Though not quite as good as the first, as it drags a bit in the middle for some world building that's necessary for the overall story, but doesn't feel necessary during this middle book.

Everything from the first book, is taken and expounded upon and made bigger. Larger stakes, (though it's hard to believe that after reading the first book), the world itself, the themes of Nobility despite Birthright and the concept of how love drives us to do better, and the characters and their arcs.

Everytime I read this, I forget just how intense the ending is. I know what's going to happen, yet the size, scale, and scope of the semi-final to final pages are legendary, and they make the book quite literally impossible to put down.

This is easily one of my favorite series of all times, and one of the reasons I read so much today.