This book dragged me through a slow-motion, multi-part roller coaster ride.

Part 1: The Summer Country and Journey to the Ugaro

This was FABULOUS. I was so happy to see Ryo and Aras again. Their dynamic remains immaculate. Aras is perfect. He is right about everything. Ryo is unflinchingly loyal, even when he has to tell Aras to his face that he's wrong. Starts off with a bang and then continues through tense negotiations of morality, loyalty, law, and relationships. You know me, I LOVE that.

When they started on the journey to the Winter Country, I was a little sad to leave the developing assassination attempt situation behind without seeing it resolved, but I was consoled by how Ryo almost immediately picked up a pathetic life form. This was engrossing, and Ryo's developing mentorship and relationship with Tano held my FULL ATTENTION. His situation only becomes more gripping with every little detail we learn about his backstory.

Part 2: Land of the Shades

This part seemed to take the longest. I wasn't disinterested in this save-the-universe plot, although it did seem very under-explained, but it was a long journey with a lot of environmental description. I don't really care about the people of the starlit lands. And this section has a lot less of the relationship/morality/values negotiation that is my most beloved throughout this whole series. Finally, at the end, the great climax comes, and it is HORRIFYING. I was stunned with horror. And it just goes on. And on. And on. For so long.

Part 3: Aftermath and Convocation

We're completely done saving the world and it's only like 2/3 through the book. That's when you know that you're really in for it.

I was glad the book didn't end leaving Aras and Ryo in their immediate post-battle state, because I don't think I could have emotionally withstood that. I read this book until 2AM and deeply regretted it the next day, but I COULDN'T put it down until I knew if they resolved their problems. Yikes yikes yikes. This was good, because Aras and Ryo are the heart of this whole series and it was such a high stakes and probably necessary moment for their dynamic, but still so painful. You mean Aras isn't perfect, and right about everything?

The Convocation plotline when they finally made it back to the Ugaro was RIVETING. Satisfying. Excellent. I love the Ugaro's extremely systematic, custom-based form of dealing with issues. Lots of talking. Lots of telling and re-telling things that happened. I couldn't look away the whole time. Tano is a great character, and I very much enjoyed getting a look behind the curtain of his story and seeing him get justice for his family. Loved it.

And then, in the middle of all this talking about what Tano did, the Aras and Ryo problem gets WORSE. SO MUCH WORSE. What is happening??? I'm worried now! But then it gets solved. Kind of? Overall, I went through the wringer with this book. It felt quite long and slow in parts, but I don't regret a minute of it. It definitely left me with the sword of Damocles issues hanging overhead that the second book in a trilogy often does, so I'll be going on to the next book forthwith. I have to resolve this tension asap.

Brief note on negatives: this book goes a lot more into the Lau types of wives, and Ugaro polygamy (and polyandry?) than previous series installments. We'll see how that goes, moving forward.