Khalid, boy-king Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Every night he takes a new bride and every dawn he ties a silk cord around her young throat and ends her life. That is until Shazi. His latest bride differs from the others. She seems to lack the fear and lies of his other victims. The honesty of her hatred for him kindles something Khlaid thought dead inside himself and he allows her to live to see another dawn. But this small act of kindness to this girl and himself is rebellion for many others, and may cause the destruction of his entire kingdom. Is one girl worth the price of so many others? 
 The first quarter of this book is so unendingly sad, as that's all I initially wanted was everyone to be reunited and happy. They are reunited but none of them are made happy for it. I yearned to return to the sweetness and simplicity of the first book, in comparison to the events unfolding here. 
 More magical elements of the plot also came to the fore and previously beloved side-characters were given a more central focus. I adored both these additional elements, and how it continued to open up this story-line and this world. There seemed like untold ways the plot could go and it was surprising that this was only a duology. It seemed like a series could be made from this world and these characters and I was almost disappointed that was closure was so soon at hand. 
 If the beginning was sad, then the end was torture! Twists marked the plot and made this seem like no conclusion was in sight. Yet the actual ending made every bit of pain worth it. I did prefer the endearing romance of the first novel but this more action-centred follow-up was the apt closure to a startlingly brilliant duology.