I have mixed feelings about this debut novel by Finn Longman. In any story, you'd like characters to evolve, to change, to end up in a different place from where they started their journey. This is what the book seemed to promise, and the journey itself is well written. The world building is good, the characters are interesting and diverse, there are some unexpected twists and a mystery about the main character's past that we gradually uncover.

The main character however starts her journey in this book with a gruwesome and morally reprehensible deed. I expected a redemption arc, and most of the story seemed to hint in that direction. However, the ending brings us right back to the beginning. The main character seems to have learned nothing of everything she went through, and goes right back to her former self without any remorse, change or redemption, making most of what she and the other characters went through ultimately pointless. Is this what the author intended to do?

At the time of writing this review, a sequel has been announced that may contextualize and maybe better explain the lack of progress of the main character in this first book, but as a standalone story, this well-written book deserved a better ending.