I think it was well written and an interesting premise but I feel like protagonist was done SO dirty over and over and I felt like no one was even trying to emphasize with her, and then she just magically comes around. Fiske shamelessly called Eelyn’s brother his brother and was angry with her for following him but OF COURSE she followed Iri! Fiske would’ve done the exact same thing, but Eelyn is demonized over and over again and made to be a fool for following her brother who she thought was dead. 

The mother figure in the story is presented as nurturing and caring, but Eelyn was a literal slave to them and was made to eat facing the corner alone. Yeah, she wasn’t abused, but she was shamed and believed that she lost her place in her God’s afterlife. There were so many times where my heart wrenched for Eelyn and I don’t think the story ever made up for that. No one apologized or admitted to their wrongdoings. 

The romance was mediocre. Fiske was never really nice to her so I don’t see how either one of them developed feelings. He wanted her to die for a long time, then ignored her presence, and was nice towards her when they journeyed together but that was after he developed feelings. I didn’t hate them but I was never rooting for them and I didn’t really feel the connection. 

This review was harsh, but it honestly wasn’t a bad book. It was very engaging, I just felt like I didn’t get the pay off I wanted from the emotional suffering I felt for Eelyn. I loved her as a character and she deserved better.