I found this story engrossing and entertaining, a well written fantasy that I read in an afternoon.
The author delivers a story about friendship, searching for our story and who we are, and very inclusive where there is no “normal” as plenty of characters are non binary or belong to different cultures.
My favorite characters were Alix and Zara. Alix, the automaton who is trying to understand who he is, Zara the strong willed and no-nonsense captains of the pirates.
I can say that I found all the characters interesting even if some more background would have helped.
The world building is well done and I was fascinated by the magical system and this sort of steampunk Ancient Greece.
The plot is well developed, a bit slow at times, and the solution was satisfying.
I think it would be great to read other stories set in this universe as there’s plenty to explore and I’d like to visit other places and learn more about the ancient story.
Even if it’s marketed as YA I think it can be appreciated by fantasy aficionados of any age.
It’s recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine