I read this as March’s ultimate reading challenge, a fantasy read.

I went back and forth on the rating for this book so many times! In the end, I did really enjoy it, but I can understand why people won’t like it or will DNF it.
It IS slow to start. There’s a lot of information, the names are very similar and hard to pronounce. I would suggest here moving the glossary from the back of the book to the start. I wasn’t really a fan of the history retellings, even though I know they are useful to the story. It makes the book a bit of hard work and too much like Furyborn, which I also struggled with.
I also don’t really understand what the characters motivations are or where the story is going. It’s more a story you read, not one you experience. You see what the characters are doing but you don’t feel involved.

All this being said, I did really enjoy it. I loved the relationships between the animals and the animages.
I also like the human relationships, especially Sev and Kade. The light touch of romance is good, but I do expect it to be ramped up in the next book(s).

All in all, I think this is a book which will divide opinion. I enjoyed it, but I know it’s not going to be for everyone.