it was fine. my complaints from the first book are the same here- love triangles are a sin against god and all things beautiful; this magic system needs to be pared down and focussed into something more substantial; there's just too much going on here.

i just wish this story had a better direction and wasn't being stretched in as many ways as it was: will nikolai come back? who will vika choose? will pasha become tsar? how will russians feel about magic? is pasha a bastard? it's too many questions and this book isn't long enough to explore them all fully- evidenced by the ending of "well we love each other so everything is going to be fine and everything is forgiven even though we've repeatedly tried to murder each other and delegitimize the reign/tsardom as a whole." like i guess????? honestly i can't even be mad because i was just so glad for it to be over. and i will say that most every question brought up was answered.

WITH THE LONE EXCEPTION OF THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD AN INVESTED INTEREST IN GETTING ANSWERED:

WHERE

IS

BABA

YAGA???????

like intellectually i understand that these different myths were brought up to express how much more magic was getting thrown around but like................that was by far the most interesting part of this entire book and it sucks that it didn't get explored more fully. i Do Not Want any more of these books because i'll feel obligated to read them but i DO need to know how they solve vodyanoy drowning people in the river and baba yaga's hut just stomping around. can i get like a 100 page novella, evelyn?

idk overall i feel like i have more questions than there are answers and that's one of my biggest pet peeves in books which i realize is a personal issue and whatever but STILL.

in CONCLUSION- this book is fine. this story is fine. if you're into standard political fantasy go for it. but don't expect anything spectacular or.....................revolutionary B) B) B) B) B) B) B) B)

( )

I just wasn't invested in any character or plot point. The game itself is what kept me in the first book, but that ended and in this book the author is clearly forcing things to have a happy ending through contrived means. Aizhana was always flat, and she turned Nikolai into an equally flat character. Even though things happened on the page, there wasn't enough complexity or connecting thread to make me care. ( )

Themes from the previous book are continued and everything is neatly wrapped up. The stakes were much higher than in the first novel and it overlaps with some of Russia’s actual history. It was interesting to learn more about the different types of magic and to see all the characters grow. ( )

Talk about action, decide, devotion and a death. This book really had all you, as a young adult or older, could desire in a great tale. Well written , as most fables are, this story takes you on a journey to a culture rich in history and magic. Truly recommend this for any patient reader, for it takes a while to get into, but rewards in the end. ( )

This book was a hard one for me to decipher. The rich atmosphere and lush scenery made it elegant and classic, but the plot seemed to lack a bit. I went back and forth trying to decide whether it was worth three or four stars and after much thought, I decided four it is.

The plot didn’t have as much romance as I hoped for, but the magic and fantasy level was off the charts. It was easy to get swept up in the book world and the characters were so intricately weaved and perfect. I loved their connection to one another and the delicacy of their feelings. I think you could probably say it’s a long triangle, but in the end it’s more of a soul triangle.

I really can’t compare this book to any others for it’s in a world of its own. I know it’s a YA read, but I could easily see adults enjoying the story as well. The content is mature and the writing is top notch. I can’t wait to see what new words this Author comes up with. ( )