This book leans away from the beautiful melancholy of the first in the series, with a more optimistic (occasionally hilarious) tone. I loved every moment Sphene and Zeiat spent together. The ending surprised me just as much as it surprised the characters, but I suppose it had been brewing underneath my notice. There was a Chekhov's gun obligation that I'm not sure was entirely discharged, but I'm still definitely prepared to rate the book five stars for the enjoyment I got reading it.