Yes, this sequel was everything I was hoping it would be. Enemies begrudgingly become partners, relics are fought over, there is mayhem, there is destruction, and Ilvernath is feeling the tremors. All of the remaining champions must learn to trust new and old allies, while still relying on their magick and while working to end a centuries old tournament. The ones trying to break the curse ask for help from the families. But, do not expect any easy answers, expect betrayal, subterfuge, and a new threat no one could have predicted. As usual, be wary of adults who are okay with children entering a tournament to the death in order to harness ultimate power, because obviously they are fine with more than that. This is a propulsive novel with ruthless characters that you actually root for. Sure, they have all done bad things, but it has been in order to survive, in defense, for family, for love, sometimes for glory. And anything is possible, you continue to hope for the best outcome but realize that there can truly be no perfect, happy ending for these traumatized teenagers. If they survive, what will become of them? Their faces are known, their crimes have been televised, there is no escaping the truth of what they had to do for this deadly tournament. The character dynamics and pairings in this novel were so compelling. The partners are unexpected, yet endear the reader to each character when seeing them interact. Briony and Finley are both incredibly strong, but together they allow for tenderness and loss of strength. They are able to communicate and to trust, the two most willing to work together and best suited to finding out the truth of the relics and landmarks. Briony at first doubted herself, but it is Finley's listening and understanding that help her to push forward and to grasp for what most think is impossible. The two of them together, even in the midst of a deadly tournament, allow each other respite and moments of peace. Isobel and Reid are opposites and yet they both are able to understand the ruthlessness of trying to live, of imperfect families, of the power of magick. They work well together, creating new relics and pushing each other to consider how far they each would go in order to live. Isobel is such a perfectionist and powerful with magick, but through Reid she is able to also see her worth outside of her familial expectations and to forgive herself for past mistakes. Gavin and Alistair were the most unlikely pairing and yet seem to be the ones that work the best together. One is meant to be the killer, the other the first to die. Instead, they become an almost unstoppable force. They have similar family trauma, which pushes them to understand each other and to see how cruel the world has truly been. Together they embrace their worthiness, realizing that maybe they are not so broken, that they can be loved, respected and noticed. I found some lines a bit repetitive, but it did not detract from the story. I was surprised by quite a lot and there are moments that truly touched my heart, whether with sadness or happiness. I really liked the discussions around power imbalances, corruption, the right to control powerful magick, etc. Because who does have that right? Should it be controlled by the Government, doled out to those in power? Should it be controlled by the city it comes from? Who would decide what to do with it? How can anyone want to keep this magick, having seen the deadly outcome of centuries of fighting within these families. I was so proud of how far these teenagers came, and how much more mature they were than their parents who prepared them for slaughter. They fought with conviction, desperate for a different outcome than all the tournaments before. They hope for a different kind of glory, the kind in which they all make it out alive and are able to live a full and happy life. Highly recommend!
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