Shai and Gaotona are both really interesting characters (to the extent that interesting characters are possible in such a short book), and I really enjoyed their dynamic. I also thought that the emperor made for a fascinating third main character who’s only barely a character but whose past and future loom over the whole book.

I also really enjoyed the magic system and the way it tied into the discussions of what makes a human and fed into the dynamic between the two main characters.

I’m not totally sure how this book was supposed to be connected to Elantris, but that’s probably because it’s been several years since I read that book.