This book wasn’t at all what I expected; it was better. Although I’m struggling somewhat to adapt to certain changes regarding the protagonists, I thoroughly enjoyed Defy Me. The quick pacing, the surprisingly dark twists, the development among all the characters and their relationships... brilliant. I can’t believe I ever had doubts. Tahereh Mafi clearly has everything under control, and I’m completely hooked. I don’t know how many times I gasped, laughed, and swooned. For such a short book, it had quite the impact on me. I look forward to finishing the series, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Oh, and Kenji is still my favorite character, although after reading this, I have many others I’ve grown to love.

CW: torture, blood, violence, death, murder, anxiety