Is it possible for there to be reverse character development in a book? Because I feel like that’s what happened here. The FMC Violet became less likable than she was in the first novel.  And she did not seem as smart either. Things that were staring her in the face took too long for her to realize and felt forced as revelations when she finally recognized them. 

Like the first book, this one had some pacing issues.

The chapter with the riders and fliers crossing the cliff was the longest thing I have read in my life and I have read A LOT of 18th and 19th century literature.

But then the final 20% or so is totally gripping and I could not put it down. 

Unfortunately, the secondary characters did not develop at all. I didn’t love the ending. And the conflict in the relationship between the MMCs just felt contrived.

Violet seemed totally unreasonable in her expectations of Xaden and on the flip side, it was completely unbelievable that she would have forgotten about Catriona after Bodhi let her name slip.

Overall, I still enjoyed it, and I read it really quickly. The major plot points and twists and turns were still engaging. Xaden remained swoony and heroic. I cried at a couple of places

(when Liam was with Violet when she was being tortured and when Violet’s mom sacrifices herself)

. There is still quite a bit of diverse representation with disability representation being the foremost. The spice kind of returns back to square one and we get a new slow burn but it does pay off eventually. I will most likely read the next one but Ms. Yarros better resolve that nonsense from the ending quickly or I am out. I can’t imagine waiting three more books for that new plot line to be resolved.