I really wanted to love this, but I just couldn't. 
 Megan Whalen Turner is an amazing writer, there is no doubt. But time and time again she lost me. Most of this book is about a war between two countries. There's a lot of talk about strategies, plotting, battles, and geography. Lots of talking about time passing and nothing happening. 
 I love Gen as a main character. I love the queen of Eddis just as much. I even have a weird soft spot for the queen of Attolia. But great characters aren't enough. I need a story that keeps me entertained and makes me feel something other than "Well, she's brilliant." and "Okay, I see some slight character development here." It never quite did it for me. 
 This entire book felt like a huge set up for another book, which kind of defeats the purpose of it being the second book in the series. Events are slow in coming and halfway through you wonder why it's taking so long. It's difficult to imagine the geography of the three kingdoms and I felt like half of the details about where things are happening could have been eliminated completely. It doesn't add anything to the story. But while all of this is frustrating, it pales in comparison to the unbelievable plot twist Turner decided to add at the last minute (or at least, that's how it felt like). 
 The twist towards the end of this book (literally like the last three chapters) had me groaning. It was all "too little too late" for me. And it also didn't feel believable. There was absolutely no build up whatsoever for this 180. It was just this "But I feel this way. I've always felt this way. I didn't talk about it, but all this time I've been feeling this way. Do you feel this way?" NO. I DO NOT. What I feel is RAGE. 
 The last paragraph of this book was a bit heartwarming, yes. And I really am rooting for some of these characters. But I don't see the point of a third book. I don't see the point of this book, and overall I'm disappointed that this series hasn't lived up to the hype for me. And it sucks because Turner is an amazing writer and this whole cast of characters and the different situations they find themselves in makes for some really great reading. I just wish I had enjoyed it more.