A slow startup, that goes into, and builds up a lot of lore. Lore that feels like the author decided what it was going to be, the moment before they started writing the book. The lore itself is fleshed out, but it doesn't feel like it has any impact on the other books.

However, what makes this book good still, is what has made the previous books good, the outstanding characters, and the deep humanizations of those characters. They are deeply flawed, and have to overcome their traumas, prejudices, and stunted emotions.

This book really feels like a amalgamation of the Shadow and Bone trilogy, and the Six of Crows duology. A perfect blend of what made both of those excellent.