It's been a while since I read the other two books, but Cashore does a good job of bringing the characters back to mind. Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea and trying to recover as best she can from the 35 year reign of her father, but things are not going well. As much as she's trying to be "forward thinking," she knows there are problems. Sneaking out of the castle, she finds storytellers, thieves, and friends. She realizes the state of her city and the trouble anyone trying to change things faces. With help from the Council friends, she's able to discover the truth. It doesn't feel like an ending, however.