This review originally appeared on the book review blog: Just One More Pa(i)ge.

And on to book two of this bloody, thrilling trilogy! The book picks up right after the last one. Mia is a full-fledged Blade and, even though everyone in the Red Church leadership hates her, they can’t change that. So, she’s well into her murdering-on-their-behalf life path when she finds out some truly shocking news (from a sort of expected, but definitely still enemy, source: Ashlinn) and realizes that maybe this murderous groups of fanatics is not quite as “on the up and up” as she’d first thought. In a giant pivot, Mia secretly (with coverage assistance from good old Mercurio) sets off on (another?) low odds of success plan to avenge her parents: getting herself sold into slavery as a gladiatii so she can enter the biggest fight-to-the-death-for-public-entertainment event in the Republic so she can have a close up shot at an unarmed Scaeva and Duomo when they crown her winner.

Well, I think I can confidently say that the snark and sarcasm of our narrator, and really many of the characters themselves (I’m looking at you Master Kindly and Eclipse), have thrived in this second installation. In fact, I think it really rubbed off on me as a reader, because that synopsis I just wrote was full of it. Anyways, that was one of my favorite parts of the first books and it remains so after finishing the second. I love some good, smart snark and I’ve rarely read better. In addition, the pacing and sex and brutality all stayed solid, if not even bigger/better, in this second book.

As far as the plot, there was just something about this updated storyline, the switch from assassin school to gladiator training, that just wasn’t quite as on point for me as the first was. I think it’s personal tough. I’d rather read about assassins. It’s sneakier bloodshed and death than spectator fights are, which just appeals to me more as a reader. However, that doesn’t mean I wasn’t just as invested in Mia and her journey. Trust me, my eyes were glued to the pages for the entirety of the book. And there were some parts of it, especially the parallel progressions within her character and the plot, that I loved. For Mia, as she steps outside into the “real” world, she starts to learn that her view of life is super skewed: from her high-born early life to her secluded years with just Mercurio to her indoctrination by the Red Church…she’s really been sheltered from the actual state of the Republic. So, her new life as a gladiatii, and the friends she makes among them, allow an opening in herself and the plot. Yes, she is still single-sightedly hell bent on avenging her parents, but she’s also realizing that like, life in her country is really terrible for a lot of people and the slave situation is (DUHHHH) horrific and awful. Her widening worldview and experiences, plus the (finally) discovery that her parents were just people, and therefore flawed (and not the perfect martyrs she’d built them up to be in memory) were growth that I was super glad for.

A few more notes. First: yet again, the brutality is REAL. No holding back or pulling punches on the violence and death. I was here for it. There was one “betrayal that wasn’t” as the end (no spoilers, as best I can) that I was really happy for but also…kinda…disappointed by. I hated and loved the ruthlessness of what I thought happened, so I’m not actually mad about what happened, but also would have been fine if it really had. Anyways, on to a less vague comment: the “romance.” Yo, I’m into the “I am completely bi but mostly didn’t realize it til I kissed a girl” rep. That is something I totally identify with and I love the way that’s going in this story. Some cringey vocabulary in the sex scenes themselves, but I think we all have individual preferences there, so I’m not mad at it. And last: the reveals! Some I saw coming and some were a surprise, but they are moved the plot along nicely and set up for I’m hoping will be a spectacular finale.

Overall, I was super pleased with this second book! This was no “bridge between intro and closing” or placeholder second book. It stands on its own as far as plot development within it and in the greater context, allows growth for Mia, deepens the mysteries around what being a darkin means, and introduces some awesome new characters (getting to know Mercurio and Eclipse more, as well as meeting Leona and Arkades and all the gladiatii was fantastic). I can’t wait to see how it wraps up (actually, Ive already started book three)!

“A child of murdered parents and a failed rebellion, she’d still walked in the boots of scholars and warriors, queens and conquerors.”

“Still, never let the truth get in the way of a good yarn, gentlefriends.”

“There’s no softer pillow than a clear conscience.”

“This is not where I die. […] I’ve far too much killing to do.”