A unique location/backdrop and a cast of complex and endearing characters made this series intriguing and enjoyable. I also really enjoyed the humor in the series; Sevro is one of the best characters I've read in a YA book in awhile. That being said, I had a hard time picturing in my head many of the battle scenes; the descriptions were hard to follow. I also thought the big twist at the end of this book was a cheap trick. (view spoiler)[The book is from Darrow's perspective, first-person, so as the reader, I expect to know everything that Darrow knows and to feel what he is feeling. When Sevro "dies," Darrow knows that he's not really dead, that it's all a trick and Cassius is acting, yet Darrow's thoughts still express grief for Sevro and rage at Cassius. I understand that his actions would be the same, but his thoughts would have been much different. The only reason he was "grieving" was to trick the reader, and, though I'm immensely glad that Sevro lives and Cassius ended up on the side of the heroes, I didn't appreciate the cheap trick. (hide spoiler)]