The first few chapters of this were a little slow, I'll admit that. I think I read maybe two or three chapters and then put it down for like 3 weeks. Once I picked it back up and started reading again, everything after that was an adrenaline ride that I could just NOT get off of. These characters are so vibrant and so complex and so real that they just made me fall completely in love with them. 
 Everything that I had a problem with in Bardugo's Grisha trilogy was absolutely not present in this book. This book has a cast with rich backstories that are organically shown to the reader, they are relatable, and they are able to drive the plot forward easily in between external plot action without losing any steam whatsoever. I was so reluctant to read this after being so utterly disappointed with the character arcs and the writing in the Grisha trilogy, but my fears were obviously completely unfounded. 
 I would highly recommend this book to anyone that loves a good anti-hero story, or stories with a motley cast of characters. This book is sort of like a YA Fantasy version of the TV Show Leverage, and I loved it.