Maybe I wasn't in the right mood? Maybe it's the fact I was already discouraged at the beginning knowing it was part of a series? All I know is I stuck it out but I never found myself truly enjoying this book. I've read (most, if not all) of Naomi's other books, and I have learned that her writing style takes me a bit to get used to. It's a rhythm and structure that my mind does not easily wrap itself around. This time around, my brain never caught up with it. I was also often reminded of the book The Magicians by Lev Grossman, a book I detested and continue to rail against to this day. When I read a book about magic and a magical school, I want to be taken away from this shitty, un-magical world I currently reside in. For me, the setting of a magical school, where magic is dangerous, it's every wizard for themselves, and everything is dark and dreary and deadly, is not my cup of tea. Lastly, the main character is a spicy handful full of anger. Naomi Novik is an excellent writer, even when my brain doesn't want to follow her words correctly. Well enough that when she writes her main character, El, I am living through the emotions. Right now, the last thing I want to feel vicariously through El is all the anger and distrust she feels towards everyone in her life.

All in all, this book isn't BAD. It's well done, but it was DEFINITELY not the book for me.