W.R. Gingell’s Reviews > Every Longing Heart > Status Update

Claire just casually dropping bangers in the narrative:

"Lily hadn't killed but she was still lost to the madness...No one had taught her control or how to craft her own fetters for the urges. Her maker had been the one to control her, and now he was dead"

as a woman coming from a controlling patriarchal church background, this was the thing that hit hardest about the privilege of self-government/responsibility

also loving the theme of strong female friendships that continues on from book one; the women are allowed to be complex, difficult, and dangerous to navigate.

they're allowed to be wrong (and even unpleasant) while the book reminds us that they still deserve not to be assaulted, mistreated, and hurt.

we're also navigating friendships with difficult parts, betrayal, and potential to hurt, and i love that

i adore how Claire focuses on the personhood of her fmcs. we know Gen has been horribly assaulted, but we don't have our noses shoved in the horror & degradation--we hear about her moments of bravery, her comfort in a hand held; we aren't made to witness things we'd rather not see.

and we're still left with the healing, the hope, and the change that these stories demand, each bit shown as clearly as you could hope.