Even better than the first book. I love the interactions between Edward and Haddon (sp?). The other characters are given more life and depth. Jeff Hays is masterful, as usual, and gave life to the story and characters far beyond what my own inner voice could However, I have to be honest – mostly hoping the narrator reads this and adapts. Annie took me out of the story with her characters quite often. Half of her female voices (aside from Kat and Adriana) had a comically gravely and shrill aspect that grated and seemed far too manic and cartoony (I found myself pulled out of the story either cringing a bit or considering whether the tone seemed out of character). I lost the ability to determine who was talking without context or attribution cues from the writing when these characters were talking.
Overall, I Loved it. The ending was both satisfying and exciting, now that I know who the next minor antagonist might be! Can’t wait for the next. Here’s hoping Hugo and Jeff the best of luck, inspiration, and health!