From the New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes comes a fantasy filled with courtly intrigue, deceitful demons, and breathtaking gowns ... the stakes are higher than ever in this thrilling sequel to Spin the Dawn!
Maia Tamarin's journey to sew the dresses of the sun, the moon, and the stars has taken a grievous toll. She returns to a kingdom on the brink of war. Edan, the boy she loves, is gone--perhaps forever--and no sooner does she set foot in the Autumn Palace than she is forced to don the dress of the sun and assume the place of the emperor's bride-to-be to keep the peace. When the emperor's rivals learn of her deception, there is hell to pay, but the war raging around Maia is nothing compared to the battle within.
Ever since she was touched by the demon Bandur, she has been changing . . . glancing in the mirror to see her own eyes glowing red; losing control of her magic, her body, her mind. It's only a matter of time before Maia loses herself completely, and in the meantime she will stop at nothing to find Edan, protect her family, and bring lasting peace to her country.
First, a note: I read an arc of this, and *that's* when I learned this is a duology, not a trilogy. So be aware, fellow readers!
It's hard to write a review of a coming book that isn't out yet without giving spoilers to the *first* book that people may not have read...but I will try. Essentially, we find Maia fighting to keep from becoming a demon. In the meantime, her country is on the brink of war with one who has bargained with his soul, and all the best laid plans keep going awry.
The lovely thing about this book is that so much of it revolved around friendship and family. Those we choose, and those whom fate chooses for us. As someone who has leaned particularly hard on my friends over this past year, *and* as someone who has recently lost a brother as Maia has, this book had me sobbing into my sweatshirt. But the heart of this book shines, and it's a worthy successor to Spin The Dawn.
