Once I locked into the structure and presentation — fantasy styled as narrative non-fiction — this turned in a propulsive, if occasionally predictable, read. The prose is great, and the magic system is novel and clever, full of possibility and clearly built with a passion for language and translation. I just never could shake how much of the book felt strangely editorialized, like 2020 was watching over my shoulder while I read, making sure I knew what the "right" side was in modern terms at every turn.