I have to start by emphasizing that I read this book via audiobook, which greatly impacted my star rating. I strongly believe that the interpretation would be different if this was read as a physical copy. It is taking away a part of the enjoyment of the story and giving it the tone that I don't think it deserves.

The story starts with a strong world-building and it pulls you in from the start. The world is so intricate and wide, with a developed political system which is something to appreciate in the fantasy-building world. I like how the world-building is fortified with the old ways of telling a story and introducing us to their world's history.
It was a slow start, but it does pick up its pace in the book's second half.
The characters felt bland. The chemistry between the two main characters was off and it felt forced in some weird atmosphere and in some strange moments.
In the end, it just didn't fulfill my expectations.

It was written in a single POV, but in this case, I believe that a dual POV would do much better for the story; in that way, we could see elaborate views from both sides.