This was my first Maas book and it certainly will not be my last. Were there flaws with the book ? Of course (including the fact that it didn't REALLY need to be 800 pages). Was I completely devastated because I did not read the synopsis before starting the book? Yes. Was this book the escape that I needed during a pandemic? ABSOLUTELY.

While the beginning is a lot--especially with all the names that she drops without much of an explanation--the flash forward in time is where the book really excels. It become a murder mystery mixed with magic, which is just fun. Maas pulls out a few twists that got me, even while other parts of the book were predictable.

I loved the character of Bryce, especially how she developed and became more nuanced as the book went out. What really stood out to me were the friendships she had and the ones she gained throughout. The book is ultimately about holding on tight to those that love you and learning to trust.
The secondary characters were great too, both the good ones and the evil ones. Plus the world Maas has created, weaving in bits of different mythologies, was an enjoyable one to come to understand.

I look forward to seeing where this series goes with the next book.

TW: Violence; heavy drug and alcohol use; language