Hierarchy of the Unseen is a page-turning tale about power, corruption, and maintaining existential peace -- though it somehow achieves a cozy fantasy feel.

We follow two characters who are outcasts in different ways. Mitzli, a half-human/half-vampire, tries to keep their demonic impulses in check while hunting demons as part of a religious order. Kor, a shapeshifter demon, has misgivings about actually killing humans rather than tormenting them for fun. 

There is much to appreciate about this novel. The world building is deliberate without exposition dumps, making for an immersive and comfortable read. I thought the authors handled physical embodiments of magic in interesting ways and used the "unlikely travel companions" trope well. There was also fascinating commentary on how those who maintain social hierarchies pass down creation myths that serve their own purposes.

I struggled a bit to understand the character motivations, which detracted somewhat from my investment in the plot twists that were clearly high-stakes for the characters. I wanted some more backstory on the main characters and antagonists.
 
One of my favorite parts of this story was its approach to gender. It takes place in a queer-normative society without a rigid gender binary; Mitzli wears assorted jewelry to express their gender identity and is shocked to learn that demons assign gender at birth. I love that these are world-building and character details, they’re not plot points -- there are no moments of queer phobia or transphobia. Rather, understandings of queerness and gender expansiveness add layers to an already rich world.

Finally, I really liked the writing style. Some contemporary "cozy" fantasies use language that is too modern, but the empire of Lu-nevet really felt like a world unto itself -- it almost reminded me of something out of a novel by Ursula K. Le Guin or Octavia Butler.

My thanks to the authors and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy of this book.