Teixcalaan, when we left off, had just put down a civil war by way of the convenient truth of an alien invasion threatening the empire. Mahit once again finds herself in the middle of the politics—first encounters this time. Fresh from the coup attempt and the dramatic aftermath, she’s stuck between a rock—the politics of Lsel—and a hard place—the freaking aliens. Fortunately, she still has Yskandr… somewhere.

We also see Seagrass as a perspective character in her own right. Alongside her is Nine Hibiscus, new to the series, offering a view from within the political machinations of the empire’s military arm. And then there’s Eight Antidote, with his innocent yet thoughtful, childlike charm. Each carries their own motives and intentions. Arkady has done another phenomenal job, especially with the diversity of perspectives in A Desolation Called Peace compared to A Memory Called Empire, creating another intertwined story—this time with transparency from the beginning. It leans more toward a thriller than a mystery.

The story is once again inviting and a bit anxiety‑inducing, delivered with the light touch Arkady handles so well. The pacing matches the mood of the book and kept me reading more quickly. The universe expands as each character travels, revealing the inner workings of Teixcalaan, the thoughts of its people, and the culture that is, of course, ever present.

A beautiful series.