I now see why, when I said I was going to read this, multiple people told me, "I DNFed that one."
There's no connective tissue here. Just unrelated, short, boring anecdotes.

DNF at 9%

My first impression of this book was that its setup was messy. Messy in worldbuilding. Messy in demonstrating character dynamics and personalities. Messy in setting up a scene. It made it difficult for me to love the reading experience.

But, by the end I was enjoying the plot and romance enough to finish the book.

I think the readers that will love this book are the ones who can really appreciate a self-sabotaging protagonist.

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

What a prickly protagonist. I love how this book is playing with a teenager destined to become the dark lord.

2nd read: This novella is so good with exposition. I'm so impressed by how carefully it establishes every element a little bit before you need to know about it.

1st read: I love this book and want it to find its people. It's so strongly written.
It's an urban fantasy based on Slavic folklore, about a human on a quest and the cursed people he gets help from. It's reflective, and takes time to breathe and explore emotional baggage between action sequences.

The magic system is very soft, and goes where the plot needs it to. It's used as a way to set up the conflicts, but isn't really explored. What is explored is themes of family cultures being passed down, guilt and redemption, and judgment.

I loved the audiobook. It's got multiple narrators, and they're all wonderful.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

Now this is the good stuff

I absolutely adore this book. Emotions and mystery and vibes.

Wow, that twist was so well crafted. I love how thoughtful this book is.

The main plot is sci-fi space politics.

On the side is the slowest of romance slow burns. Refreshingly closed door. Beautiful intercharacter conflict.

3rd read: I love how this novel holds its cards close. It only explains things when it wants to. And when things finally get explained, it's triumphant.

2nd read: Every time I read this book, I love it a little more.

I love that our protagonist is unique and doesn't fit into typical archetypes. She's soft, and dedicated, trapped in a terrible situation. She's a shapeshifter who struggles to keep herself together, and her powers are more of a hindrance than a help to her. And she's incredibly compelling and has interesting internal conflicts.