The Red-Stained Wings: The Lotus Kingdoms, Book Two | 
“Helplessness, the state of being a victim, is not learned ... It‘s taught. And the course of instruction is written in powerlessness, in kicks and blows. In dismissals. It is taught in the language of being unable to protect the things and the people you value from violence ... It is written with the pen of denigration upon the paper of desperation” (p. 330)
Truth from a fantasy author — no surprise there.
pickMuch like the first book in the trilogy, this second book had mystery, action and political posturing. The pacing was quite good and right at a point where I began to wearily wonder how long I was expected to put up with a character, he was dispensed with. A pleasure to see a book where most characters were highly intelligent women who could make decisions and be vulnerable as well.
