The First Muse is hilarious, has a lot of heart, has a great plot, and kept me on my toes.  I was confused in the first half and the quick transitions didn't help at all.  Several plot holes for sure, put I kept pushing past that and kept reading, and it turned out to be a good time.  Maybe because this is part of a series that I have not read, I'm not sure.  It is supposed to be a standalone, and is satisfying as that as far as resolution. I am not exactly sure what exactly a Breath is, but no matter.  Overall, a great book with some heart wrenching underlying themes.  I enjoyed it.