I loved how this picked up from where book 1 left off and immediately ripped any optimism to shreds. It was a gripping read with the painful twist that it keeps me cheering for Laure even when Laure is being terrible. I found the primary antagonist a little flat, though - "the whole Paris Ballet and all its insiders" just made such a good villain in book 1 than I don't think "a bitter individual" can compare.