This was such an interesting world. I liked learning about the magic; it definitely seems like there’s still so much more to learn about it. The ending felt rushed - for example, there was a lot of lore delivered with a twist, but it was the reader’s first time being introduced to some of these stories. It would have felt more like connecting the dots if they were teased earlier, then brought full circle. Some moments flew by like a crucial character being affected by events at the end, occurring off-page. The realization of this isn’t really explained well, but it is a pivotal moment for one of the girls. Instead of it carrying the emotional impact it needed, I was confused and going back to see if I missed something. Something I really enjoyed about this book was Merri and Rue working through their misconceptions about their world. They were compelling main characters and complement each other well.

I think this book really complemented well with the Elfhame we know from the trilogy. I enjoyed the characters we knew referenced but even more so understanding Oak’s upbringing. The new characters felt connected and compelling to follow. However, the quest dragged for me at times. It took a bit too long for some reveals like about Hyacinthe’s origin and entanglement with another character. These details added so much depth I wanted to sit with longer. Although I like how the ending unfolded, it was hard for me personally to understand Wren’s decisions. It’s a good set up for the next book, but felt a bit jarring. I’m doing this read with someone else so maybe they saw it coming. Overall, great follow up after The Queen of Nothing that kept a dark fairytale feel.

I had a lot of preconceived notions going into this book that it would be a nice casual read given that I bought this at the Scholastic Book Fair. I ended up being so invested at how it handles heavy themes like grief and senseless violence. I also think this story felt completed and characters grew by the end. The romance felt a little forced at times and I wish there was more involvement from the mortals Ara leaves behind for the games - especially how she left things off with one of her parents. Overall, I recommend this fresh take on the games/trials trope.

Once again, the changing POVs to build onto this world where Death Cast exists is such a strong point to this novel. I really enjoyed the B-plot for this one. I applaud Silvera for how he writes about hope in an authentic way. However, something that would have added to Orion & Val for me that was in the first book was how Rufus and Mateo changed. All four want to live more in the time they have, but the first novel goes into a bit more depth about how they hold themselves back from that goal. Overall, this was such a gripping read. I steer clear of titles I know are going to be sad, but I really appreciate how it’s handled in this series.