This is the second book in the Empyrean series. Cadet Violet Sorrengail is now in her second year at the Basgiath War College. I have to admit that the first couple hundred pages were super frustrating to me! Violet is constantly angry at Xaden because of the secrets he keeps - and yet she keeps secrets too. She goes on and on about it. She shuts him out of her life. She refuses to tell him that she loves him because he won't tell her his deep, darkest secrets. Honestly, it was too much and I definitely was going to rate this book 4 stars and not 5 stars like Fourth Wing because I was so annoyed. Meanwhile, Dain steals her memories by touching her and reports them to his father. This event results in Violet and Xaden being sent to their deaths - or at least that's what the intent was. Violet continues to be angry at Xaden though for not being honest with her. Seriously?? If someone can easily steal her memories, then SHE should understand that having more knowledge could potentially kill them all. Super frustrating.
Violet gets taken and tortured for days by Major Varrish, under the pretense that it's another "War Game". They are supposed to practice not giving up information to the enemy. In Violet's case, it's true torture. She's been cut off from communicating with her dragon, Tairn, and Xaden. No one can get to her and she believes that she will die. She is beaten and broken and she still refuses to give Varrish the information he requires. Oddly enough, it's Dain to the rescue (finally!)
After this experience, Violet's way of thinking eventually starts to mature. She still acts like a brat at times, but she also starts acknowledging that some information is simply too dangerous to share. When Violet and Xaden are sent to their presumed deaths, she realizes that the "stories" her dad read to her were actually true. He was trying to warn her. Venin (dark wielders) and their wyvern are real threats, not simply fairy tales. The only thing keeping them out of Navarre are the wards. The wards prevent venin from using their powers. Violet's mother, the General, has covered up this information - and allowed venin to kill innocent citizens who live outside the protection of the wards for years. Once Violet finds this out, she joins the "rebellion" with Xaden and her brother, Brennan. Violet & Xaden go to Basgiath to announce the truth of what's happening and ask people to join them and leave Basgiath. The people that are loyal to Violet, leave with them. They settle in at Xaden's homestead, Aretia.
Then the real fun begins! Violet is subjected to Xaden's former "betrothed", Cat, who despises her. The cadets are forced to start working with the gryphons, who were believed to be the enemy until Violet realizes that it's all part of her mother's lies. (Xaden's father was executed for helping the gryphons fight the venin by smuggling out weapons for the gryphons to use against the venin.) Violet tries to figure out, by interpreting a journal, how to raise a ward to protect Aretia. The venin prepare to attack and a variety of people have to join forces to try to save as much of Naverre and it's citizens as possible.
My summary is a very basic description of what happens in this book. This story is very complex with lots of layers, details, complicated relationships and emotions. It is very well written. I thought it was a trilogy when I started the series, but now I know there is a fourth book planned. So I might wait awhile to read Book 3. I don't want to wait two years for the ending of this story, so I will drag out my experience in this fascinating world.
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