I really can't recommend this book enough. Science fiction with fantasy trappings, incredibly compelling characters I cried over several times, politics and world building that are *complicated* and *interesting*, sex scenes that are honest and genuine and *good*.

It's appropriately violent, never shying away from its often brutal themes, but also never revels in that brutality. It knows when to look away and turn to subtext. Several of the twists you can see coming and absolutely all of them work.

I've been replaying so many scenes in my head for days now, and I've bought a paperback copy as well as the sequel and related novellas.