I really enjoyed this book. I was gripped from the start and didn't want to put it down. It gave me what I wanted from the moment I first read the blurb: an interesting relationship based on loyalty, fealty and service. I'm not a romance-centred reader (if anything I slightly prefer books featuring platonic fealty), so romance novels have to have a depth to them to make me interested, and this one did - not only in terms of plot and worldbuilding but also characterisation. I particularly loved the on-going theme of Kadou's anxiety, and how the characters attempt to understand it in a world without modern understanding of mental health. 

It isn't a perfect book. The ending felt a bit rushed - I'm hoping that it means there will be a sequel, but it wasn't as satisfying as I wanted it to be. There are also instances where the characters act in ways which don't make sense for people with their roles and responsibilities (for example, choosing to stay in a place they know the enemy is aware of instead of moving). 

Overall though I really enjoyed this and recommend it, it was the comforting read I wanted and needed this week.