The plot and pacing was a bit slow, much more heavy on the historical themes in this one(less about the actual main character and more about what they were doing around these well-known figures), and it wasn’t until halfway that a main character in book 1 gets reintroduced(which seems so odd after the last chapter on book 1). There seemed to be less of a focus on the themes of the first book too. 

Honestly, the plot for this one seemed a bit all over the place, and then wrapped up all in the last 2-3 chapters, when it seemed like it’d been ages since the subject had been brought up and/or debated. There was a rather unnecessary love triangle of sorts too.

I liked the ambiguity at the end, but I think I was just expecting more after the first book.