Paige Mahoney has eluded death again. Snatched from the jaws of captivity and sent to a safe house in the Scion Citadel of Paris, she finds herself caught between factions that seek Scion’s downfall and those who would kill to protect the puppet empire.

The mysterious Domino Program has plans for Paige, but she has ambitions of her own in this new citadel. With Arcturus at her side, she embarks on an adventure that will lead her from the catacombs of Paris to the glittering hallways of Versailles.

As Scion widens its bounds and the free world trembles in its shadow, Paige strives to understand her bond with Arcturus, which grows stronger by the day. But there are those who know the revolution began with them–and could end with them…

Trying to review the fourth book in a series is tricky. So much has happened up to this point that even naming certain characters feels like it could give something away. But honestly, if you haven’t started this series yet, consider this the flashing neon sign you’ve been waiting for. (And maybe don’t continue reading this just in case…)

This world Shannon has built is massive. It’s dystopian but not in the cookie-cutter way we’ve all grown tired of. Instead, each book expands the mythology, the political structure, and the sense of danger in a way that feels natural rather than overwhelming.

Where earlier books set the foundation and pushed Paige through some brutal character development, this one feels like the moment everything clicks into place (and then turns it on its head again). Paige has escaped to Paris after being brutally tortured in London. This escape brings a fresh tone to the series. I loved how Shannon used the city’s real history and architecture to add weight to the dystopian setting. The catacombs. The shadowy political groups. The sense that no one can be trusted and everyone wants something from Paige is even more prevalent in this new city. There’s this constant low hum of danger that never really lets up.

The Domino Program adds a whole new dynamic, and ups the stakes even more. And then there’s Arcturus. Their bond deepens in this book. We new it would eventually get there, but the slow burn has felt earned and the payoff is great. I also love that Shannon never takes the easy route with them.

Without spoiling anything, the last stretch of this book is incredible. The reveals had me stopping mid-page just to catch my breath. Shannon has been planting seeds since the early books, and the way so many threads come together here is just… wow. This is the kind of payoff that makes long series feel worthwhile.

My one regret is that I didn’t pace myself better, because I read the first four books this year. I still have book five to get through, but books six and seven aren’t out yet and I know I’ll go crazy waiting for them.

This series is fierce, imaginative, and full of characters who I have fallen in love with. This is hands down one of the best series I’ve read in a while. Things in the first three books have been tense, but this installment raises the stakes, deepens the emotional core, and sets up the next phase of the story in a way that left me wanting more immediately