A very satisfying space opera, with characters that are very fascinating. Evil is strange, indeed, but the protagonist has a number of quirks that equal or even surpass her object of revenge. 
 Honestly, I had no problems with the gender labeling. The idea came across perfectly clear that sex had nothing to do with the story, and I appreciate the whole attempt for what it is. The fact that a whole society defaults to a "she" and doesn't find any grammatical desires to differentiate was refreshing and wonderfully odd. 
 What really shone like a beacon in the novel was the many aspects to oneself, at least if you're one of the AI. I found myself really enjoying the unspoken questions throughout the story and rocking to the reveals. The action sequences were tight and the depth of the societies make the novel really special. 
 Even if I didn't know this was a hugo nominee for the year, I'd have been thinking about this novel for a long time. That's an excellent reason to read it, if nothing else. I cannot wait until more come out.