I understand what people mean now when they say Laini Taylor doesn't really focus on the development of her romances. Usually this bothers me in stories, but since the romance isn't the main focus of the story, I didn't even really notice. The world building and magic system are really what shine in this book as well as the other relationships in the story. I loved seeing Karou's relationship with Brimstone and Issa because despite her not having a typical family, she does indeed have a family. She also has an interesting life as an art student with friendships. Her friendship with Mik and Zuzana reminds us that she is still a regular teenager with a social life outside of the magical world she is a part of. The magic is also very different from anything I've read about before. There is a lot of mystery surrounding who Karou is for most of the book as well as how Brimstone became her caretaker. The journey to obtaining answers to all the questions that arise at the start of the story have satisfying answers by the end. The ending is open ended and leaves you wanting more answers, so I'm looking forward to reading the next installment. If you are looking for a highly convincing romance with characters you ship really hard, this might not be the story for you. However, if you like an innovative magic system, magical creatures you don't see often