The sequel to The Tainted Cup builds on everything that made the first book great, and delivers even more of what I loved: a high stakes, super high fantasy setting with a mystery plot that’s genuinely clever and intricate. It felt a bit easier to get invested this time around, since we already know the world and how it works as well as the dynamic between Din and Ana. I still think the Sherlock Holmes comparison holds, especially since in this book we get to see a bit more of how her mind works as the layers of the mystery grow. I also really enjoyed Din’s arc in this one, he’s definitely becoming more unravelled, but in a way that’s fun for the reader (and not for Din). His backstory added some emotional weight and his perspective compared to Ana really sets the tone for the book. There were a lot of new side characters introduced and they were all compelling in their own ways. I really hope that some of them continue to appear as the series progresses. It made me feel so smart that I was able to predict portions of the mystery, but it was also so fun to see some of the bigger reveals that I had no idea were coming. Overall I think I liked this more than the first book and I’m really looking forward to what comes out next.  

 

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey for this e-ARC that I chose to read and review