war fantasy with so much depth. despite its popularity, i started this blind, i didn't know anything about it. this book deserves all the hype it received. to be honest i expected a story with lots of war and politics, and yes this has both, but also a lot more. the story was amazing, but the characters and their backgrounds, they were so remarkable plus the way Kuang write about them, it's like they're real. kuang created this stunning world and it felt like i got to experience that world, which was both amazing and cruel at the same time.