Kate Harker and August Flynn. Honestly, if you know those names, you probably haven't stopped thinking about them since 2017. The Finish Line—the second and final installment in V.E. Schwab’s Monsters of Verity duology (often referred to by its title Our Dark Duet)—is one of those rare sequels that actually manages to outshine its predecessor. It’s gritty. It’s loud. It’s fundamentally heartbreaking in a way that feels earned rather than manipulative.
Most people coming to this book are looking for a standard "enemies to lovers" trope. They want the monster-hunter and the monster to find a way to make it work. But Schwab doesn't play that game. She writes about a world where cities are literally fractured by the violence of their citizens. Verity is a mess. South City and North City are at each other's throats, and the monsters—the Sunai, the Malchai, and the Corsai—are the physical manifestations of human sin.
It’s heavy.
What Actually Happens in The Finish Line
Six months have passed since the events of This Savage Song. Kate is in Prosperity, trying to be a hero in a city that doesn't want one, while August is back in Verity, struggling to lead a task force against the rising tide of monsters. The pacing here is wild. You get these short, staccato chapters that feel like a heartbeat skipping, followed by long, atmospheric stretches where Schwab just lets the dread sink in.
The introduction of the Chaos Eater (the Varity) changes everything. Unlike the other monsters, this one feeds on the internal turmoil of people. It’s a brilliant metaphor. It basically weaponizes the trauma the characters have been carrying around. You see Kate grappling with the fact that she killed her father, even if he was a tyrant. You see August trying to hold onto his humanity while his very nature demands he "reap" the souls of the wicked.
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Why the Ending is So Controversial
Let’s talk about the ending. It’s the "finish line" everyone discusses in book clubs.
A lot of YA fantasy plays it safe. The heroes win, the couple gets together, and the world starts to heal. Schwab takes a sledgehammer to that. Without spoiling the specific beats for the uninitiated, it’s enough to say that the cost of peace in Verity is astronomical. Some readers felt betrayed. They wanted a "happily ever after" for two kids who had been through hell.
But here’s the thing: a happy ending would have cheapened the themes.
The duology is about the cycle of violence. If you can just "fix" a city built on murder with a few good deeds, the stakes don't matter. By making the ending so definitive and, frankly, devastating, Schwab forces the reader to confront the reality of sacrifice. It’s not just a book about monsters; it’s a book about the scars we leave on each other.
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The Nuance of the Sunai
August Flynn is one of the most complex "monsters" in modern fiction. He plays the violin to reap souls. That’s a vibe, sure, but the internal logic of his character is what keeps you reading. He doesn't want to be a Sunai. He wants to be a person.
In The Finish Line, he finally stops fighting his nature and starts using it. It’s a dark evolution. He becomes a leader, but he loses that soft, curious edge he had in the first book. It’s a tragedy of character growth. Usually, we want characters to become "better," but in the world of Verity, becoming "better" often means becoming more efficient at killing.
The Writing Style That Sets It Apart
Schwab’s prose is sharp.
"There are no good men in this game."
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That line basically sums up the entire series. She uses repetition like a weapon. The way she describes the monsters—the shadows of the Corsai or the bone-white skin of the Malchai—creates a visual that feels cinematic. It’s a very "Discovery" friendly book because it taps into that dark academia/urban fantasy aesthetic that dominated TikTok and Instagram long after the book was released.
She avoids the flowery "purple prose" that bogs down a lot of high fantasy. Instead, the sentences are punchy. They breathe. You feel the grit of the city under your fingernails.
Common Misconceptions About the Series
- It's a romance. It isn't. Not really. There is a deep, profound connection between Kate and August, but it's more about two souls recognizing each other in the dark than it is about a traditional love story.
- It’s for younger teens. While marketed as YA, the themes of systemic violence and psychological trauma are pretty mature. It’s "crossover" fiction in the truest sense.
- The magic system is simple. On the surface, it’s "bad deeds make monsters." But the hierarchy and the way monsters interact with human biology is actually quite intricate.
Actionable Insights for Readers and Writers
If you’re a reader sitting on the fence about finishing this duology, or a writer trying to understand why this book worked so well, consider these points:
- Study the Stakes: Schwab doesn't give her characters an easy out. If you're writing, don't be afraid to hurt your characters if it serves the theme.
- Atmosphere over Exposition: Instead of explaining why Verity is scary, Schwab shows us the "seams" of the city. Use sensory details—the sound of a violin, the smell of ozone, the coldness of a shadow.
- Character Parallels: Kate and August are two sides of the same coin. One is a human trying to be a monster; the other is a monster trying to be human. This friction is what drives the plot, not the external threat of the monsters.
- The Power of Two: Sometimes a duology is better than a trilogy. By keeping it to two books, Schwab avoids the "middle-book slump" and keeps the tension ratcheted up to a ten the entire time.
If you haven't picked up Our Dark Duet yet, go into it expecting to be changed. It’s a masterclass in how to stick the landing of a series that asks impossible questions about morality. Don't look for the happy ending. Look for the truth in the wreckage.
To get the most out of the experience, read both books back-to-back. The thematic payoff in the second half relies heavily on the groundwork laid in the first. Pay close attention to August’s musical transitions; they signal his psychological state more effectively than any internal monologue. Finally, look at the way Kate’s relationship with her father’s legacy evolves—it’s the backbone of her entire arc and provides the most satisfying, if painful, resolution in the genre.
Next Steps for Your Reading Journey:
- Compare and Contrast: Read V.E. Schwab's Vicious after this. It explores similar themes of morality but through the lens of "extraordinary" humans rather than literal monsters.
- Annotate the Music: Keep a list of the songs or moods associated with August’s violin playing. It adds a layer of depth to his "reaping" that many readers miss on the first pass.
- Map the Monsters: Create a visual or mental chart of how the Corsai, Malchai, and Sunai differ in their origins. It clarifies the social structure of Verity and makes the ending even more impactful.