You know what? This was actually a DNF at about 92%, but I will be DAMNED if I throw away a week-long slog through this book with nothing to show for it. So I'm marking it as read and it's going towards my reading challenge. I put in seven days' hard graft and I deserve to get something out of it. 
 This book was terrible, and the thing is that I went into it blind; if I'd known it was based on Little Women I'd have never gone near it. I tried reading Little Women once, and it nearly killed me. The other thing is that the first half of this book was really good: while the Fives thing seemed a bit silly, like, grown-ass members of the ruling class doing a glorified obstacle course, it was new and different. I liked Jessamy, and even when I quit this stinker I still liked her. My beef doesn't lie with her, and nor does it lie with the world building, which was somewhat unique. 
 But Jessamy doesn't exist in a vacuum, therefore we're forced to put up with everyone else's horribly written stilted dialogue, plus a vacuous, silly villain, bland Maraya, even blander Bettany, and Kalliarkos too, who is so boring that it actually makes my soul weep. I really liked Thynos and Inarsis, but they're frustratingly vague, and shunted off into the background right when they start to become interesting. I wanted more about Amaya and Denya, but they were vague too. I think that's my main problem with this book - it's hard to care, but it's always unclear what exactly is going on. Like, okay, we're going to run the Fives for Lord Gargaron, but we don't know how sponsors work with regards to the Fives, or how those sponsors are paid. This world building is really interesting until you peek behind the stage dressing and find nothing but drop sheets and metal girders. 
 I could go on with my nitpicking, but to be honest, the real problem I had with this book was that I just felt nothing for it. I liked Jessamy, but...meh. I don't care enough to continue reading about her. About halfway through reading this, I put this book down and had to force myself to pick it up again. I'm pretty sure that's not how it's supposed to go. Oy vey.