,I couldn't put that down either! I've been waiting for nearly 2.5 years for The City Of Mirrors to be available after hearing that it's original release date could have been 2 Easters ago and I've been eager to pick it up every day since. And It has been sooo so worth the wait. Cronins writing is second to none. He is a phenomenal writer and I envy his imagination. This book/trilogy really draws you in, although it's been so long since The Twelve, it wasn't hard to get back in to,following the lives and stories of the characters from so long ago. I've heard rumours there's to be a film soon, and I can't wait to see how they bring the Virals to life in the big screen!

A must read! It kept me on the edge of my seat from page one to the very last page!

This has been an epic trilogy. Having finally reached the end, there is a tinge of sadness in leaving this world behind, the characters and their traumatic lives, the strangeness of events. This is a very readable book, though the author maintains a very well-crafted prose throughout. I would definitely suggest reading the three one after another. Otherwise, the reader can lose the myriad threads that are woven throughout the trilogy. If you loved The Stand by SK, in my opinion, this is much better.5 stars.

Premetto che lo sto ancora leggendo....... Ho iniziato la trilogia in italiano...e amara sorpresa che il terzo ed ultimo libro fosse disponibile solo in inglese, ma visto il costo davvero limitato ho pensato di provarci. sono contenta perché anche se difficile, soprattutto all'inizio, adesso riesco a leggerlo con più facilità ! Il mio livello di inglese è molto commerciale (x lavoro) ma riesco a comprendere se non tutte le parole, sicuramente il senso delle frasi ! qualche pagina davvero complicata in cui ci si addentra in spiegazioni tecniche su come vengono eseguiti alcuni lavori manuali, per mancanza di lessico, ma in generale il libro mi sta piacendo molto.....

Libro diferente, bien escrito y muy interesante

Muy buen final, lastima que la editorial no lo traducirá al español. Muy buen libro para el costo y el envío excelente.