The sequel to the critically-acclaimed New York Times bestselling fantasy The Reader, “highly recommended for fans of Cornelia Funke's Inkheart and female-powered adventures.”—School Library Journal
Having barely escaped the clutches of the Guard, Sefia and Archer are back on the run, slipping into the safety of the forest to tend to their wounds and plan their next move. Haunted by painful memories, Archer struggles to overcome the trauma of his past with the impressors, whose cruelty plagues him whenever he closes his eyes. But when Sefia and Archer happen upon a crew of impressors in the wilderness, Archer finally finds a way to combat his nightmares: by hunting impressors and freeing the boys they hold captive.
With Sefia’s help, Archer travels across the kingdom of Deliene rescuing boys while she continues to investigate the mysterious Book and the secrets it contains. But the more battles they fight, the more fights Archer craves, until his thirst for violence threatens to transform him from the gentle boy Sefia knows to a grim warrior with a cruel destiny. As Sefia begins to unravel the threads that connect Archer’s fate to her parents’ betrayal of the Guard so long ago, she and Archer must figure out a way to subvert the Guard’s plans before they are ensnared in a war that will pit kingdom against kingdom, leaving their future and the safety of the entire world hanging in the balance.
It was such a treat being back in this world. Once again, Chee presented us with this vivid world, which was made even better with the addition of a new "crew". We learned a lot more about the book and Sefia's parents. We also see Sefia's powers grow, and we fully discover her place in "the story".
Chee made me cry a few times. Two lessons Traci Chee taught me: 1. Don't get too attached to a character, because she will kill them. 2. Don't ship a couple too hard, because she will sink your ship.
But seriously, I thought this was a solid second book. I feel like I learned so much more about this world and its inhabitants. It was a thrill connecting the dots and finding out how all these people fit together.
I originally thought this was heading for a solid 4-stars, but then Chee gave me that awesome ending, and it bumped it up to 4.5 stars for me. It was a bumpy and emotional ride, but the payoff was great. Chee left me with a lot of hope of things to come in the next book.
*I would like to thank the publisher for the review copy of this book
