This was quite the nifty book. I really enjoyed exploring the world Cheney created. I know less than nothing about Portuguese history so I approached this as the type of book where the author builds her own unique world rather than as a story that has anything to do with real life Portugal, though this does have some of the stylistic trappings of historical fiction that I enjoy. 
 Interesting characters, an ambitious multi-layered mystery, solid prose, a highly enjoyable read for sure. I look forward to reading the next volume.