""A Drop of Corruption" is a superb sequel to the book, "The Tainted Cup". It has a complex and great storyline, awesome characters, and excellent worldbuilding.

Like "The Tainted Cup", "A Drop of Corruption" is a fantasy murder mystery. It is intricate, layered, and intriguing. While I did have a guess on who the murderer was, I was shocked by the twist at the end. It wasn't always easy to keep track of all the details, but like the movie Inception, I liked how complex it was. There was also great social commentary about imperialism, corruption, and exploitation in the book.

The imagery that Bennett used was quite effective. I could visualize the story as I read it. Some parts were a bit more challenging for me to read as there was a lot of body horror at times. The imagery was powerful and well done.

So was the characterization. My favorite character is Ana. She is blunt, funny, and inquisitive. Her wits are put to the test here, and she faces a great challenge from the villain. I enjoyed reading about her tactics and strategies. I also really like her personality and cleverness. Plus her bond with Din is great. She can be a bit rude to him (and others), but they share an awesome bond and I love their chemistry as well as how caring she is.

Din is great too. I found him to be relatable, especially in how he feels like he isn't making a difference and, thus, feels burnt out. Yet, he is determined, dutiful, and principled. I also enjoyed how we get to learn even more about his character and how his detective skills have improved. He is the main POV character and it was great to see the story through his eyes.

I also thought that Malo was a great character. With the ability to smell, hear, and see things far away - as well as to discern when someone is lying - along with great combat skills (especially with a bow), she is quite skilled. I like how she worked with Din. I also like her personality a lot. She's tough and no-nonsense. I hope we see her in the next book!

Regardless of whether there will be a sequel, I love the worldbuilding in this one. Like the plot, it is intricate and complex. We learn about a different kingdom, Yarrow, as well as its history and how it ties with the Empire. We also learn more about how the Empire is using the Titans. Much of the story is set in a small (compared to the size of the Empire) area, but the worldbuilding is detailed and rich. It is superb.

As for the story mechanics, it was good overall. The pacing was a bit slow, but it made sense, given the worldbuilding and scale of the mystery. There was a lot of telling, but I can also see the case for that too, particularly given the mystery. The story structure is good and so is the plot itself.

Overall, I really like the book, "A Drop of Corruption". It has a great plot, superb mystery, awesome characters, and great worldbuilding. I hope there is a third book in this series (as well as a prequel for Ana in the future), particularly since the first two books are great!"