I thought this book was a good read but it was really setting up for the third and final book in the series. It didn't feel like much happened to progress the world but instead focused on Sebastien's struggle with becoming a vampire and what is means to him and humanity.
Where The Beautiful felt more about Celine, The Damned is Sebastien's story. Much like the first story we we still get POV from Celine and other people but Celine doesn't really get involved until later in the book. It is also around this time that I feel we pivot from a  historical paranormal to more a historical fantasy in my opinion.

This book does a good job or setting up for the third and where we expect to see it go.