I got 80% of the way into this and nearly decided not to finish it.

The promise of the book - the conflict set up at the end of book 1 - barely figures into it. And like the first book, the focus is on light world building and superficial exploration of interesting ideas. Very little in the way of plot or character development happens.

The most interesting story threads and philosophical or ethical concepts are left unexplored. The characters have little agency - as if the authors don't believe in their own characters' ability to solve problems, and need to be saved or manipulated by a greater power.

If you enjoyed the first book's leisurely pace and focus on vignettes of interesting worlds that could have been, you'll enjoy this too. But if you hoped that, 1000 pages into the series, something might actually happen - you're in for disappointment.