The much-anticipated follow-up installment to the highly acclaimed Red Queen picks up right where we last left off with Mare, Cal, Kilorn, Farley, & Shade. This means wounds are fresh. Mare finds herself wrangling with trust issues; her waxing & waning faith in others as well as herself seeps into her decisions. The divide between Reds & Silvers blurs as Mare's conceptions melt away in light of recent experience & turmoil. Suddenly, Kilorn's anger & ignorance seem like luxuries that only exist in Mare's memories. 
 Mare & company are more occupied with their own duties & cause, so dodging Maven happens more than actually encountering him. I found it hauntingly beautiful the way Victoria Aveyard illustrates his presence, which is strongest when he isn't there. Mare can't let him go just yet, reeling from his loss & betrayal though she is forced to face the onslaught of storms with nothing short of steel will & unfaltering courage. Maven is Mare's demon, one that she cannot easily exorcise. I know there will come a time for that, & by then much will have changed. 
 I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the newbloods' spectrum of abilities. Mare finds herself in moments of much-needed (and bountifully avoided) introspection when a few of them step up to challenge her choices & beliefs. Mare has endured much - and it has only begun - so she's not the same girl from the Stilts. This installment was very much about her coming to terms with herself. Mare faces difficult choices, & even has to deceive herself in order to do what she must. In such times, it is easy to lose oneself - and she certainly starts to fray. Our heroine does find her bearings, though - but not without steep price. 
 This review wasn't coherent, as I finished the book only moments prior. That ending left me winded. Numb. Stunned. I'm still reeling, & will likely dream of this tonight. The path left for Mare Barrow to walk is twisty & turny, & I can't wait to get my hands on the next volume - where I am sure she will rise - red as the dawn - more than she was, stronger than yesterday, unbreakable in the face of what tomorrow may bring.