What I loved most was the character development. Carl and Donut continue to grow in ways that feel earned, not forced, and you really start to root for them as more than just survivors. There is a moment in this book that genuinely shocked me. The kind of twist that makes you stop and reread because you cannot believe what just happened. It creates such a strong “rooting for the underdog” energy that you cannot help but feel invested in their fight against a system designed to crush them.