Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. This is one of my long overdue ARC reviews, and because of that I also purchased my own copy of this novel - which is what I read from in order to complete my review. I always like to make this distinction between reading from the ARC copy versus the finished copy in case there are/were discrepancies between the two.

This story threw me head first into a new magic system, political structure, and new spoken vernacular. I found the map, as well as the caste system graph, in the beginning of the novel extremely helpful in acclimating to this story. I love stories that include magical hierarchies, with each group having distinct specialties. This of course can lead to discrimination and oppression of groups of people, because even in a magical setting people are still people (unfortunately). 

Our main characters are part of the lowest, and in my opinion most underestimated, caste known as the Crows. They’ve survived purely on ingenuity and their abilities, while reminding the other groups (sometimes in very appropriately drastic measures) why their survival is vital. The money dance the Crows performed in the first few chapters didn’t just ensnare the queen. It also trapped me into continuing further into this book, and discovering as much as I could about their lifestyle and profession.

Fie is going to be a chief one day, and her attitude doesn’t change one iota when she realizes she’s in the presence of royalty. I loved how steadfast she is in her understanding of her position in the world, all the while working to make it better for herself and her future crew. I had some misgivings in the beginning when I realized we might be entertaining a set up for a love triangle, but was pleasantly surprised to learn that the prince himself was openly gay.

As far as the romance goes, I didn’t completely fall for this one. I personally felt so much of Fie’s internalized anger that I couldn’t allow myself to accept that she had fallen for someone who had done nothing (before meeting her) to make the Crow’s lives more humane. However this element of the story wasn’t in any way off putting, and the sweet interactions were a much needed respite from the anxiety-inducing journey this trio was embarking on.

I flew through this novel in three sittings, and really enjoyed the pacing up until the last handful of chapters. I was so fed up with them getting captured or experiencing a near death, near miss, betrayal moment. My threshold for danger around every corner had reached its limit, and I was ready for the finale.

Thankfully the finale was one I enjoyed, and I finished the novel with even more burning curiosity about this magical world and the people in it. I believe this story is a duology, and I would be interested in reading the next book. I’ll have to wait a few days and see if this story lets me move on to something else, or if I need to dive into book two immediately.