Along the way, the Commandant Keris Veturia—now Emperor Marcus's lieutenant—makes things more difficult by assigning a man named Avitas Harper to go along with Helene.

Tahir has stated the global refugee crisis,[3][4] her childhood, news about child soldiers and the novel On Killing inspired A Torch Against the Night.

[2] Publishers Weekly, in a starred review stated the novel "has a darker tone and even higher stakes than its predecessor, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion.

"[5] Kirkus Reviews called the novel "An excellent continuation of a series seemingly designed for readers of the political, bloody fantasy style du jour, set apart by an uncommon world.

Club,[7] TheGuardian.com and The Christian Science Monitor praised the novel's way of subverting the young adult fiction genre's clichés.