GENUINELY such a fantastic expansion and fleshing out and tweaking of a world we already thought we started to know. Marina really starts to take the blinders off in this one and holy COW am I so impressed with the story, the world, and the history she is building. The themes of this world, of revolution and rebellion, are absolutely fantastic. Brilliant work.

This book was fine, but nothing special. I really wanted to love this series, but it's not to be. The worldbuilding is so interesting and then it spends so much time focusing on less interesting aspects. Hopefully book 3 brings it around.

I own this and intend to read it in the future I'm just clearing this off my board to reduce stress. I will update when I read/review.

It's first worth noting that The Cage of Dark Hours is one of the best fantasy sequels I've read in terms of helping to remind the reader a) what on earth happened in the first book and b) how on earth the world works. It was such a relief to dive in and not have to stress that I was missing important nuances of the story by virtue of my poor memory. It does necessarily mean we have a bit of a slow beginning, but that trade-off is well worth it, in my opinion.

When the story picks up, we have Krona, simmering in grief and silent hypocrisy, Thibaut and Krona at odds about her choices, and Thibaut carrying on being charming in the interim. We have a new protagonist in Mandip, a noble twin with a future in politics. And we have a deep dive into wtf is happening with the Thalo Puppets and their mysterious, chaotic, presumed (and maybe actually) evil abilities. Flashbacks take us into the mind of an unnamed Thalo Child in training for this cult-like group. We also have the character Hintosep-- a powerful force whose intentions and reasons remain obscured.

Once all the reminders are in place, new characters are established, and petty dramas are explained (love), we get some truly delightful big-picture action. We get an extravagant night at the theater, where a murderous plot is afoot. All characters come together under one roof with different roles to play, many unwitting. Later on, we're gifted with high-stakes heist material, a rescue mission, and magical experimentation. For balance and for my more tender feelings, we also get a pure moment in the form of a questing fellowship cloud gazing together in the calm before the storm.

For those of us who show up for romance plots, feel free to fret but never fear. With the introduction of new characters and a new reality, I became not only nervous that my favored ship was in danger but also that one of my favorite characters might not make it through this latest dangerous confrontation. But then but THEN I was gifted with an "only one bed" scenario and honestly, PRAISE BE. While I still have to hope that the future direction of the series leaves my favorite couple intact (a very real concern in my mind), this book lived up to my wildest dreams.

As a note on world-building, the series continues its strong approach to gender. In this installment, we hear about feminine and masculine fashion trends among the nobility, a concept divorced from a person's gender, sex, or pronouns (of which there are many options in standard usage). Lostetter offers us a queernorm world where same-gender couples can enjoy each other publicly, and poly arrangements aren't frowned upon. It feels safe and inclusive in a way that many fantasy worlds still miss despite best efforts.

This is a more than satisfying follow-up to The Helm of Midnight. I don't know what's going to happen next, other than the general understanding that the stakes keep getting higher. I expect further revelations to shake both the characters' and my understanding of their world. I fear for several beloved characters' well-being before all is said and done, but I delight in having more to care for. This is a fascinating fantasy read that serves up dark elements as easily as warm, light ones. I highly recommend it. Thanks to Tor for my copy to read and review!

The first one had a mystery element that is taken away in the second. So instead this one read as a bit more of a standard mystery with elements of fantasy.

Absolutely amazing sequel. This series is just getting darker & better with each book. The mystery, the action, the chaarcters, I love it all. The perfect blend of mystery and fantasy, it's certainly not for the faint of heart... especially with some of the new character arc's in this book.

I enjoyed seeing Krona a few years after the events of the first book, and loved seeing her develop even more as a character in this one.

A solid second book in what is becoming a favourite series of mine, I can't wait to see what happens next!

Ever since conspiracies exploded into the mainstream in America and started ruining lives and families, I have been leery of them in fiction. As with our collective disinterest in dystopia, it’s hard to escape to a world that isn’t, well, much of an escape. And that’s a shame, because high-stakes espionage and the thrill of discovery is one of my favorite things to find in SFF (what can I say? I was raised by The X-Files.) However, I’m happy to find that there is still joy to be had in the subgenre when it’s done right, and The Cage of Dark Hours fits the bill perfectly. This second entry in the Five Penalties trilogy present dark and complex mysteries in a world nested with secrets like a matryoshka, only here, the conspiracies only get bigger as you go deeper.

The first thing you might notice is the pacing, which is faster than the previous book, and wisely so. In The Helm of Midnight we needed the slower, more methodical approach to the central crisis because it was also our introduction into a fairly complicated world. Here, with the background firmly set, it’s good to set off right away at a run. Not only do we have an assassination threat right from the get-go, but we also have serious political instability brewing. There are things happening up close and at a distance, and the minute you take your eye off one of them to focus on the other, it has a tendency to explode.

Protagonist Krona knows all too well what happens if you stop paying attention, but after the bloody events of the first book and the tragic death of her sister, her attention is increasingly drawn to forbidden magics. She will do anything to connect with De-Lia again, even if it means confronting the entities she knows as Thalo puppets, creatures from children’s nightmares.

But the Thalo are not monsters—not all of them, anyway, and the ones who are go about it in entirely human ways. We get a glimpse of their society in The Cage of Dark Hours, and it’s an immediately intriguing counterpoint of gloom and dire obligation to the bright and fanciful world of the Lutador elite, which Lostetter also puts on display. The contrast between Thalo Child, who has duties far beyond his years, and Mandip, whose privileges far outstrip his duties, makes for a very effective narrative structure. They give us fresh eyes to view the parts of Lutador we already know, and also introduce us to very different places than Krona would manage to visit on her own.

There are some absolutely fantastic set pieces, including a vault made of glass and protected by glass golems and a secret fortress carved into a mountain. Add to that the costumes—an antiquated wedding suit, a ball gown made of stained glass, the titular cage—and you have a book that’s just begging to be made into prestige TV. The visual sensibilities are not just strong, but innovative: this has some of the most unique magic and worldbuilding I’ve seen in recent years.

Part of the realism also comes from Lostetter’s ongoing commitment to establishing and refining the motivations of her antagonists. In The Helm of Midnight, serial killer Charbon could have been a moustache-twirling villain, but instead he had real questions and real desire to serve the greater good. Here in The Cage of Dark Hours, members of the cabal fear technological and magical progress, so much so that they would rather rip power from infants and infants from their families than allow too much innovation. Their methods are awful to behold, but we don’t fully grasp the extent of the cataclysm that gave them this fear. Whether certain types of goodness can truly be greater, and whether the ends justify the means to achieve them, are the questions Lostetter cares about, which I find far more interesting than simply describing good and evil. It makes for very compelling—and very dark—storytelling.

There are, however, exciting positives to counterbalance all the horror. In this world, there are five grammatical genders reflecting (at least) five lived genders, and all are completely accepted, as are relationships between any consenting adults. All participate equally, if with different roles, in religion and the sacred, as well as in politics or any other chosen field. It’s just such a relief to read books like this sometimes, the ones that don’t belabor the sad realities here on earth and really embrace the possibilities of the speculative in the positive direction as well as the negative. It also creates moments of joy and humor to alleviate the suffering most of the characters must endure.

There is some telling-not-showing when it comes to laying out the characters’ inner workings, and I could have done with fewer explicit statements of grief or anxiety. The sadness and guilt—and poignancy thereof—was already clear from the characters’ actions. It didn’t need to be hammered home. Lostetter maintains her usual high standard of writing action, and I hope she grows to trust herself more when it comes to small moments of introspection.

Even expecting some dramatic turns I was shocked by the ending, which had revelations and reveals flying fast and heavy for the last 10% of the book. It was a wild ride that left me breathless for the concluding volume, which sadly is a ways off. On the plus side, though, it may just give me a chance to re-read both books once time (or Time?) has blunted some of the details, and enjoy them all over again.

This is a fantastic and gory sequel!

I really love how the story goes with the sequel. The first half is somewhat slow in pacing since we are introduced by a new character. It will be quite confusing but as you go through the story, it will fucked you up. HAHAHA

I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FINAL BOOK AND GETTING READY TO BE TORN APART.

After Helm of Midnight, I wasn’t particularly excited to continue the series, but I was willing to give it a chance to change my mind. And it did!
The Cage of Dark Hours is a great improvement. The pace was smoother, the new character perspectives were much easier to connect to than the originals from the first book, and it has much more magic and adventure that easily made me give this one a higher rating.
If the series keeps up this momentum in the next one, I could see myself enjoying the story even more.

This is a dark, immersive, magical fantasy with incredible world-building and suspense. It is a great continuation of the first novel, and I look forward to the next!

It's been two years since I first read The Helm of Midnight by Marina J. Lostetter, and, as I started reading its sequel, The Cage of Dark Hours, I was reminded once more how much enjoyed this series’ world--where people can buy and sell their emotions, time is a currency, and death masks retain their former owner's skills.

However, while the first book dealt with a serial killer, in this one, Krona is investigating the disappearances of babies as she grapples with the death of her sister.

It’s truly an emotionally-driven fantasy that artfully explores grief and trauma alongside a compelling cast of characters. Plus, it has a cult, twisty, turvy conspiracies, and plenty of scheming to go around.

Overall, I found it a fantastic follow up with well set-up revelations. Honestly, it felt so satisfying to watch the plot’s puzzle pieces all fall into place, and I can’t wait to read the final in the trilogy.

This was very different from book one, in a great way! The world and intrigue gets blown wide open, we meet new characters and travel to different area's in the world. Often the second book in a series is just a stepping stone to the third book, where not much happens except laying out the path for the big finale that happens in book three. I didn't get the feeling that the Cage of Dark Hours was suffering from second book syndrome at all. We go way darker, learning more about the Thalo, the Gods and why everyone is on the path that they are on. Not many big twists that I didn't see coming, but that's alright. Can't wait to read the last one when it comes out!!

I often feel that the second book in a series is the hardest, especially when following a strong first book. As is the case with this series, the first book encapsulates a great idea and does it justice in fleshing it out. It can be hard to follow a precedent like that, so for this reason I'm being more lenient on this book than if the aspects that don't quite hit the mark occurred in a standalone or a first book. As other reviewers have said, there is a sense of aimlessness, of excess pages for certain elements. I think though that the author finds their footing throughout the book and have high hopes for the rest of the series.

Writing spoiler-free reviews for sequels is always difficult. The Helm of Midnight was an immersive fantasy book, and The Cage of Dark Hours continued onto that world. It continued the storyline of Midnight, but in a completely new place, and added some new characters.

I thought I loved the first book. Wow. I wanted more of the world of The Five Penalties, and I definitely got it. I’m not sure if this is meant to be a trilogy or more, but I hope it keeps going. There’s so much to explore.

And the twists keep coming. Usually I’m pretty good at predicting twists, but I was so into this book, I was shocked many times. I am very excited to see where we go next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for the chance to read this advanced review copy.

CW for blood, gore, injury, death, grief, murder, mass murder, kidnapping, child abuse, and torture

The Cage of Dark Hours (The Five Penalties, #2)
The Cage of Dark Hours by Marina J. Lostetter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think this is a superior book to first. It's much darker, really evoking the feel of a full-fantasy steampunk London while making us revel in the torture and abuse of small children for the sake of enhancing their magical ability.

The worldbuilding is very good. The magic system is truly fascinating. Breaking off parts of people's souls, trapping them in masks, is both cool and cruel. The very idea of gifting time, itself, to the already powerful and long-lived is also horrific but perfectly understandable in this dark fantasy world.

The implications and ramifications continue to unfold in this novel.

I quite enjoyed the tale for what it is and thought the characters are decent. I won't say I fell in love with all of them, but I did feel some quite strong feelings for one rather strong-minded victim. No spoilers, but I really loved the later quasi-psychological developments and magical resolutions.

This book, when compared to book one, felt a little stretched thin. Several years have passed, and we meet a mostly new cast of characters with the exception of Krona and Tibbet (a few other familiar faces do come up almost in passing, but they didn’t feel particularly important). I did really like the last section, the “heist”, where everything came together and we get a bit more of the bigger picture, but most of the rest of the book felt rather surface level.

I admire the complex worldbuilding and, believe it or not, wish we got a bit more of the politicking from the various states inside the Valley (particularly since our crew has to cross state lines a few times over the course of the plot, though that travel is kind of brushed over…). I wanted to see more about how the characters’ actions impacted the greater story, particularly since our 3 POV characters come from such different situations.

Very intrigued to see where this series goes so… eagerly awaiting book three!

The Cage of Dark Hours is the second book in The Five Penalties series. The first book is one of my favorite books so I had a lot of expectations for the sequel. I am really happy that it was amazing. It definitely worth the wait. We follow the same character (krona) from the first book. She is dealing with her grief. Also, we get to know new characters as well. World building is one of the bests. This story is multilayered and perfectly dark. It is really hard for me to write a review without spoiling the book but If you like a dark fantasy/murder mystery this series is perfect. I can't wait to learn how this series will end. I'll definitely reread before the final book to catch little details. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for my honest review.

5/5 Stars! This was even better than the first in almost every way. Thank you Net Galley for sending me an arc of this. FULL review coming on the community tab on my channel, Wicked Good Books on Youtube on a few weeks!

I'm so very glad to have received an arc of this! I really enjoyed the first installment of this series and was excited to continue. This world has such a unique magic to it and while I don't always quite understand its mechanics, I enjoy the journey.

This novel has a few new povs from the first and I was a bit hesitant of that since that does t always work for me. But I found that I really enjoyed these new characters.

I worried where this sequel could go with the way the first one was, more thriller within a fantasy. I did enjoy how this progressed though it took me a bit to get reinvested.

Overall, this series has been an enjoyable time and I can't wait to read the next book!

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for the arc!

So, the first book in this series was a super strange murder-mystery but the ending left me wondering just where the remainder of the series would go. Upon picking up The Cage of Dark Hours, I quickly realized that I was in for one *strange* story and it literally never let up.
The general plot of this is thus: Krona is grieving her sister and struggling to move forward and using unhealthy coping mechanisms, some of which are illegal. Remember, she’s a Regulator - a magical cop in scary armor - so doing illegal stuff is making her feel extra guilty. When the Thalo woman from the first book appears and warns her of an impending assassination of an unspecified noble twin that will be pinned on Krona, Krona goes to her superiors and reports that she’s received this threat. Enter Mandip Basu, noble twin and potential Grand Marquis candidate, who immediately gets tangled up with Krona’s less than reputable buddy Thibaut. Then there’s the vivacious and quite famous Le Maupin, a gorgeous opera singer who is more than just a pretty face. This cast of characters are in Lutador keeping things busy on that front. What really made this interesting was the nameless Thalo Child, a new point of view character who gives tremendous insight on how the Thalo live and many of their customs.
This is a story of multiple interwoven plot threads, oodles of strangeness, and a surprisingly breakneck pace at times. There was actually a ton of action in this book and while I suppose I shouldn't be shocked by this, I nonetheless was (but in a good way). Like I said, I didn’t know what to expect from this or how things would continue on from the previous book, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn’t want to put this down. There’s a lot to keep up with between the two separate plots but as the story progresses you begin to see how they fit together and when they finally collide the impact is stunning!
I really don’t know how to compare this to the first book since they are quite different, but I would say they’re on par with one another as far as quality and execution go. While this isn’t going down as a new favorite (it’s tough to make that category) this is a book that’s going to linger with me simply because it’s incomparable to pretty much anything else I’ve read.