Same deal as the first book: stilted dialogue and characters with no depth. Again, the plot could have had much better results if the writing and pacing were better (though to be honest, it still would have fallen short of where the first books was...typical for a middle book). And really there is a huge lack of explanation here regarding all the groups and factions. I am confused about the farmers vs. the Rising vs. The Enemy...who is what and where did they all come from. And are some of them different names for the same thing? I think what I'm most frustrated about it that the love stories just fall so flat. The words spoken/thought don't seem real and the feelings have no background. He loves her and she loves him and the other he loves her too. And they will all do whatever it takes for each other, but their relationships were never developed with enough detail to make you believe it. Eh. But, I came this far, so I'm in it to see where she takes the story in the end.