Aileana failed to activate the barrier in time. When she wakes, she’s a prisoner of Lonnrach who is determined to use her to find something that will allow him to save the Feary kingdoms. His methods aren’t pleasant, and when Aileana does managed to escape with the help of Kiaran’s sister, Aithinne, it’s been three years since the fall of humankind. Now Aileana has to figure out both how to survive in this new world but also if there is a way to save what’s left of humanity.
Well, this one got dark quickly. While there was a tinge of darkness to the first book, this one is steeped in it. To be fair, it is basically a post-apocalyptic setting. Humanity is barely surviving, and the situation is dire. Aileana has been through the wringer, and the hits keep coming. The surviving humans (including some familiar faces) don’t trust her, both because she was a prisoner for so long and due to her easy friendship with Kiaran and Aithinne. We also get more information about Kiaran’s background which is just as tragic and terrible as expected as well as possibly foreshadowing future events. Aithinne is a great addition to the story. She’s a great contrast to Kiaran, and the two of them bicker like siblings even under dire situations.
This book did not go any of the directions that I really expected. In some ways it felt a little bit like a lull in the action, but it was definitely The Empire Strikes Back to the first books A New Hope. Despite the slower pace, I just as caught up in the story. Once again I really think the characters are what make the story, though the plot is intriguing. It doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, but it does end on a pretty big twist, and one that means that I’m immediately going to go find the final book in the trilogy to read. Four out of five stars.
