The second volume of this story is pretty good, but it doesn't quite have the same level of engrossment as the first volume. The pacing is more on the slower side, and there doesn't seem to be a great deal of development. Light is still engaged in killing people, L is still attempting to catch him out, and people are still left wondering what the heck is going on.
I also didn't find Light as interesting in this volume. In the first one, I liked that he had a specific agenda and purpose - he claimed to want to only kill criminals for the sake of justice and creating a better world. However, in this volume, he has become too intoxicated with power and is now killing anyone who gets in his way, even if they are innocent. I would have preferred to see a bit more conflict or depth in his decision to kill off twelve FBI agents. His nonchalant attitude of 'they need to be dead because I can't let them catch me' comes across as a bit cartoonish and dull. He just doesn't seem as layered or complex as he did in the first volume.
L wasn't what I expected either. In the first volume, he was cool and calm, but in this one, he turns out to be rather awkward and weird. Nevertheless, I still liked him.
Watori was a bit of a surprise. Really? He's an old white guy? I thought he was supposed to be L's young and badass sidekick, but instead, he's more like a fuddy-duddy butler. I was unimpressed.
I hope Naomi, the missing FBI agent, turns out to be alive. She was smart and seemed like she could hold her own. Every other female character apart from her has been rather silly.
All in all, it's a decent read, but just not as interesting as the first one.