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kimwritesstuff's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book picks up right where Silver Under Nighfall ends. If you have not read the first book, stop reading this review because spoilers obviously.
Xiaodan is recovering after her battle with the Night Empress, and she still can't call the sun. Malekh is trying to help heal her while also finding out more about the mutations fighting with the Night Empress. And Remy is just happy to be here. Just kidding, Remy is dealing with the aftermath of finding out that the Night Empress is his mother somehow resurrected. He's also falling more in love with both Xiaodan and Malekh. On top of all that, there is a meeting at the Allpriory, and representatives from all the vampire courts will be there.
First, I love the healthy depiction of a throuple. There is so much loving respect between all three main characters, and the communication is so good. In any relationship, trust and good communication have to be pillars, and Rin does such a stunning job of depicting the trust between Malekh, Xiaodan, and Remy. The love story is more of a b-plot, and the main plot focuses on the Night Empress and the threat she poses to humans and vampires alike.
This book deals a lot more with the horrors of war, and we learn more about both Remy and his mother's heritage. We also see more of Remy's father and how he came to be the man he is. I love a good well-rounded character, and I think Rin does such an excellent job of making even the people we would consider to be villains seem human. Except Quinten Yost, he can die in a fire.
The only big qualm I had with this book is that there was so much back and forth trying to figure out who the bad guy was. It was clear the Night Empress had help; she literally had thousands in her coven, but no one leaped to the obvious conclusion (no spoiler). I felt like the characters could have spent less time traveling and making pit stops on the way to the Allpriory and more time with the history/lore of vampires. The politics once we get to the Allpriory could have been fleshed out more, as well as the names of the courts and their leaders. I felt like that added history would have added an extra layer. I didn't really care about the other courts because their characters just seemed to be hostile and conniving. I thought Rin did such a good job fleshing out side characters, except for here. The descriptions of the other courts and their grudges fell flat for me.
Overall, if you're a fan of the first book, I think you'll like this, and it does have a satisfying conclusion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Torture
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