Just like with the first book, I feel like I need to turn around and read this again from the beginning to really get a handle on my feelings about what happened. This book is even more intense, and is basically non-stop plot for its entirety. And, once again, Bardugo doesn’t write linearly, which adds an additional layer of intrigue and makes you want to turn the pages faster because she knows what to tease and when to explain.
Yeah, it was really good.
Spoilers for book one ahead.
There have been several months in between the end of the last book and the opening of this one. Alex and Dawes have continued with their plans to rescue Darlington from Hell, with no support from anyone, because all the higher ups believe he’s dead. Also, a figure from Alex’s past is making trouble for her, and her powers continue to evolve in somewhat frightening ways.
This book was the very definition of a page-turner for me. I think I read it in about a day and a half, and that was with work getting in the way. I needed to know what was going on with Darlington and how Alex was going to rescue him, and what the heck was up with some of the other stuff going on in Bardugo’s New Haven. SPOILERS Vampires???? END SPOILERS. I also loved the way Bardugo leaned into Alex’s growth, and her conflicted participation in their little found family (which is slowly growing). She also managed to write about things (demons, hell, secret societies) that felt unique to this story, and which had fresh takes on some old stuff that only intrigued me more.
I hope we don’t have to wait three years for the last book, but at least this time we didn’t end on a cliffhanger. What a ride.
