Much darker, more political and complex than I imagined, this novel features some of my favorite worldbuilding ever, and certainly met my high expectations.⁣ I love the wildly creative yet accurate feel of the cultures of Xiosphant and Argelo; The transformation of humankind outside the context of Earth is a question I find endlessly fascinating, and which was explored brilliantly throughout this novel. Its two protagonists, Sophie, a poor student from Xiosphant, and Mouth, a smuggler just arrived from the dangerous trek across January from Argelo were characters I quickly loved, and my heart ached for them often as they survived and grappled with the impact of much trauma. ⁣