*SPOILERS*
Wow, I have so many thoughts I am afraid I will get too excited and my review won't make any sense.
First off, I'll say that this book is definitely my favourite thus far. So many questions were answered yet enough remain to make me itch to read the last installment. Learning about each character's backstory and journey was definitely my favourite part.
I think that for this review, I'll do what I did for the first book and talk about each character separately, although some might overlap.
Violet:
I loved Violet's narrative in this story. I liked the way the author really wanted to convey to the readers that Shadow Violet and Radiant Violet are two completely different people with different morals. I don't have much else to say about her apart from one massive flaw of hers that I will talk about when I talk about Elijah.
Zagan:
Throughout the first part of the book, I kept waiting for Zagan to show up. (you can really tell he's my favourite character) When he finally did I screamed with joy. Being a massive slow burn fan myself, his and Violet's relationship felt like a treat. The only thing I hope we will get from Zagan is some self acceptance. I desperately need a scene in the next book where he understands that he is not a possessive monster to Violet. I need there to be a relationship deeper than just lust between the two. From the last few chapters, we see that Zagan has given up on trying to drive Violet away. I really hope that this new decision of his will flourish into a relationship of mutual respect.
Elijah:
Wtf. No that's literally my only reaction.
Now I knew that I didn't like Elijah from the beginning, but I thought it was because he was irritating. I honestly did not see this disgusting behaviour coming.
The fact that he worked with the Contessa and kidnapped Zagan, a literal child, so that he could be with Violet WHO WAS FUCKING EIGHT AT THE TIME literally makes me want to vomit.
The scene where he was explaining to Violet how he pulsed into her room multiple times when she was sleeping AS A CHILD was one of the most uncomfortable scene I have ever read.
Like she literally felt how he had to hold himself back from doing whatever he wanted to do (if you know what I mean). And granted we don't know how old she was but it was probably around 16 and it would have been non consensual.
And the fact that he demanded "payment" for helping her. Disgusting.
I really don't understand how Violet believed him when he said that he would never take anything from her that she was not willing to give. Violet? Did you not literally tell him to stop? Were you not visibly uncomfortable? You literally can't tell me she actually wanted him to do that. That is literal sexual assault. I don't care about the deep connection they have, she did not want any of it. I literally don't care if Elijah gets killed off.
Which brings me to Violet's massive flaw. She is doing the same thing to Zagan.
I don't care that Zagan is only holding back because he does not want to hurt her. He told her No multiple times and she continued to come onto him. And at points she stopped herself because she did not want to "lose all self respect". I'm sorry but how do still have self respect after coming onto him like that.
The only thing that I kind of understand is that she is possessed by her Shadow self and she does tell us "I would've never have done what I did had I been myself" but I still feel that this much coming on when Zagan doesn't want it is not necessary.
Maxim:
I KNEW IT! I literally said that he was the leader of the weird cult and that he was low-key evil. Except I was also wrong? Because he's not evil? He obviously knows a lot more about the Prisms than anyone else. But why does he have the king's mark on his chest? I highly doubt that he got it tattooed on him for the respect or something. Like no that doesn't sound like something he'd do. I think that he got it unwillingly or he always had it. Is he related to Zagan somehow? A cousin or brother? I literally don't know.
Adriel:
I literally love the woman. The things she does for her daughter, the fact that she protected prisms as a child and continued to try save them. I really hope she doesn't die. PLEASE DON'T KILL HER OFF!🙏
I know that Violet is angry that she kept so much from her but keeping her in the dark about her being a Prism was the best way to protect her.
I'm not surprised that the council is bad but Davis? Really? At least I feel like he does not actually want to kill Prisms but just got caught up in a majority decision.
The Contessa:
Since we don't actually know what she wants or where she comes from, I have a theory about her.
I think she is Aurelia, the first female prism. Think about it, in the King's journal, he says that the darkness was starting to take over Aurelia. The Contessa is a literal being of Darkness that seems to have no light left in her. She controls the Umbra, the beings that were released by the King himself, the man who was helping her. And what else do we know about the Contessa? She wanted Zagan and Violet to get together, hence complete the bond. Why would she want that? I get how she might want to control Zagan because he's a powerful half blood, people usually try to acquire power. But what would she get from getting Violet and Zagan together? If she were Aurelia it would make sense for her to try to get two prisms together to complete the prophecy and destroy the council, the people who killed her beloved.
That's pretty much it for this review, I'm keeping it short because I want to read the next book right now.