The second book in the Girls of Paper and Fire trilogy, this focuses on Lei and Wren as they escape from the Hidden Palace under the belief they have managed to kill the emperor, and join Wren's father and his forces as they continue plotting the rebellion to bring the kingdom back to a fair and just place. But things don't go to plan - the Emperor isn't dead, and Lei begins to see elements of the rebellion and Wren's family plans that don't align with her own beliefs and cracks begin to show in their relationship that threaten to drive them apart.

I enjoyed this book for the most part. It's definitely a bit more ploddy than the first book, though it has more world building than the first as Lei and Wren travel to different places and the reader sees the different type of noble families and other types of demons that exist in the world, and aren't exactly in tune with the Emperor themselves. I liked the little band of characters that formed in this book as well as the group travelled to bring people to their cause - and while I think some things were written in for shock factor, and came a bit too early to really cause distress (certain deaths among the group), I did like the reminders that stakes are high and no-one is safe.

Lei goes through some great character building in this book as she begins to figure out who Lei the rebel aka the Moonchosen is, away from her family and from her life as a Paper Girl in the Hidden Palace. Here she can be with her lover openly, as well as learn how to fight for those she loves. I do think Lei is still very naive and earnest about a lot of things.

There are some nice bonus chapters in this book where the reader can see rebellion and spy work ripple within the Hidden Palace, and the identities of those working against the Emperor. This was exciting, and looking forward to seeing where it all goes from here.