For some reason I thought going into this book (sequel to the excellent Legendborn) that it would be the second of a duology, and that everything would be wrapped up with a tidy bow at the end. Haha, joke’s on me. In true YA form, this one winds our poor teenage protagonists into a fever pitch of angst and then drops a giant emo bomb before ending on yet another massive reveal that changes everything. Overall, I thought this book was a fun read; I like how the characters unhesitatingly call each other out for bad behavior, and how the themes of slavery and racism remain front and center of both the plot and the magic structure. That said, I found the plot a bit less focused than the first book; a lot of new elements were introduced that I may not remember by the time the next book comes out, and even though protagonist Bree retains all her sass and fire, she still comes off as very passive in this installment.