Another fantastic book from Shannon Hale! I loved revisiting these great characters in the sequel. The new palace setting was excellent too! I especially liked the Queen's Castle school, the scholar's robes, and the old teachers with their quiet wisdom. I could just imagine myself in that great place of learning. It got a bit slow in the middle, but picked right back up pretty quickly. Like the first book, there is action, and mystery, and lots of colorful characters who just won't do what you expect them to.