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Previously in Between Light and Darkness, Angela Fujiwara was brought back to life after dying in a bus accident. Now that she knows Seth saved her life with necromancy rather than assaulting her as she had previously thought, she decides she wants to learn magic so that she never feels helpless again. It just so happens that dying made known her dormant gift of magic. In this second installment from McMurtry's series following Angela, the book is as much about self-discovery as it is about exploring the possibilities of magic in the modern-day world. As Seth teaches her how to manipulate the world around her at her will, Angela must grapple with numerous external and internal conflicts.
Even though the book is narrated in a distant third person, Angela's internal battles are evident on the page in her conversations and accidents. The more she learns, the more she is able to help her loved ones. However, this also leads to her becoming more uncomfortable with her powers—magic where a mere thought could kill if she can't stay calm.
In regard to plot structure, many chapters can feel a bit disjointed because there is no obvious flow of events. However, what does string them together is the great lengths at which McMurtry details and explores the magic within the book's urban fantasy setting. The moments where the reader gets to learn about magic alongside Angela are the most interesting because there is a science to it. Magic is often seen as the antithesis of science, but the magic that Angela and her friends can wield is often dependent on manipulating sciences such as physics and alchemy.
Aside from the magic, the story mostly picks up whenever Angela's magic is put to the test in the real world. Whether it's trying to hold herself back from letting her magic take control of her or rushing to save her friends, Angela isn't one to back out from a challenge. And though an apprentice to Seth for almost the entirety of the book, she performs with confidence even in the midst of a panicky situation, making her a strong female protagonist.
Because the novel as a whole is heavily dialogue-driven, the decision to craft the tale in this manner has both its pros and cons. For example, in the first half of the book—because of several pages of dialogue without any breaks in between for scene, setting, or action descriptions—the many characters can, at times, be hard to keep track of. Some of Angela's fellow mages stand out more than others because they get more page time, while the characterization of others can be overshadowed by an influx of dialogue in a group setting. However, the dialogue is also a tool to bring out some of the book's finest moments. For instance, though most of the book has an overall explorative and, at times, serious tone, it has its moments of humor within the dialogue when Angela interacts with her friends. Establishing relationships that feel natural and realistic between his characters is one of the areas where McMurtry truly excels. Overall, the author's stylistic choices make for a quick, engaging read.