One step and then the next..

This book picked right up where Gilgamesh left off, this book had me in its grip the entire time! The author writes so immersive it's like I literally tumbled into ancient Sumer. The gilded palaces, the tiled pools and fountains, the ripe and juicy figs and the oppressive heat and sound of bugs in the marshlands.

There was not a single POV that bored me, everyone had something to add to the story and all the threads weave into a beautiful tapestry. She writes the brutality balanced with kindness in equal measure and it takes skill to write something that makes you feel nauseous one moment and then next chapter you can feel the beauty of the scene speak through the pages.

Inanna has major growth in this book and I was here for it! The blue lightning?? LITERAL QUEEN. Seeing the untapped strength of that power was amazing. I did though like the choice she was given. Something had to give.

Also my FAVORITE character BY FAR is Ninshubar. Greatest of All Time character. She SHONE in this book. Her level-headness, her no nonsense attitude like "yes sir you ARE going to help me with this mission instead of hiding in this rock" attitude made so many of these scenes in this book incredible.

Also Ereshkigal surprisingly I found a great POV as well, she is very blunt and found a few of her lines hilarious.

Tiamat was a great antagonist in this one. All the scenes with her in them made chills go up my spine. The bone aching cold, the beautiful sky, the lava rivers, her husband mummified and tied to a chair... Ninlil displayed the coolness need to survive in such a environment. I also enjoyed a dive in Marduk's lineage and the servitude towards Tiamat. Also had a better understanding between the Anzu and the Annunaki. The storyline grips you and I felt I learned so much more about the ancient Mesopotamian culture and the God's that thrived during that time.

I also have to say I admire the smaller supporting characters like Harga, Lilith and Geshtianna. It proves even the smallest character has the biggest impact on the storyline, the butterfly effect.

I will have to buy the entire series because it was PHENOMENAL. So well researched, the characters were beautifully written, and felt just like living breathing humans and God's. Had flaws, had humor, had anger, rage and confusion and had power.

Last year I finally got round to reading Inanna, and then I immediately requested the eARC of Gilgamesh, and was then blessed this year to get my grubby mitts on an early copy of the finale Ninshubar.
Ninshubar has been one of my favourite characters and I'm so happy she gets her own book, obviously she survives her apparent death from the end of the last book and claws her way back to earth from the realm between, quite literally. Meanwhile, Marduk and Harga are stuck in the marshes doing their best for the Sumerian refugees fled from the Akkadian invaders, whilst Gilgamesh is chasing myths in Egypt.
Inanna is focused on bringing down the many-headed dragon queen of the heavens, Tiamat who is planning a massive invasion of the Earth.

Once again beautifully blending ancient myth, fantasy, and science fiction, Emily H Wilson has crafted a brilliant, epic finale carefully drawing all the strands of the story together keeping the reader enthralled as the threat of Tiamat looms ever larger destroying all in her way. I kept putting the book down because I didn't want to leave the incredible world and the characters behind. Inanna's world is captivating and has added a huge pile of non-fiction to the ever teetering piles of books that are slowly taking over my house.

I will continue to throw these books at my fellow mythology loving nerds and will happily read whatever Wilson writes next.

Thank you NetGalley for this opportunity. A master story telling, eloquent writing. This book can sweep anyone's dust off. Love the elements placed. As the third book in a series, the first and second books have kept the standards high and the author did not disappoint. Thanks.

Emily Wilson has crafted such a beautiful, heartwarming, hopeful trilogy with a stunning conclusion. It is poetry in every sense of the word, and it's such a treat to read such a lush and captivating story. Wilson reads like an author who has a specific, clear vision and executes it flawlessly. It makes reading a cinematic experience in the best possible way. I couldn't recommend a mythology series more, this is the go to author for beautiful and eloquent storytelling.

The amazing conclusion to an amazing trilogy about the gods of Sumeria and the most beloved goddess Inanna Ishtar. I want more!

Ninshubar is a fiery finale to Emily H. Wilson’s *The Sumerians Trilogy*, a masterwork of mythic fantasy, feminist reclamation, and literary brilliance. With this final installment, Wilson doesn’t just conclude a story...she crowns it with purpose, power, and a sacred sense of fullfilment.

Ninshubar, the devoted servant, warrior, and divine messenger, the novel expands the mythology and gives voice to a figure often overlooked in traditional retellings. Wilson's writing pulses with divine (feminine) rage and mortal tenderness. She intertwines prophecy, ritual, and rebellion with poetic elegance. The pacing is deliberate, like a drumbeat that sorts Ninshubar's steps ( One step after the other), building toward a crescendo that is truly redemptive.

Themes of loyalty, sacrifice, gender, and cosmic balance are rendered with a clarity that is at once scholarly and deeply personal. Wilson draws from Mesopotamian myth not just to retell but to reimagine, and in doing so, she creates a space where the ancient feels timely and human.

As a conclusion to the trilogy, Ninshubar is both a satisfying and deeply resonant ending. It will leave readers with a sense of hope, heartbreak and awe for life. The spiritual, emotional, and political stakes are high, and Wilson delivers on every front.

A definitive must read for fans of mythic fiction, fantasy fiction, feminist literature, and anyone who believes in the power of forgotten ( or erased) voices finally being heard. I have to say, this is one of my favorite trilogies and Wilson truly delivered.

Thank you to Emily H. WIlson for giving us a reimagined tale that gives voice to the epic of figures many have forgotten! I could ramble on for days about all of details and easter eggs I found poignant - Thank you!

Thank you to Titan Books and Netgalley for giving Ninshubar (and me) the opportunity to this satisfying conclusion.