Initially, I was having a hard time liking Cora. At points, her anxiety at the possibility of being ridiculed for her size almost made it seem as if she had no other character traits. But, as the book progressed, we spent more page time with Cora, and further information about her past was revealed, Cora felt more and more real, and her internal monologue added to that sensation of reality. Rather than being an archetype or a character defined by her fear, she is a character whose reactions have been informed by experiencing cruelty in situations during which she expects cruelty from her fellow students. Her world was one that valued her for the attributes for which she was bullied to the extreme in our world.
From the summary of the book, I wasn't expecting someone other than Rini to be the narrator. Still, I enjoyed the whimsey and confidence of Sumi's daughter, through the eyes of someone more grounded, and whose narrative stream of conscious could be more easily understood. Confection is a strange place, and this is not my favorite addition to the series, but it was a very enjoyable read! It was especially interesting to get more information on the world building, the worlds compass, and to get to see Nancy again. My major critique of the book, is that the co-ruler of The Halls of the Dead was named The Lady of Shadows, and not The Lady of the Dead in Every Heart a Doorway. I'm glad to have Sumi back! She was, by far, the best of the dead.
Also, great disability representation and diversity of characters!