"The map has gone fuzzy in my head, despite my best efforts. Too many twists and turns to keep it straight, even for me." 
 That quote pretty well exemplifies my problem with this book. Mare is being lead through a city that she has never visited before (having only studied its map), she's never shown any extraordinary aptitude for directions, and yet, she still has to explain to the reader that the route is too complicated to remember exactly "EVEN FOR [HER]." 
 Mare spends the entire book in this bubble of arrogance, explaining to us over and over how special she is, how much smarter she is than everyone else, how she is the best weapon, how much stronger her ability is than anybody else's, how she is the "lightning girl" who has sacrificed more than anyone can imagine having sacrificed. 
 She constantly forgets about her family, uses people, shuts people off, with the justification that "anybody can betray anybody" and she has been so deeply betrayed that she's convinced she can never trust again. But the problem with that is that she was only betrayed by Maven. No one else. Maven, who she only knew for less than a month?? Who was the son of an evil queen?? Who has the blood she so desperately wants to fight against?? She gives him her complete trust SO QUICKLY that I couldn't help thinking, upon finishing the first book, "Well, Mare, what did you expect? You barely knew him." 
 Yet she uses that betrayal as a catalyst to turn into this cold conceited thing that stews on her own injustices and constantly forgets her family. 
 And you know what, that would be fine. I like anti-heroes and flawed characters. I love reading about a good character that descends into cruelty or vengeance or whatever, as long as it is handled well. 
 It was not handled well in this instance. There were a few times that other characters called her out for her transformation and even a couple brief moments of self-awareness in which Mare feels guilty for forgetting her family or doing one thing or another to them. But they were few and far between. The bulk of the book is us in Mare's mind being reminded constantly ~what a trophy she is~ and ~how her life is worth more than anyone else's.~ 
 I need to see her completely overcome with her faults and realize how awful she is in order for this book to be redeemed. She needs some serious character development. And she needs to never mention the words "lightning girl" again.