This book is breathtaking. The story, the worldbuilding, the characters, the backstory... everything is so deftly woven into this thrilling debut novel. I'm so grateful I was given this as an ARC, because I need people to read it and discuss / wait for the sequel with bated breath with me.

Vasalie has been imprisoned for two years for a murder she didn't commit by a king who knew she was innocent. When he offers her the chance to resume her previous role--as a dancer, but this time, also as a spy for him--in exchange for her vindication and freedom, Vasalie has no choice but to agree. But her body is not what it used to be, and she struggles to relearn how to dance. And she is quickly thrust into a position she never imagined, being the solo dancer and spectacle she has been ordered to be for the largest royal gathering of the Northern Kingdoms.

I feel I can't say too much more about the plot for fear of giving anything away, but rest assured, it's a tightly plotted, intricate story with political intrigue, forbidden romance, reclaiming one's past and finding your own strength, even in the darkest of places.

One of the things I feel the strongest about in regards to this book is the invisible illness representation. The author prefaces the book stating that she herself deals with multiple "invisible" ailments, and she wanted to have a heroine who similarly experienced such incongruity between bodily autonomy and  limited physical ability. I also experience conditions like the author's, and I felt so seen in the beautiful depiction of Vasalie's physical and mental strength in the wake of her imprisonment and the subsequent "breaking" of her body and spirit. I often read fantasy with badass FMCs, and I've always longed to be like them, wielding a sword and my wits in battle (even if that aspect is, itself, a fantasy). With this book, seeing Vasalie dance and perform feats she never believed she was capable of, and deal with the various traumas of her past that simultaneously bolster and hinder her... it feels like healing. Even if my body may struggle to, or my mind tells me I'm incapable of recovery, having a heroine like Vasalie, and a writer like Brittney Arena dedicated to telling gorgeous stories such as this one, give me so much hope.

I truly cannot wait for the sequel. I'm so invested in this world, and know it's only going to get bigger and more intricate. And to the author, even though you'll likely not see this: thank you so much for the gift of this book. I am so, so grateful to feel like I, too, could be a badass fantasy heroine through your eyes.

SO many thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

🌶️