3.5 stars. I really enjoyed the original premise of this book. The twists and turns in the last half of the story kept me turning the pages. I needed to know what was going to happen next!

I will preface this by saying I'm a fan of flowery language and descriptions, so take that into account. I did find the writing to be a bit too much "tell not show" for my taste. For a story so brutal, the writing is so impersonal. There is also a lot of repetition throughout the book. I feel like I don’t really know Sigourney, but maybe that’s intentional. Her kraft allows her to know the feelings and memories of others, and we get to know the other characters that way. But Sigourney? I feel like we only know the surface of her. Again, maybe they did that on purpose and not truly knowing Sigourney was their point.

I love the plot point of Sigourney knowing that the regent is an animated corpse, and the mansion they all gather in is an illusion. The symbolism of the characters sitting in a molding ruin while they think it’s a resplendent manor is so, so good.

  Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and Kacen Callender is one of my favorite authors of this year. I recommend this book is you're looking for a new fantasy read that is original and diverse.