Hanne, Rune, and the Nightrender return for the second entry in the Salvation Cycle.Things on the island of Salvation are darker now than ever before. King Rune is missing, absorbed by the Malice after the disastrous battle that concluded the previous installment. Queen Hanne must consolidate her tenuous power in Caberwill in her new husband's absence, battling the court's mistrust of an ambitious foreigner with the aid of Nadine, her cunning-and cunningly kind-cousin. Nightrender is adrift, both in the world and within herself, her memories fractured and her next steps toward a better world unclear. All three point-of-view characters have sharpened and deepened in this new installment, their motivations compelling and their actions convincing. The mingling tensions of love wished for and love denied are a steady undercurrent as Meadows' plot continues to unfurl in yet more intricate fashion. Mae, the brilliant and mischievous scientist from Ivasland, makes a reappearance, adding another level of complexity to the web of loyalties and desires. Surprises wait around every turn, but the resolution, when it arrives, feels satisfying and well earned. Readers will be left with a resounding sense of hope, both for characters they have come to love and for a troubled world that parallels our own. Most characters are cued white; Mae is described as having light-brown skin in the previous installment.An effective conclusion to an action-packed fantasy duology. (Fantasy. 14-18)