First line: “ The day I came squealing and squalling into the world was the first time someone tried to kill me. I guess it should have been obvious to everyone right then that I wasn’t going to have a normal life.”

This is EXACTLY what I needed! Action, an emerging heroine, more substance than suspense, suspense, and a non-white lead character (and sub characters). I also love that it’s sci-fi set in the past—and with a critical lens of the past and our country’s religious justification for brutality and slavery.

Jane’s character was not your typical neutral good hero who uses culturally moral judgements to guide her actions. She existed more on the spectrum of chaotic good, using violence against violence as a means to right the world

Spoiler

, even killing her own father to do it

. For a young adult book, this appears to be quite uncommon, adding another intriguing dimension to the story.

Perfection. I can’t wait for the series to continue.