So, for the first 40 pages or so, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book or not. It was not really what I'd been expecting and it was sort of slow going. 
 But wow, I'm sure glad I kept reading. Because the next time I put it down I kept finding myself wandering around my apartment wondering when I'd get a chance to pick it up again. 
 The worldbuilding was awesome. I mean, I love me some worldbuilding, but this was fun and with that hint of similar to our world but just different enough. It was immersive. 
 And the characters. Swoon. I don't think I've been that attached to an entire cast in a long time. Even the secondary characters are delightful. And there are some genuinely emotional moments that just really got me. (view spoiler)[Like Sam shifting again for the first time in years. I literally had to put the book down because my heart was breaking. (hide spoiler)] It was so good. 
 And oh man, I feel sort of bad about being so gleeful about certain gruesome deaths... oops. Again, just a sign of how much I enjoyed this. 
 Anyway, wow. Completely different from what I was expecting and completely different from my usual reads. I am so glad I picked this up and gave it a chance.