I can’t remember the last time I thought a sequel really lived up to a solid first book, let alone surpassed it, but this one did.

Although quite a number of new primary characters are introduced — June and Marcella are awesome: kickass, female, and just as morally dubious as Victor and Eli — we still get to spend lots of time with the originals, with bonus Eli backstory and Sydney’s independent development/arc. So it’s very much still about Eli and Victor, but it’s also very much about Marcella and June and Sydney.

The various plotlines are intertwined just as the characters and their motives are: each affects the others, and all are important. It’s not at all hard to keep up with all the different schemes and quests and endgames floating around because the world and characters are so thoroughly developed that they just make sense, as if it couldn’t be any other way.

One aspect that really got me was the allusions to toxic relationships. Specifically,

Spoiler

Sydney staying with Victor after he physically hurt her but didn’t mean to — we know he really couldn’t control his power then, but it’s still uncomfortable and all too familiar to hear; also, June drugging Sydney to “protect” her

. It’s so tempting to write it off as extenuating circumstances and unique context, but fiction doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Honestly I’m not quite sure what I make of all this, but it added dimension and perspective on an important issue.

All in all, this is a nuanced novel with larger-than-life characters in a fascinating setting, and a very well-told story.