Very rarely when I read short stories/novellas do I wish they’d been longer. But this is one of those rare occasions where I can say, without hesitation, that this book would’ve been so much better as a full-length novel. Not just because I want to see more of the characters and hippo lore (though that is one of the reasons), but also because it would’ve allowed for so many plot points and emotions to get the page time they deserve. The romance storylines, the betrayals, the deaths, and even the action sequences were far too short and rushed for my taste. Sarah Gailey easily could’ve expanded this, turning it from a delightful short story to a tense, action-packed heist novel.

All that being said, however, this story was delightful. I loved the characters and the hippos and the way the story unraveled. I just also wanted more.