Just like the first one, it's hard to say I enjoyed it because it's so dark. But I would really recommend this duology. The first book could be read as a standalone without any significant cliffhangers, but this is where Olamina's character really grows in complexity. I was apprehensive about our other narrator at first but I think the foreshadowing really gave something to pull us through when things were getting bleak. (Because, of course, this world couldn't be the happily ever after that the first book ends with.) I struggled a bit with the pacing about halfway through but pushed through and read the second half in a day. Beware though, these books are VERY intense and depressing and have a lot of really dark themes.