In the opening of this middle book in the Traitor's Game trilogy, Kestra, the Infidante, confronts the megalomaniacal Lord Endrick but fails to kill him. Instead, he replaces her memories and charges Kestra with destroying the Corak rebellion. The rebels rescue Kestra when they see the plan has failed, but she acts as if they are strangers abducting her; worse, if Endrick's magic can't be reversed, a new Infidante can only be chosen if Kestra dies. Simon, her star-crossed lover, is naturally against this. While the Coraks bicker, the Halderians and Brillians, both uneasy allies, implement their own secret plans. The memory wipe keeps Kestra frustratingly devoid of agency for much of the book, and readers invested in her relationship with Simon will need patience, for he spends much of his time pining. The convoluted political maneuvering is compelling, with bloody results, and while Kestra's memory problem is solved, the result leaves her forever changed and in even more danger. Though uneven, this is an angsty, high-stakes setup for the final volume.--Krista Hutley Copyright 2018 Booklist

Afflicted by magic, a young woman is not quite herselfand is unsure of who she wants to become.Sixteen-year-old Kestra Dallisor returns to the royal Antoran court, now (reluctantly) the Infidante: the prophesized wielder of the Olden Blade, potential destroyer of evil Lord Endrick, and thus, savior of the Banished (Halderian) people. When an assassination attempt goes awry, Lord Endrickthe Dominion leader and last known Endrean magic usermeddles with her memories and remakes her into an obedient Ironheart. Uncertain of her loyalties and love interests, Kestra must decide if she will rejoin the Corack rebels or rekindle her relationship with Simon Hatch, once a servant and now revealed as the Halderian heir. Repetitive political machinations, melodramatic lovers' miscommunications, explosion-filled action sequences, and requisite romantic triangles ensue. Unaffected by the magic, co-narrator Simon provides a more logical perspective and linear counternarrative, but amnesia essentially (frustratingly) resets Kestra's journey. Nielsen's (Resistance, 2018, etc.) generic fantasy settingpre-industrial (barring the evildoers' tech), vaguely Northern Europeanunevenly explained magic, and obligatorily odd fantasy beasts are standard, stale fare. Kestra and Simon are presumably white.A serviceable sequel that establishes obstacles for the young lovers to overcome in the next installment but contributes little else. (Fantasy. 12-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.