Getting to read about a place and time that I've never read about before is SUCH a treat. The early 15th century Ottoman Empire was completely new to me, and tying in the legend of Vlad the Impaler with a gender-bent twist was pretty irresistible.

Lada and Radu are the children of Vlad Dragwlya, a contender for Worst Father Ever. He gives his children to the Sultan in exchange for securing his homeland's borders, and so the kids grow up under the fragile protection of their one friend, Mehmed, the sultan's third son.

While Lada is Arya Stark in season five of Game of Thrones, Radu is the softer-hearted sibling. Still, it's not a case of Lada = bad and Radu = good; they both make terrible choices. You are cheering them on one minute and facepalm'ing the next. Radu has converted to Islam and made the palace his home while Lada dreams of returning to Wallachia. Both of them are devoted to Mehmed, but at a cost.

This world is entirely fascinating, one of ever-expanding empire and political intrigue. It's a world where women have to learn how to survive, even if it means sacrificing their freedom or desires; the politics of the harem were fascinating!

I can't wait until next June when the sequel comes out. Just how dark will Lada become in her evolution into Vlad the Impaler?