A Gathering of Gargoyles

Darkangel Trilogy #2

by Meredith Ann Pierce

Aeriel has broken the spell on the vampyre Irrylath and returned him to his human form. But with the White Witch haunting Irrylath's dreams, Aeriel must now set off on a quest to solve a mysterious riddle and gather six magical steeds. Pursued by the witch's six vampiric sons, Aeriel must seek out an ancient oracle who can help her solve the riddle; but when the time comes, will she have the strength to defeat the White Witch once and for all?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Vampires, Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction

284 pages, Paperback

First published September 28, 1984

About the author

Meredith Ann Pierce is a fantasy writer and librarian. Her books deal in fantasy worlds with mythic settings and yet overturn standard expectations, frequently featuring young women who first wish only to love and be loved, yet who must face hazard and danger to save their way of life, their world, and so on, usually without being respected for their efforts until the end of the story.

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book is a trial, and the second book is a journey. What always strikes me about this installment is our heroine's transformation into...a prophet, a sorceress, a scientist, take your pick. All her seemingly magical feats are explained so easily to her (and to us) as "help from another" or "not my doing" or "not what I intended." It reminds me of becoming an adult woman--a string of events mostly outside of your control makes you become sought-after, hated, desirable, a prize to control. Aeriel's journey proves that she is still very much a child--a child still in love with her first, most inappropriate crush. The ending of this book always entranced and terrified me. The "Sibyl," the Feasting Stone, the slave markets of Orm...Aeriel's consistent fear of being re=enslaved, of becoming ignorant and passive again, is most telling of her development. She can't articulate that she's free, but she instinctively defends it.

I used to feel such smug joy to find that Irrylath traveled halfway around the world to apologize for, essentially, not loving her back. But as an adult I can see that his journey mirrors hers, just tragically out of sync. When they meet again, it is still as two strangers who would chase the idea of each other to hell and back but still, painfully, have nothing to say to each other.

[Linda (NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following on the heels of THE DARKANGEL, Aeriel and Irrylath were married but in name only. She was aware something was amiss and, before long, took it upon herself to find out why. A riddle, her staff, the gargoyles and magic accompanied her on another adventure.

I fell in love with the author's unusual words, crisp descriptions (especially of food) and the many gray areas of the plot. Each character Aeriel met taught her something about her destiny without her actually aware of it. By the time I finished this story I realized I had to read THE PEARL OF THE SOUL OF THE WORLD as soon as possible.

I wanted closure for Aeriel and all of her fellow travellers. I sought a finality to the White Witch. And, most importantly, I desired a happy denouement for Aeriel and Irrylath.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for A Gathering of Gargoyles and The Pearl of the Soul of the World…

Some might think that the Darkangel Trilogy is in the paranormal genre because of the vampires, but it isn’t. It is mostly fantasy and even a little sci-fi. Pierce creates worlds, new species, and terminology.

The cover quote describes the books as Heart-warming and Heart-breaking and it truly is. Aeriel is a good heroine who follows the path of self discovery. She learns that to do great things it requires sacrifice. Nothing comes easy. Anything worth having is worth working for. I love that message.

The other main characters Prince Irrylath and Erin are very relatable. At first, Prince Irrylath seems uncaring and indifferent towards Aeriel. Aeriel even calls him her “husband in name only.” Through the battle and eventual victory over the White Witch, Aeriel realizes that Irrylath does love her. Erin is a dark girl from Bern who Aeriel saves from a Darkangel. She is the truest friend anyone could ever have. Some of the secondary characters did not come off the page well. I was hoping to feel more for Ravenna and the White Witch.

My biggest criticism is that Pierce uses words that do not exist in the English language. If they do exist there is not modern meaning and not in the dictionary. I understand a new vocabulary is part of the “world creator” mentality, but it irks me to not know words on a page. Pierce also uses a couple different names for the Darkangels (vampire, icari, birdman) and the White Witch (lorelei, oriencon, sorceress). It just gets confusing. Anyway, when you’re reading this prepare to concentrate.

Overall, I think this is a good read. It will exercise your imagination and take you away if you let it. Very creative. Enjoyable.

[Yue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another trilogy I won't bother to finish. Irrylath was far more interesting as a Darkangel than as human Irrylath. Too angsty. Thankfully he isn't around much, only in the first chapter or so and in the last one. We get to know why he can't "love" Aeriel. Not really a mystery, since the specters told Aeriel in the first book that he used to be the Witch's lover, who is his adoptive mother... Yikes.

Aeriel starts a new adventure, but alas, she is not what she used to be. Or all the other characters, for that matter. Since when all the Gargoyles have names? Since when they love her so much? And everywhere she goes, she finds something useful and powerful.. things that don't look much, but she is all "oh well, I am going to take it", and turns out, they are magical stuff or super expensive stuff that helps her in her way.

And not only she is extremely lucky to find those objects; she meets allies that help her out, or otherwise, she would have been dead by chapter 3. She isn't the sharpest girl, the poor thing accepts drinks and food from suspicious people (her uncle, Diurna) without thinking. And what does she get? Drugged, that's what. Not once, but for almost all the length of book.

I think that her whole stay in Pirs was such a waste of time. How she did not notice a thing, from the very beginning. How she did not notice the truth about her cloak.

2nd book in the series was a bit boring, tbh. And since I don't care anymore about Aeriel and Irrylath, til here I come.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be less interesting and enjoyable than the first and third of the trilogy, but still good. I was somewhat irked by how predictable several of the supposed "twists" were. Parts of the story lagged a bit too, and the book didn't have the same fairy tale feel as the first book. Certain parts were really neat though, like the dust shrimp and it's metamorphosis later in the story.

[TheBookSmugglers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally reviewed on The Book Smugglers

After cutting out her own heart and giving it to the darkangel Irrylath, Aeriel has not only found a way to save her world from the clutches of the White Witch and her seven icari, but she has also found a way to save Irrylath's soul. After breaking the curse on her new bridegroom, Aeriel and Irrylath make their way to Isternes, the childhood home of Irrylath, before he was treacherously traded away to the White Witch by his nursemaid Dirna for life and power. Here, Irrylath finds his true mother, his brothers, and his birthright as the eldest son and heir to the land - but though he and Aeriel are welcomed with open arms by his Esternese kin, their struggles remain.

Irrylath remains plagued by terrible dreams and withdraws from Aeriel's touch and compassion - and Aeriel learns that her husband, in name if not in truth, still is snared by the hook of the White Witch. If she is to save him - and to truly save her world from the Witch, who even now searches for a new babe to make into a darkangel - Aeriel must embark on a dangerous quest, and solve an ancient, hidden riddle.

A Gathering of Gargoyles continues the story of a brave young woman named Aeriel, who has inexplicably become the one person that can stand against an evil that threatens to consumer her world. And, dear readers, I loved this book so very much. I must start this review properly by thanking the lovely Megan no h for her emphatic recommendation, because A Gathering of Gargoyles is truly and utterly awesome. It is in fact a better novel than The Darkangel; The Empire Strikes Back to the first novel's Star Wars. I know that science fiction analogy may seem at first blush NOT to make sense with this trilogy, but in actuality it has far more resonance than one might suspect - because A Gathering of Gargoyles makes it abundantly clear that this series is actually one rooted in science fiction. Aeriel's world, as it becomes known in A Gathering of Gargoyles, is actually our moon; a "daymonth" to Aeriel and her fellow creatures, is the equivalent to a lunar day, with the constant companion of the Earth, or "Oceanus" to Aeriel, shining its pale blue light upon the moon's surface. Unlike our current moon, though, Aeriel's world is a place of impossible, fantastical life - in which there are seas of dust hiding moonwhales and serpents, with deserts and forests, gargoyles and lons.

This is the most impressive thing about this trilogy, and A Gathering of Gargoyles in particular - the incredible scope of imagination. To be sure, this is a fantasy novel with magical creatures and gifts, but the story never once feels tired or familiar because of the magic of Ms. Pierce's prose and the wildly imaginative setting. Reading A Gathering of Gargoyles is almost like being in a dream - things are strange and ever-shifting, but you never really feel confused or lost, because it is your dream, and impossible things are accepted as a matter of course.

From a pure story perspective, the actual plot of the novel is fairly simple - Aeriel leaves Isternes to find the lost lons, so that Irrylath's brothers can ride them into battle against the White Witch - and her journey takes her to the edges of the world. In truth, the story is about Aeriel as she discovers who she is, what she is truly capable of, and how far she will go to stop the Witch and win Irrylath's heart. The riddle - actually more of a prophecy - that sparks her journey lies at the heart of the book, and I love that its meaning changes as Aeriel's self-awareness grows.

For all that she is risking everything for Irrylath, this is truly Aeriel's story, and I loved every last second of it. I loved following Aeriel from Isternes, across the Sea-of-Dust, to singing for her sup and on the run from bandits, to the desperate land of Pirs and the terrible truth of its ruler, to eventually back in her own home of Terrain. On each leg of her far journey, Aeriel learns a new truth, gathering Irrylath's former gargoyle guards along the way. My main complaint for The Darkangel was Aeriel's lack of oomph, and her utter, unflinching goodness. While she is still unerringly moral and good in A Gathering of Gargoyles, this book shows us glimpses of her vulnerability. She falls for the tricks of a false king and a hag; she shows her frustration when all her work seems to have gone to waste. And, most touchingly, we feel her heart breaking as she realizes the truth of Irrylath and that he does not love her.

This volume ends on a sweet note, with the promise of even more fantastic adventure and peril ahead - the trilogy must close with Aeriel and Irrylath's confrontation of the White Witch, and I cannot wait to find out how it all ends.

If you haven't read this gem of a series before, I implore you to find a used copy and start. Absolutely, wholeheartedly recommended, and one of my most cherished finds of the year.

[Karissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the DarkAngel trilogy. If you liked the first book you will like this book. More happens in this book and it is just as creative as the first one. You definitely need to read the first book before reading this book though.

In this book Aeriel is living in the palace with her Prince, Irrylath and his family; the problem is Irrylath cannot stand to be around Aeriel because he is forced to be in love with the evil water witch. When the second part of the rime/prophecy is revealed to Ariel she is forced to go on a journey to make sure the prophecy will be fulfilled and to save Irrylath from the water witch.

The tone of this book is similar to the first book. Aeriel very much goes with the flow. She is an interesting character in that she does not seek out action, the action comes to her. Yet, she shows admirable strength in dealing with whatever hand is dealt to her. This book is a bit more of an adventure/quest than the first one was. Aeriel does a bit less waiting around; but there is some inconsistent pacing. Again Pierce has Aeriel go through a lot of action, then times passes as Aeriel waits, then action, then more waiting.

The storyline is very fairy-tale-like and very creative. The writing is beautiful and descriptive; at times you feel as if you are floating through the story. It was a beautiful book and a great continuation of this story. While the main story point was resolved, the major storyline remains to be resolved in the third book. I am looking forward to reading the third book as soon as I can.

[Melissa McShane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having rescued Irrylath and escaped to his mother's kingdom (his birth mother, not the witch who told him she was his mother), Aeriel is now stuck with a husband who won't even let her touch him and a reluctance to tell anyone the truth about where (or who) Irrylath has been for twenty-four years. When she receives the second part of Ravenna's rhyme, she sets out alone to solve it by finding and restoring the lost guardians ("lons") of the six other realms. The part that I still think is really cool is the revelation about where the lons have been all this time, which isn't obvious. Aeriel's heritage is way more obvious, but at least Pierce doesn't tie the story in knots trying to keep it a secret.

On the other hand, I know as a kid I didn't appreciate the final plot complication, when Irrylath finally explains why he can't be close to Aeriel. I'm sure all I noticed was that he finally showed that he *does* care for her. The truth that Irrylath was the witch's lover and that he's still aroused by her in his dreams is far more complex and sad; it goes a long way toward making Irrylath more clearly a victim.

As with the first book, I admire Pierce's worldbuilding, and I think this is a stronger story. I just don't love it anymore, and that makes me sad.

[A.C. Lillywhite · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sort of figured that this was probably one of those series where the first book is really the only story and after that the narrative just kind of limps along so you get the satisfaction of knowing about the rest of the main character's lives. It's not though. You can actually tell that this is the next chapter in the story. There is more to know and experience and there are still questions that you didn't even know you had about the first story.

More of the world opens up and we get to see just how alien this place and these people are. Like in the first one, everything has significance and a purpose and it isn't taxing yet to try and guess what that may be. The authoress gives you credit here. You're going to figure out a lot of what's going on before the characters let you know about it, but there was at least one pretty impressive surprise for me at the end.

Probably my only major complaint would be the lack of Aerial/Irrylath. I do realise that there needed to be a certain amount of 'off camera' character development. They've got issues and this part of the story isn't really about them, but the couple of scenes they had together were quite good and pretty much a total tease.

I'll move on to the third book tomorrow and hopefully we'll get a resolution...

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the 2nd in the series and my favourite. I've always enjoyed the quests against witches such as LOTR and Narnia as a kid. I still do in my early '30s. I would have loved this book dearly in my youth.
The middle of series usually are my favourite because the set-up was already done but the ride isn't over.

I enjoyed the journey Aeriel took on her quest to reunite the lons to defeat the White Witch who still has her husband ensared. Irraylath is unable to love anyone until the witch is dead.

The best parts were the different countries she went through and the various ways the icari pillaged the villages. It was quite chilling when she meets her best friend Erin whose a fellow slave. Erin has been tied to a tree in an orchard as an offering or when she's fed hungerspice and wastes away.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was more enjoyable than the first. I love books that take you on a journey with the characters, and a Gathering of Gargoyles did not disappoint. Granted I worked out a lot of the rhyme before Aeriel did, but I liked that, it made me realise I understood and actually loved the book. The gargoyles were adorable, although I never even considered them to be the lons until the lyoness nudged Aeriel in that direction. It was an amazing book that I look forward to reading again and again, it is one I will not tire off. The Pearl of the Soul of the World is next I just hope that it doesn't disappoint.

[Amy! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third read: Any future review updates are at StoryGraph

Second read: SIGH. So lovely. This book is all set-up for the conclusion in the next book, but Aeriel's quest to find all the lost lons keeps it from feeling like filler. I'm already feeling verklempt in anticipation of reading the third one (probably this weekend).

First read: Pierce is such a beautiful writer. I loved Aeriel's second quest and how quietly badass she is. She's such a great heroine, and I really feel for her (thus far) unrequited love.

[Keri Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gathering of Gargoyles picks up where the first book in the Darkangel Trilogy left off. Here, we see the protagonist, Aeriel, head off on a quest of her own. At first, I wondered if this book might fall into the dreaded category of "middle book in a trilogy, so it's mostly filler to set up the plot of the final book," but it turns out that this book isn't filler at all - it stands on its own two feet!

While I wish the motivation for Aerial heading off on her quest had been a little more clear and compelling from the start, and sometimes the plot slowed and meandered a little, Aerial's journey ultimately ends up being so interesting that those flaws hardly detract at all. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next, and Pierce includes moments of true peril for the characters that had me white knuckling my way through the story.

I love that Aeriel is slowly morphing into a more independent and assertive character - all of the work with her character Pierce put into the first book really pays off here. The characters in the first book were fantastic, but Pierce adds on some real standout characters in this book. I couldn't help but fall in love with Aerial's faithful dustshrimp companion - that was such a beautiful idea on Pierce's part. The story also contains a brilliant twist that I didn't see coming, but it fit so well with all of the info we've already been given!

This is shaping up to become one of my favorite fantasy series of all time. Looking forward to seeing how she concludes the series in the final book!

[Jocelyn (jocelyn.reads.books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I've now read The Darkangel (book 1) three times, this was my first time reading this one. I really enjoyed it! I found the setting to be way more interesting in this book, and possibly the plot, too. I also liked that there were more characters introduced.

I will say, Aeriel was way too oblivious at some points in the story... and there were a few things that I think either didn't fully make sense, or didn't get explained well enough? But I honestly didn't mind it too much because I was loving the ride. The first book is weird, but this one is maybe even more weird. I adored the pet dustshrimp, and the heron who was both majestic and spunky. And loved the gargoyles!

Also, did Leigh Bardugo get her idea for the Shadow Fold from this book? While not exactly the same, I am very curious if this inspired it at all.

PS- I was surprised by how many typos were in here... at least five I think. Surprising especially given how many editions of this book there have been. Wonder if this would be the author or the publisher at fault? This reprint came out in 2007, so more than 20 years after the original.

Content info:
No spice. A hint of romance (I suspect book three will have some actual romance). Mild spooky elements. Slavery. Brief, vague references to a sexual relationship with a minor.

[Ferio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Como reza la tradición oral, el tomo central de las trilogías de género fantástico tiene tendencia a ser el más soso y sosegado de todos. En este caso se traduce en una variedad de pequeños conflictos en vez de un conflicto mayor como el primer volumen, casi como si fueran varios cuentos enlazados en lugar de una historia congruente; todos se saldan con la presencia de un deus ex machina o con giros eufemísticamente curiosos en la trama, cuya complejidad es, por otra parte, bastante propia de la edad a la que va supuestamente dirigida (10 años).

Me gustaría tener una conclusión mejor, pero a veces es mejor concluir así.

[Jannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story but man Aeriel was made out to be a witless sleepwalker of a heroine, the way she just never suspected anyone and feel into all the tasks and was able to get out of it all with the gifts she found.
Story was cool though..

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5

[Martine · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 Middle book syndrome imo

[Chani · Rating 3 out of 5]

this one was a bit more difficult for me to get through vs the first, but the symbolism is lovely.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a step down from the first book, not in terms of imagination (the ideas here are just as weird and beautiful and whimsical as in the first, and the writing is gorgeous) but in terms of execution. The plot whisks Aeriel along whether she likes it or not, whether it makes sense or not, whether the emotional beats land or not, because the Plot Must Go On. Aeriel comes across as a total useless, and helpless, idiot who doesn't have the sense to notice basic things going on around her, or to not take food or drink from suspicious characters who clearly mean her ill. It's not a great look, and it's not helped by all the random encounters with people who just coincidentally happen to have exactly what she needs in the moment, and give it to her because ... why? Because she's the main character, is why. The result is a book significantly less enthralling than the truly excellent Darkangel and a sad disappointment to one who wanted to see the story of Aeriel and Irrylath continued.

[Kiersten · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent sequel to The Darkangel and a solid precursor to the third book of the trilogy. We learn some more history of Irrylath's enchantment, bring in a host of new characters, and awarded plenty of riveting plot twists along the way. We get a much broader picture of Aeriel's world in this installment, as she traverses half the nations and encounters different cultures and colorful people. I really enjoyed that aspect of it, and in some ways it had a "fuller" feel than the first book, as if it's expanding on the world we only glimpsed one detailed corner of in the first book. Pierce does a good job of hinting at certain things, giving the reader enough clues to foreshadow that there's something really important about certain events or objects, but without revealing enough to give it away before the time is ripe. It very subtly adds to the suspense and holds the reader's attention without frustrating them. Aeriel is still a solid heroine, well-balanced between human and an unknown variable. I was really impressed with the way the author hints at her "strangeness" without ever really giving away if it's due to some innate power of Aeriel's or merely a result of her circumstances. I thought it was a very unique novel in many respects. Overall, I thought it was an unusually solid second book; it's written as if it's really worth your time as a novel of its own and not just to fill in the middle of a trilogy.

[Greta Cross · Rating 2 out of 5]

I quite liked the first book in this trilogy, but this one was honestly just a disappointment. Perhaps I just wasn’t in the mood for a fantasy read, but it really felt like Pierce was stretching everything in this second book.

Everything fell into place for Aeriel too easily too many times. She never faced any true challenges, expect the few daymouths in Pirs, trapped in her chambers on Hungerspice. And even then, I felt like I knew she was going to overcome it.

Also, I think Pierce rides too much on a fine line between reality and fantasy. She wants to create an entirely new world, with entirely new concepts, but it just doesn’t feel like she’s been outwardly creative. My (least) favorite example of this was the “apricoks.” Apparently changing one letter in a word but keeping all of the word’s other properties the same, equals fantasy.

Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to the third book and finishing the series.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the second volume more than the first. The plot is allowed to stretch out more, while still staying interconnected, with no unecessary rambling.

Poor Aeriel is still in love with her prince-husband, but he cannot love her back, even though she has literally given him her heart. She really grows into her destined role of hero, though, and by the end of the book she is no longer a timid slave, but a force to be reckoned with. I like that it's not a feeling of destiny that drives her, though, but her feelings of love and affection and hope.

I can't wait to get my hands on Volume III. At the end of this volume was a teaser, which was intense. It looks like Aeriel is going to be betrayed. She has to overcome the evil witch, but at what cost?

[Ariel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book doesn't have the charm of Darkangel. It feels more forced and less like a fairytale. The references to other works are enjoyable but constructed. It is a satisfying read, but lacks the mastery that set the first book apart and I would recommend in conjunction with that and not alone.

[Sidsel Sander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Igen. Genial World building!

[Eskana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful follow-up to Pierce's "Darkangel," a novel I found full of poetic writing in the shape of a fairy tale. I appreciated before the familiarity of the fairy tale dressings, but also enjoyed that it's clearly otherworldly. The world of Aeriel, the main character, is clearly another planet, and yet is full of legendary creatures like gargoyles, winged vampires, and sea monsters, but also at the same time seas of multicolored sand, immortal lighthouse keepers, and stones that can suck your soul from your body and leave you a pile of dust.

And those are just in THIS installment.

In this series so far, Pierce has not only created a vibrant fantasy with a legendary and unearthly feel; she has also crafted a heroine who is both capable and humble, kind and compassionate, determined and unassuming, and thankfully free of "I'm a woman and I'm going to prove myself to all these men" attitude. Aeriel is independent, and while she may not be the most learned, her other strengths are such that she floats above her world and seems to be the only one with the willpower to fight for its freedom, like she won her own. I really enjoy reading about her, and was grateful that most of this book ignored her relationship (such as it is) with the darkangel, and instead allowed her to once again shine as she struggled to put together the pieces of a riddle that would help her defeat the witch that is slowly conquering her world.

Was the riddle complicated? Yes. Did I figure out large parts of it way before Aeriel? Also yes. But that didn't make it less enjoyable. I would heartily suggest this series to anyone, especially lovers of classical fantasy, because what Pierce has made is a whole new world, and I rarely see anything like it, except maybe a few books by Patricia McKillip or Robin McKinley.

[Moonlit Rumour · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept is engaging, and the majority of the story is nicely written, with strong imagery and mood-building in certain parts (particularly the passages where Aeriel and the jugglers try to get through Demon Pass, the darkangel tries to follow in Aeriel's shadow, but flees at the sight of her eyes, and the discussion of what makes a "stupid" vs. a "smart" darkangel ), but certain parts of it were tiresomely repetitive. The two most irritating ones to me were how everyone kept gasping and looking around any time Aeriel donned or removed the cloak, and how everyone kept repeating that green eyes are so unusual, hardly anyone ever had them except Syllva's sister. I kept thinking "how many times does this have to happen before you get it, Aeriel?". Additionally, the big reveal at the end was, for me, fairly easy to figure out beforehand.

So this story gets credit for the engaging plot, and the fact that we definitely wanted to see what happened after this trilogy's first installment (Darkangel), but the flaws mentioned above drag it down enough to where I don't really think back on reading this fondly on the whole. I think fondly of the strong parts, but overall, it became a bit of a chore to read by the end.

[A room full of books~ :) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm... not as good as the first one. Not much actually even happens until about the last 40-50 or so pages; many of the minor things that do happen are just pure deus ex machina randomly spawning items for Aeriel even more blatantly than for a videogame protagonist; and, oddly, Aeriel is rather more dim-witted at times here as well (seriously, girl, after about the 900th time that you raise your hood and people either don't see you or immediately freak out and call you a sorceress-- some of them even telling you to your face afterwards that you vanished or reappeared-- even YOU should have figured it out without having to have the magical object be explicitly ELI5'd to you later on... 🤦‍♀️ Also, the part where 'she *knew* she should run, right that instant,' and yet despite that she not only did not, but instead walked right over to the guy? Seriously now... 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ Oh, and not to mention keeping on accepting food/drink from extremely suspicious people despite having been drugged by doing so... multiple times...! 😬). The last 40-50 pages were still pretty good though, at least (and I'll still continue on to the trilogy's finale); but otherwise, the first book was definitely better. 🤷‍♀️ (EDIT: After finishing the trilogy, I can say that powering through this book was unfortunately really not worth it. 😕 {See later review for details...})

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

I had a very hard time getting to the end and very nearly gave up on it entirely more than once. Unfortunately, the second book lacks the same mysterious charm as the first, instead coming across as clunky and forced. It didn't help that it felt as though I was reading a spiral, the same conversations and actions repeated over and over and over and over with only the scenery changing every now and then.

The most maddening part is that half the book is spent in one location, where the spiraling gets almost out of hand. For countless pages the same things happen day after day after day after day. The entire story grinds to a total halt because of it. The worst part? Only the last half of that particular section is even important, which makes the drudgery of reading it twice as maddening (you dragged your way through pages upon pages stuck on repeat only to realize in the end it was all meaningless)...especially when one of her new companions is literally spelling out there's something weird going on at the beginning and Aeriel totally dismisses her.

For a woman who survived a Dark Angel, Aeriel sure can be an oblivious idiot.

[Nuffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am REALLY enjoying this series. This second book follows Aeriel's journey through new places/cultures as she attempts to complete a task set by a second riddle - I'm not crazy about the riddles, but the plot device holds the story together fairly well. I love the world Pierce develops and the different challenges Aeriel faces. She's not the smartest heroine in the history of fiction, but she's kind, and that gets her a long way (and given her upbringing as a slave, her naivety and lack of worldly common sense isn't surprising).

While reading, I was reminded of a video game quest. She sets out on a journey, encountering different levels and picking up key items/loot along that way that becomes useful later when used in the right way. She meets new friends, makes new enemies, and the ever-present big boss looms in the distance biding time till the final battle.

My edition has a lot of typos that could have used a better editor, but...it's not the worst thing.