Member Review

Anequs' troubles and discoveries as she trains to become a dragon rider in a world where her people are diminished and many don't believe she's worthy of it, continue, with higher stakes all around and sparks that could set off a civil war.

I'm loving how Blackgoose is slowly opening up the story to include more people in Anequs' life who both share and challenge her points of view. It's a positive thing to see her getting to know things from other perspectives and realizing that there are times when you have to take more than just one point of view into account.

My one nitpick, which might get me in trouble. I get that the book touches on some serious topics very thinly veiled within the parameters of the story. I get that they are important and often overlooked topics, both in the real world and in fantasy worlds. I just wish that they could be discussed and woven into the plot without it getting to feel so preachy. It's the same issue I had with the first volume, although it's toned down a bit as Anequs isn't such a fish out of water now. We get to moments in the plot where things are about to happen, and we have to stop for several paragraphs about how unfair, narrow-minded, and cruel it is that the conquerors ignore and mistreat the original people. I know this is a fact; you're preaching to the choir with the same note over and over again. Saving it for key moments would make the impact much bigger.

Rant aside. It's a great story that keeps upping the stakes and forcing Anequs to think hard about what she wants and how she can get it. The writing pulls you in and you get invested in the characters and the world, making the stakes feel massive even before things take a drastic turn.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for the excellent, thought-provoking read!