The saga continues!

The Name of all Things continues in the same way as Ruin of Kings - by two characters alternating in telling a story that has already happened while the actions surrounding it takes a backseat until the very last moment. I was prepared for it this time so either I'm taking it better because of that or because there's less K and T names in this part of the story now... either way, I was having a blast again! A few minor things I wasn't happy with:

1) Since most of the book was dedicated to what happened during the first book but with different characters (Janel and Qwon instead of Kihrin and Teraeth) and not most of these main characters meeting, their bonding moments fell a bit short to me. I want more, damn you, book - I understand the way you work but I would like some more of the surrounding action please!

2) I noticed this in book one as well, though it didn't feel quite as...strange as in this book, so maybe it again has to do with the way the narrative situation works in these books but the last few chapters (so basically, where all the present action took place) felt incredibly weird compared to the rest of the book. Maybe because the narrative frame was missing and it wasn't a report anymore but actual action unobserved by most except the reader and our omnipotent overt narrator, Senera? I have no idea. I just know I wasn't entirely feeling it.

3) Again, same as the last book, though not in that capacity: A lot of tell since it's mostly how the narrative works. Janel's and Qwon's perspectives during the storytelling did work quite well for me, though! 

Apart from that...well, what can I say? Our second snarky, this time also incredibly bitchy narrator (I love her), more characters that are exactly as gay and dumb as the ones from the first book (I love my children but also please someone save them) and a rich worldbuilding that is even more expanded on since we're getting entirely new perspectives from a different culture this time!
I was really intrigued by the whole "Mare vs Stallion" thing the Jorat had going on. It took me a while to get used to it because I automatically assumed it was simply... a fancy way of calling a character gay in a fantasy setting. However, both a friend and the book itself made it clear to me that that is simply not the case; this is most definitely not a 1:1 translation of any Western gender concept. It is, in fact, far more fascinating than that! Mare/Stallion refers to someone else's political gender, for a lack of a better word, so essentially, how one handles oneself in political and day-by-day situations. Mares are easier to submit, easier allow others to lead outward while they focus on the situation back at home whereas Stallions strut around and take situations into their own hands, overpowering other forces in the process if necessary. Referring to Janel, a Stallion but also a woman, as "she/her" is entirely accurate and has nothing to do with invalidating her gender because she doesn't mind and is quite comfortable with the situation - it's others who want her to submit and fall back into the role as "Mare" because it suits them. Some Jorat apparently do want to change their sex to align it with their gender in this way that a woman is usually also a Mare (but not always) but not everyone feels the need to bother with that, and it's fine.
It was thoroughly fascinating to read, to be honest!

All in all: this was highly enjoyable, the entire book is basically gay snark and I can only recommend it to people who are as fascinated with how authors craft new fantasy settings complete with new ways of viewing gender norms as I am.