This was a much darker follow-up to the first book in this trilogy. A more personal, intimate journey. And the author did a much better job with this one - either the first novel helped her stretch her writing wings and the experience helped her take it further here OR this is more the type of novel she was meant to write. Sybella is a haunted narrator, for while a few bad things happened to Ismae and her fear of what could happen was strong, all that she feared actually happened to Sybella, and worse. I felt like I believed Sybella more than Ismae, as a character - her inner struggles (while at times worded in a somewhat trite manner) rang more true with overall feeling - her concerns, fears, hidden softer feelings, etc. were all heartbreakingly more real. I thought the relationship written between her and Julian, while horrible, was begun in mutual need and fear and I liked both how it developed and played out throughout the novel. The closure on that relationship was the saving grace for the characters and the story itself. The struggles of the Duchess and Brittany progressed as well, but as more of a background concern in this more character driven plot. The place that Sybella and Beast fill for each other and the story is necessary and I enjoyed it. Perhaps it was to quick/obvious from the start, but it developed more realistically that Ismae and Duval's, perhaps in part because of the darkness they shared. I liked the connection between the two of them outside their own (with Alyse, etc.) and enjoyed the self-recognition of the "jokes" the gods play sometimes, for otherwise it would have seemed to machinated to be believable. I am very glad that D'Albret is more or less gone as a character, because he truly made me sick to read about - especially in the final straw that caused Sybella to flee and end up at the convent. I liked the symmetry, though it was expected, when Sybella sees Mortain like Ismae did and finally understands her own important, but different purpose. Along those lines, the continued self-serving story of the Abbess and the Convent was a good carry through and I hope their perspective and story is rounded out in the last novel, for while I understand the role they play and it's necessity, I also do not like the way the play themselves after "saving" these girls. It'll be interesting to see where that goes. And to round out, the idea of different narrators like this is great. It really breathes new life into the story and doesn't require the normal "relationship angst" that one usually finds in the middle novel of a trilogy so that the romance piece doesn't get tired/old.