this took me an unusually long time to read but ended well

pros:
- there is definite growth in the characters, especially Frey but all of them - in this one it was Silo who was facing his demons and growing as a person.
- it gathered momentum and I was pretty gripped by the last quarter. It's certainly not predictable and it's fun to see how it all turns out.
- I especially like Jez, Crake and Silo, who are all good characters.
- it's just a good, thrilling adventure. We got to see more of Samarla and the ending left an opening for the next book.
- It's funny - the quips and banter are mostly amusing.
- I liked how daemonism got incorporated in the fight.

- I'm glad Frey at least let Ashua stay.

cons:
- i did get a bit bogged down in description in places and found myself skimming bits and having to read it over again to get the sense of things.
- it felt slow to get going, whether this was me or the book i don't know but it did seem like more of a chore to read up until half-way or so.
- Frey is still infuriatingly misogynistic and so are the others in places, though less obviously. 

overall, a good new tale that ended strongly. Might read the next one.