I probably should have left well enough alone and just passed this book along to someone else, because while the synopsis had potential, it wasn't exactly intriguing to me from the get go. But it was available via Overdrive and I needed an audiobook to listen to while I did housework and decorated for Christmas.

This did not work for me on really any level. I didn't HATE the book, but the execution was pretty poor, in my opinion.

First, the world building. This had the potential to be a really interesting society, but I didn't feel like there was any depth. It was kind of glazed over in favor of political intrigue that was also very generic. I just had so many questions while I was reading that weren't addressed, specifically with the class system and social customs. The automae at some point adapted many social customs of humans. Hunting, eating, interest in fashion and parties, marrying for political power. My question is...why? They don't NEED to eat, so hunting for food and large dinner banquets are done merely for show and I can't understand the point. It just doesn't make sense to me that this race (for lack of a better term) would cling so much to traditions that AREN'T THEIRS. I'm assuming the author is trying to make some sort of comment regarding cultural appropriation, but it's a pretty clunky comparison if that's the case.

Next, the characters. I didn't think there was any one character in this book that was fully fleshed out and interesting. To be honest, there were many times I would forget whose perspective we were following at any given time, because despite one person being a human and the other being a being made from a literal blueprint, they sounded pretty much the same to me. None of the side characters seemed to bring anything to the table other than as plot contrivances to move things along. Kinok could have been interesting, but there was a lack of depth to him that led to a very one-dimensional villain.

I wish I could say that the characters and world-building suffered in order to set up a dynamic plot, but that would be a lie. I know that I am supposed to be captivated by the political and court 'intrigue' in this book, but I just didn't feel moved at all by it. Perhaps it's because the societal and hierarchical structure was never adequately established, but I didn't care at all about all of the power struggle shenanigans going on, and I didn't care about the human resistance either. We were told about events after the fact too many times, and there was too much info-dump via flashback and chapter intros. In fact, the first two pages of the book is a timeline of everything that happened before the events of the book, which feels like some of the most lazy exposition I've seen. That information could have (and should have) been woven into the story in a more organic, interesting way. Instead it reads like a bullet list from a history book.

And last, and least, unfortunately, is the romance. This is not a book you should read if you are looking for a good romance. I think there are many people who would disagree, and that's fine. But when I am told, over and over again, that this book has a slow-burn angst fest for a romance and all I get is lukewarm instalove...that's disappointing.
Like...I don't get why these two feel so strongly toward each other. Crier, in particular, is immediately captivated by Ayla from their first meeting. Ayla, having her ulterior motives, takes a little longer to come around, but not much.
The author's dedication to this book is: "For the queer readers. You deserve every adventure." And that is something I whole-heartedly agree with. Everyone wants to see themselves in media, and for people in the LGBTQIA+ community, that representation can be difficult to come by, specifically in SFF books. But I think they deserve better than a mediocre romance that is built on next to no foundation. Crier and Ayla have like two conversations about subjects other than the direct plot of the story. They don't spend any time together where one or the other of them isn't lying to the other. Great basis for romance, eh?

I'm going to close this review out on a nitpicky note, which is totally on brand for me. WTF is up with the name 'Crier'? Maybe it's because I listened to a good chunk of this on audiobook, but the name Crier sounds stupid especially when it's in the book 328613964 times. Sorry, not sorry.

I won't be continuing with the series. To be honest, I finished it 6 hours ago and I'm already forgetting about it.