I was a little late to this party, as in I was a little late to this Fandom. But man alive how amazing is this series. It's got it all. Magic, suspense, thrills and laughs and a budding romance. This book also had a hell of a twist that I didn't see coming. So where to start? Well why not with the things I loved. I enjoyed the tension of this story; the way that Laia and Elias finally admitted their attraction. This was a slow burning tension. It was always there on the edges but never took center stage. The only relationship we ever really expected was that of Laia and Keenan. We also never expected the betrayal that that relationship would bring. There is a lot of intrigue in this sequel and a ton of moving parts that you do not see coming. Some of the back stabbing that happens was just not expected and it kept me turning the pages of this novel well into the night.
The things I want to know more about: Harper and Elias' father....Who is he? Have we been introduced to him already? Will Marcus go completely off the rails? I mean he is so shifty already. Is Helene's last living relative in real danger? Will Helene attempt to overthrow Marcus? Will The Commandant? And how are they all going to react to Elias still being alive? Also, why is the Nightbringer so interested in Laila? Of course, all of this will most likely be answered in the upcoming books of the series. But that does not stop me from wanting to tweet Sabaa Tahir about the book.
The best thing about these books are the new alliances; Afaya allying herself with Elias and Laia. Costing her members of her tribe and costing her brother a potential love interest. Then the alliance of Harper and Helene; Harper was once a spy for the Commandant and now he seems to have chosen a different path. The most interesting alliance was that of Keenan and Laia; she so easily trusted him. He seemed to want to comfort her and they both seemed so lonely in the world. However, Izzie and Elias see something "off" about him. It is not until a tender moment between himself and Laia that the truth about Keenan comes to light.
One of the other alliances that was interesting (and a bit creepy) was that of The Commandant, Kauf's Warden and the Nightbringer. The Nightbringer seems to have the ability to be anyone and to be anywhere. However, the reader can not seem to get a hold on what his angle is in all this. It's hard to see where he really fits in to all this. He seems driven by something - maybe hate but you really can't be sure. There just is not enough told to us about him at this point to draw any conclusions. He is definitely a character that we can expect to keep us guessing. I can not wait to see where Tahir takes this character.
The most heart wrenching scene in this book is the brutal lost that Helene has to endure at the hands of Marcus. I can see why it had to happen, Helene disobeyed Marcus' order. This fulfilled a prophecy; this is what breaks her. I have no doubt that whatever revenge Helene enacts on Marcus will be slo, painful and enjoyable. I wonder who will help her take him down.
This sequel left me wanting more and it avoided the dreaded sequel curse (meaning that sequels are tantamount to sitting and watching the grass grow). I really can not wait to see what Tahir has in store for us in rest of the series. I gave this novel 5\5 stars on Goodreads.
Quote I loved:
"You will poison Laia's joy, her hope, her life, like you have poisoned the rest. If you care for her, then do not let her care for you. Like the poison that rages within you, you have no antidote."
"Most people are nothing but glimmers in the great darkness of time. But you....are no swift burning spark. You are a torch against the night - if you dare to let yourself burn."
"Fear gives him power, like feeding oil to a lamp. It makes him burn brighter. It makes him strong"
