+ Rich dystopian world
+ Intriguing plot full of twists
+ Compelling characters and relationships
+ Addictive writing
- Rushed ending

This is a tough book to review because it was a tough book to read. It deals with a ton of tough subjects which makes the content hard to read at points (I believe the author has a full list of TWs on their blog, and I definitely recommend looking into them before starting the book). However, Lee still wrote an extremely compelling novel nonetheless that seemed to handle these topics with grace and care.

The first 80% of this book was so insanely addictive. I couldn't put it down! I was reading this book with a friend, and it was difficult to stick to the schedule we had set to ourselves. The way Lee built up the intrigue and mystery in the story had me hooked for any scrap of information. My friend and I spent hours theorizing on who was behind everything, who we could trust, and the truth behind magic and Lehrer. I seriously had not been so roped into a dystopian story in a while. There was just something so well written about the characters, the plot, and the setting, and each new kernel of information was both so horrifying and intriguing that I couldn't look away. (My friend compared it to wanting to look away from a car crash but being unable to). I also really enjoyed Lee's writing style. It was not overly convoluted yet perfectly conveyed the story, and added to my enjoyment of the book. It was a large reason of why I couldn't stop reading, as the way the sentences bled into each other made it easier to keep on reading rather than stop and take a break.

Dara and Noah were also fantastic characters, especially in contrast to each other. I loved their relationship, but I also love how they countered each other in the setting. Dara and Noah were opposites in many ways, and it worked to build a fuller image of the world the two inhabited. We don't just see Noah's naive view of his new government position and his magic, but Dara's hatred of it, and it causes the reader to think more on scenes and moments that may not give Noah himself reason to worry. It led to increased engagement overall because of this. Additionally, I also just really liked the pair of them, and their banter was fantastic.

While this is a strong debut, I feel there are still aspects where Lee can grow. I felt this especially in the ending, as it felt like there was a ton of build-up decently spaced out, only for the ending to be a string of revelations that all of a sudden had to be revealed in the last 10%. It made the ending feel rushed, and while it also forced me into the second book, it did so a bit roughly. (And honestly, having finished book 2, it had the same issue except there was no sequel to fall into). I feel like the ending needed a bit more time and space to breathe, and it would've been perfect.