Summer in 'Orcus' wraps up with this bittersweet yet hopeful vibe that lingers long after you close the book. The protagonist, Summer, finally confronts the Witch of the Birds, and it’s not this grand battle you’d expect—it’s quieter, more introspective. The witch isn’t just a villain; she’s lonely, trapped in her own magic, and Summer’s empathy becomes the key to unraveling everything. The tower of birds collapses, but not violently—it dissolves into freedom, literally and metaphorically.
What stuck with me is how Summer’s journey isn’t about 'winning' in a traditional sense. She doesn’t slay the witch or claim a throne. Instead, she learns to carry her own scars and stories home, changed but not broken. The ending leaves Orcus itself ambiguous—is it a dream, a parallel world? The book doesn’t spoon-feed answers, and that’s why I love it. It trusts you to sit with the uncertainty, just like Summer does.