I've had this on my to read list for years, and I'm glad I finally got around to reading it. While I feel for Caleb, this was a very solid read from the POV of Black people in the era of Jim Crow, with a Lovecraftian spin. A far more enjoyable read than some other period pieces.
It's been a few years since I last read the series, but I don't remember liking this one as much as the first. But after reading it again, I really like it. Mostly due to the subversion of the heroes journey we got in the first book. That warning about charismatic leaders shines brightly here.
On the fence about giving it a star rating, but ultimately found this book better for beginners. I was hoping to find some good tips, but I was already familiar with them. I already use Anki and other apps, though I don't have any good physical dictionaries on hand. No current editions, anyway.
The format was fun, but I hated how the actual book was written. I had more fun reading the bits between Martyr Black and his partner. The writing felt more fluid there. The halting style in the story was so annoying.
