The events of the prior book have left a mark, which is dealt with... well, it's still a story that is drawing on fairytale meta-tropes. The treatment of that trauma feels unsatisfyingly shallow in places if expectations are set by SF. But if it's a fairytale of sorts, then there's enough to move the story. And it is a coming of age, transformational fairytale. SF & ultratech trappings to the magic, but it's a story that probably won't work for some readers till one recognizes that the SF tropes aren't more than skin deep. That said, it's not the sort of fairy tale where everything is going to be glossy & happy. If the wolf eats grandma, there won't be any woodsman to pop them back out safely. It's an older set of tropes and expectations. Don't expect Disney. (...maybe Pixar. >_> Hi, Pixar; make me cry more, why don'tcha.) Ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. At least I already own the 3rd book!