When I got this book from the library I was not expecting a giant tome. But a tome it is indeed. 800+ pages of high fantasy that just does not stop or slow down. It’s got palace intrigue. It’s got thorough world-building. It’s got magic. It’s got dragons. It’s got wyverns. It’s got alchemists, witches, and pirates. Heck, it’s even got love stories in there too. It may sound like a lot, but Samantha Shannon does an amazing job of weaving this all together seamlessly. My only complaint so far is this monster of a book is so hard to hold open to read; even in paperback it’s massive! (Like seriously I have a bruise on my thigh from holding this book open on my lap. It’s huge!)