Even though I rated this 3★, I really love the series as a whole. I love the world, the devotional quotes, the characters, and the connection between them.

If the first book, Amok, told the story about Mikal from Maha, and the novella (book 1.5), The Tale of the Hostage Prince told the story about Yosua from Bayangan, this finale told the story about Tulen from Impian. Although it has diverse main characters, the timeline continues in each book. Likewise with the main characters, each of them has connections/relationships with the other.

This book is much slower than the first book. I knew it mainly because this book is more about the journey, the pilgrimage, and the personal devotion. I literally perked up when I saw the romance potential, but unfortunately, I ended up feeling dubious about their relationship in the end.

Overall, Absolution is a book about a journey to forgive yourself, to let go of every guilt burden we have and surrender it to God. Only Him who can heal us and lift every burden we have.

"Kudus, why do you hate me so much? What did I do? Why am I cursed?"

(Please note, this is my first book by this author so I had nothing to pull from in other books. Also note that I am retired clergy so my views, which are my own may in some ways differ from others)

So begins this tale that concludes a trilogy set in a fantastical version of southeast Asia. Tulen is an orphan with a certain "gift" that since she has had little to no training on how to handle it has and continues to get her into more trouble than she may understand. She has this "guilt cloud"over her after she thinks she caused her brother's death and attributed that death to the suffen death of her Mak (mother). Did she really cause this? And if she didn't why does she feel so guilty?

Sentanced after picking the pocket of Justice Indah, she is "sentenced" to a 2 year working in the home of the accussor. In reality it is a much better place than she was living. Working with Magda the head of household help, Sabit (the name Tulen has chosen to use in hopes to lessen the world knowing her "burdensome past", in a world of mind readers-herself included). Whule working, se is reintroduced to an old friend, Mikal, who is on a secret journey to restore a covenent his father broke. Tulen has no clue that he is her friend.

What made this book interesting to me was how spiritual it is. Forgiveness, of others and herself is what is hardest for Tulen/Sabit. She and Mikal work on "Tasks" to fulfill the "Mandate of Kudus" to "Walk humbly, show mercy, and do justice in the land" which when clarified means good deeds and miracles performed in the city. A promise to Kudus cannot be broken.

When all the purifications are over, the last is Confession, where a "secretkeeper" delves into the mind and sees what might be hiding. When her mother's best friend turns out to be one of the justices an interesting reunion of sorts comes around as Forgiveness is granted and it seems as if life will return to "normal". Or will it? Recommended 4/5

[Disclaimer: I recieved this book from NetGalley and it did not affect my opinion or this review]

I had enjoyed Amok a lot so I was glad the series continued with this book. It had what I was hoping for and did a great job in telling the same story. The characters were interesting and worked with the world really well, I was glad I was able to read this as I enjoyed Anna Tan's work and writing style. I can;t wait to read more in from Ms. Tan.

“Tun Nadir at eighteen was very different from who he is now at forty-five,” Abdullah says. “He disobeyed his father and ran away to Maha to join the war. There, Sultan Simson wouldn’t let him be a soldier, so he spent two years at sea.”