It took me a few months to finally sit down and read this book. I tried to start it a few different times, but just couldn't get into it, and I wasn't sure why. It seemed like the type of book I should really enjoy: phoenix-riding rebels against an oppressive empire, world-building that was full of history and custom, and did I mention PHOENIXES?!

So I ended up listening to the audiobook, since there was something about the physical copy that was just not engaging for me. Unfortunately, I found the same thing was true with the audiobook as well. I was bored throughout the first half of this book. I realized that my biggest issue was the amount of info-dumping masquerading as world-building. Dear Authors, when sections of your book begin to sound more like a textbook than they do a fictional narrative, it needs to be reworked.

I've read some reviews defending the writing, saying that they didn't feel that it was info-dumpy and that people who have a problem with it are probably not fans of character-driven stories. Nope. Not true. I love character-driven books. The problem is that the exposition in this book isn't in service to the characters. It's in service to the history of this world, which is important, but not at the expense of the current action and characters. I am honestly impressed with how much the author obviously put into the world she created, but I felt like it was integrated into the story in a way that interrupted the pacing.

I almost DNF'd this around page 210. I just wasn't having fun reading it. Usually, while I'm listening to an audiobook I'm pretty dialed in. In this case, I kept finding myself zoning out. Wanting to give it one more chance, I sat down with the physical book and read along with the audiobook. This isn't something I often do, because I can read faster than an audiobook at 2X speed, and also because I enjoy multitasking while listening to audiobooks.

I'm not sure if it's because I did this or if the story itself just picked up at that point, but I ended up becoming more and more invested in the characters and the story from that point and finished it in one sitting.

I liked Veronyka as a protagonist, although I have to admit I'm getting a little weary of the 'girl has to dress up as a boy' trope. I know I'm probably in the minority on that one, but after Flame in the Mist, Walk on Earth a Stranger, Under a Painted Sky, etc., I'm just kind of over it. I am thankful that this one mostly stayed away from the awkward-romantic-tension-because-boy-thinks-girl-is-actually-a-boy thing that some of these books like to do.
I really like Veronyka and Tristan's dynamic as friends and am really interested to see how it develops in future books.
I liked Sev as a character, but it almost felt like the author would forget about him for several chapters only to bring him on when she needed him to further the plot.

I really enjoyed the animage magic as well. The idea of being able to bond with animals and communicate with them is different and interesting. That being said, I would issue a trigger warning of sorts. I think that anyone who is sensitive to animal deaths in books may want to tread lightly here.
As far as the shadowmage powers go, I would like to see that expanded upon in further books.

I will say that I found this book relatively predictable. There are several reveals that occur throughout this book (specifically the second half) that were obviously supposed to shock us, but I figured were going to happen tens, if not hundreds, of pages earlier. The foreshadowing, such as it was, wasn't exactly subtle. There were a couple surprising moments, but I ultimately felt like things dragged on longer than they needed to.

I think I will check the second book out when it's released, and hope that the overwhelming amount of exposition is calmed down since we will already be acquainted with this world.