Really amazing book! Here’s the reason for 4, instead of 5: there’s not a lot of depth to the characters, and it ends really abruptly, for me. Otherwise, interesting story and plot, and with a helpful glossary and lots of fascinating cultural descriptions. I felt like I could visualize the city and country Alif lives in.
I know there’s a lot of Harry Potter comparisons, but it doesn’t remind me of HP, other than mentions of the Philosopher’s Stone (which J.K. Rowling did not invent, y’all). It reminds me most of the show The Good Place, esp season 3, and of “Stardust”, and a little of the second two Grisha books.