** 3.75 stars **
This was a lot better than the first one.
I’m not quite sure what it was, exactly, that made me enjoy it more, but it might be that the (re-) actions of our characters made more sense to me. I felt like, I understood their motives behind their thoughts and actions better.
Also, the dynamic between Jude and Cardan was way more engrossing in comparrison to the first book. Might be, because I’ve gotten more insight into the politics and ways of this fantastical world which, in turn, made their careful and measured contact so much more believable to me.
In general, I don’t have a high regard for the world of the fairies. The way they treat each other, and more significantly humans, is awful.
To bewitch (glamour) someone into doing things they wouldn’t do if they had their free will, to make them believe things that aren’t true, or have them forget things - it’s perverse.
Don’t get me wrong, this very point made my reading experience better, as it had me questioning stuff and thinking about the relation to our real world. But it makes me so much more glad that Jude is impervious to this kind of mind meddling.
Additionally, the way we, together with Jude, are almost holding our breaths because of Nicasias comment about a potential betrayal was clever in my opinion, as it kept me turning over every possible scenario in my head while never really getting any clues as to who it could be.
Last but certainly not least, I thought the revelation at the end to be even more captivating than the one in the first book. The way Cardan spun it was marvellous to read and I’m curious as to what his aim is.
I’m not sold on the idea that this was solely out of malicious intent - if at all.
I’m definitely looking forward to book no. 3.
