A riveting second installment to what I'm sure will be a profound and fondly remembered series. What a ride this was! Sabaa Tahir orchestrates this tale with mastery and clarity. She deftly lays the characters threads until it's time to pull the strings taut, leaving the reader breathless. This follow-up takes our beloved characters farther than they've ever been, & broadens the scope of this lush fantastical world. Catch your breath when you can, because this story is a stunner. 
 The characters are unforgettable, so richly embroidered in all their strengths and shortcomings. 
 It was pleasing to see matters from Helene's perspective. Through her, we are also introduced to Lieutenant Harper Avitas. I was uncertain what to make of him at first, but was pleasantly surprised at how his arc in this volume played out. The unveiling about him, (view spoiler)[Elias (hide spoiler)], and their sire was a genuine surprise for me - and one I'm curious about as to how it will play out in future installments. 
 Helen suffers a crippling loss that left me aghast, but I was impressed at how she pulled it together before embarking on her mission at the end. Though faced with difficult decisions that involve choosing between undesirable and worse alternatives, I find Helene Aquilla to be a strong and intriguing character. 
 I was unsettled by what happened with Elias at the beginning upon his confrontation with the Commandant. After all that, he was truly going to perish? No, I didn't let myself believe it - but there didn't seem to be any way out of it. By the time this book ended - I mean, if anyone had told me at the start how it would go for him, I'd have been teeming with questions. 
 On the Soul Catcher, I was reminded of Amar from The Star-Touched Queen and what his occupation entails. It makes me wonder just how much broader this story will get, as it feels on the brink of becoming colossally more than what it was at the start. 
 Laia is a force to be reckoned with, full of steel and unbreakable will. A charming and endearing protagonist. She faces tough choices and staggering losses. 
 (view spoiler)[Izzi (hide spoiler)]'s death was heart-wrenching, because we've seen from the start how desolate her existence was. Her devotion to her only friendship (outside of her connection with Cook) was what led her to this point. It was a shame that she departed so soon. 
 This weighs Laia down for a while. She turns to Keenan for comfort, which leads to them consummating their relationship. 
 The reveal involving (view spoiler)[Keenan / The Nightbringer (hide spoiler)] was not one I saw coming, though the road has been paved with hints from the start. Laia's reflection on how she'd loved who she thought he'd been reminded me of Maven from the Red Queen series. 
 There was a part of me that mourned the loss of (view spoiler)[Keenan (hide spoiler)] with Laia. I genuinely liked his character and couldn't believe that it was the same entity that spoke in those snarly tones with Keris Veturia. I still wonder if there's still some semblance of this facade deep in the Nightbringer. Perhaps that will be a major card in later games. 
 The prison sequences were rather interesting. It was pleasant to see Elias and Darin finally meeting, though their interactions were sparse between the moments of commotion. 
 The closing was beautiful - I've waited throughout both volumes for Laia and Darin to reunite. Their sibling bond (and Laia's devotion to her brother & his rescue) is one of my favorite aspects of this story. 
 I was crying by the time I reached the last line, when Darin awakes from his coma and beholds Laia. 
 "Look at you, little sister," Darin finally whispers. His smile is the sun rising after the longest, darkest night. "Look at you." 
 I immensely look forward to the next leg of this spectacular journey.