This was definitely my least favorite book in the series. I unfortunately read Goldenhand first by mistake but it doesn’t change much and I was still able to read this book without much being spoiled. Still, this book was the hardest to get into of the series and it took me months to finish. Clariel isn’t a very like able character as she’s angry and selfish. What’s worse is nearly every character around her is insufferable and selfish. Bel is one of the few interesting characters and there isn’t enough of him. The ending seems oddly rushed and isn’t very satisfying. Also, putting a dragon on the cover was a big mislead since the dragon has all of five pages in the book. Now this doesn’t mean the book didn’t have any redeeming qualities. Some of the lore and demons that were revealed were fun and interesting and Mogget was, as usual, a gem. I’d still suggest you read it if you like the series but I’d warn you that it’s very different than the other books and imho the main character is a far cry from the other Old Kingdom characters. Also, it seems like Clariel is either asexual or demisexual which I appreciated for representation, though I think it is unclear if Nix meant her to be an asexual (and unfortunately ties her sexuality to her rejection of hetero love and therefore goodness) or if she is demisexual in which case it seems fine. It’s hard to explain why the asexual situation might be seen as a negative without spoiling book events, sorry. I don’t know which situation is canon but she is definitely queer it would seem which is neat, though I hope the negative interpretation doesn’t apply.

I liked this book quite a bit more than the first which is totally unusual with series. This book elicited more of an emotional response during the dungeon scene and a certain scene in the prince’s chamber. This book also had me more on the edge of my seat than the first. That being said, these reactions didn’t occur until I was at least 25% or more through the book. The beginning was slower than need be and certain parts almost tried to fool the reader in a way I found cheap and unnecessary. I’ve also never seen a sequel review the events of the first book quite so much. It was overwhelming and it made me ask what the point was since Im sure no one is reading this book before the first. Despite the drawbacks, the book had great atmosphere and great action. A solid fantasy book with a non medieval setting.

This book kept me intrigued all the way through. The idea of the lone survivor to a family massacre have me intrigued from the get-go but more pieces to the puzzle kept me reading. I’m not a huge fan of the satanic panic narrative so I lost some steam there. Also, there were a few small things I found a little quintessential but overall I enjoyed the book. The author is definitely more capable with words than most of the other thriller writers I have read from in the past, who often have poor word choice and lack new, fresh descriptors. I didn’t have that problem whatsoever with this book. If you were interested in thrillers that look at the life of victims or thrillers that take place in the Midwest with a very rural vibe, then you should like this one.