A review by onetrooluff
A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine

5.0

Gahhhhhhhhh. I had a hard time getting going on this even though I'd been wanting to read it since I finished book 1. It wasn't the book's fault - I enjoyed every page - but I was visiting family for the first time in about 18 months and I just couldn't give it the attention it deserved.

I'm so glad I kept at it. This is a "stew" book, as Gail Carriger would say. Dense, meaty, fills up your mind and your heart. I still loved Mahit and Three Seagrass but now I got to love Eight Antidote, the new yaotlek Nine Hibiscus, Minister of War Three Azimuth, and of course Twenty Cicada, our beloved Swarm. Eight Antidote really came into his own here and the decisions he made just warmed my heart.

I don't know if there will be more to this series.... and honestly, I'm good with that either way. This ended in a new, fascinating place but also a lot of characters made such progress in learning themselves that it felt likea really satisfying ending as well.having said that, if there is more, I will obviously be reading it!