"Everyone thinks i have a death wish, you know? But i don't want to die - dying is easy. No, i want to live, but getting close to death is the only way to feel alive. And once you do, it makes you realize that everything you are doing before wasn't actually living. It was jut making do. Call me crazy, but i think we do the best living when the stakes are high" 
  — Delilah Bard —

Flashback of First Book

 In the first book Kell made mistakes by smuggling the black stone from Black London that called it self as Vitari, the stone that has magic ability that can grand a wish easily even for people who don't have magical ability. In order to amend for his mistake, he tried to return it to where it belongs, to Black London. But that stone turns out only the half of the stone, which the half of it is in the White London King, Athos Dane who is the one who tricked Kell to bring that stone across the London. His sister, in other hand using a pendant (or necklace or whatever you would like to call it) ask Holland to give it to Rhy, and with that controlling Rhy, trying to rule Red London from Rhy because Red London close the doors between the Londons, leaving White London to fight the Magic by themself. 

In order to save Rhy, (who got stabbed by Astrid why she "possessing" him in order to escape from Kell when he found out about Astrid in Rhy) almost dead, or we can call it dead already, Kell ask Vitari to help him, to save Rhy and take his life instead, but the magic just tied them together, that leaves a round wound mark in their heart, both Rhy and Kell and Rhy's life is no longer his, because his life is tied to Kell's life.

He'd always be envied his brother's strength. And now, in a horrible way, it was hi. He was immortal. And he hated it. [...] Hated that he'd become the thing he never wanted to be, a burden to his brother, a source of pain and suffering, a prison. Hated that if he'd had a choice, he would have said no. Hated that he was grateful he hadn't had a choice, because he wanted to live, even if he didn't deserve to. 

Synopsis

 In this second book, the story begin with Lila's adventure after saving the Red London. Decided to leave, but not going back to Grey London, going to sail become a pirate. And Kell left alone, still in Red London, and have to accept the Queen's treatment that no longer see him as a son, and treat him like a traitor. 

In Other hand in Red London, Rhy is busy preparing for tournament called Essen Tasch, where magicians from 3 kingdom will fight for a crown. Kell, by Rhy's suggestion to enter that tournament for the sake of their both sanity, because the link between them just made them edgy. 

This book comes in different point of view, not only Kell and Lila, but also from Rhy the Prince, Okja (a new character) and also Holland.

My Honest Review

I got to say this book is an emotional roller coaster for me. I literally begging like "please please please" in each page after reading few chapter just so Kell and Lila to meet. Their path is just keep crossing each other!! VE Schwab know how to tease her readers. The thing about keep missing each other is one thing, and kind of frustrating, but the result after is just fluttering my heart.

" I don't know why you two are circling each other like stars. It is not my cosmic dance. But i do know that you come asking after one another, when only a few strides and a handful of stairs divide you."

 This book will feel a bit dragging in first few chapter, i think overall this book is slow paced, totally different than the first book in comparison. Lots of POV somehow made me want to skip some chapter because i just want to know more about Kell and Lila . But believe me, don't skip it because it just a piece of puzzle from this big master piece.

Also i'm in love deeply with Lila's character more in this book. Once again, she outshines Kell in some aspect i think. Kell is special because he is an Antari, but Lila is unique, she's a lot more to explore kind of character, not easily lovable, but challenging.

"I am Delilah Bard. Pirate, thief, magician. I have crossed worlds and taken shops. Fought queens and saved cities. I'm one of a kind.  "

When she decided to enter the tournament, i was like, what??? she just learning to control fire and a bit of water, thanks to the captain, but entering tournament??? it does sounds a bit absurd, but well, she's Lila, everything she had done before just explain this one i guess. 

In other hand, i just don't like how Queen and King behave to Kell. I mean, he saved him literally bring him back to death!

"I can't keep doing this. At least when you treated me like a son, i could pretend. But now... the queen treats me as a traitor, and you treat me as a prisoner."
"You Made this prison, Kell. When you tied your life to Rhy's"

I was like almost slam my book while reading this chapter. You ungrateful people! Kell just did what the most impossible to do yet that's all what you got to say and do??

"I saved his live. And before you go blaming me for putting it in danger, we both know he managed that much himself. When will you stop punishing me alone for a family's worth of fault?[...] I brought your son back from the dead! I did it knowing it would bind our lives, knowing that it would mean for me, what i would become, knowing that the resurrection of his life would mean the end of mine, and i did it anyway, because he is my brother and your son and the future King of Arnes. What more could i possibly do? I can't keep atoning. I have him my life, but you cannot ask me to stop living."

My Verdict

 Read it! I rate it as a Uh Yeah for me (books that really made me hype to read them till the last page of the book, but still a bit lack in some aspect somehow). The only lack of this book is that it feels a bit slow paced but i personally like this one a lot. As the closure, i will give you one of my fave quotes from Lila, because her words just mesmerizing somehow and also probably the one that made Kell made his decision.

"The thing about freedom, Kell? It doesn't come naturally. Almost no one has it handed to them. I'm free because i fought for it. You're supposed to be the most powerful magician in all the worlds. If you don't want to be here, then go."