A showcase of the best of what science fiction can do. Forward-looking and backward-looking, layered, clearly a work of love, and extremely artful. Hard to talk about without spoilers, so...

I particularly loved the slow reveal of the power structure and seedy(?) underbelly of the New World Order. You get a sense that not is all as hunky-dory as Mycroft suggests almost from the beginning (in fact, even the "legal disclaimer" before the story starts gives that impression), but just how much the world is balanced on a knife's edge isn't clear even up to the very end. Also the complete debauchery and Enlightenment fetishism in the halls of power is... quite something. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against a good debauch, but the way they hide it is not encouraging. The way they claim to be enlightened about gender, but Mycroft says that his narrative won't make sense without the "antiquated" concept and so will include it for the reader's sake, then goes on to assign gendered pronouns based on traditional gender roles was a particular standout, as well.

Actually, when looking up what Mycroft said, exactly, I stumbled upon the author's essay on gender in the world, where she says:

> This element of the world is intentionally polarizing for my readers, creating a future that feels like utopia to some and dystopia to others.

Which I find particularly interesting because I found it overall to be neither utopia nor dystopia, just... a world. There have been some good choices and some bad choices, and people generally continue on with their lives despite the discontent bubbling below the surface. Which is part of what I loved about the book.

I really hope we get more of the Utopians in future books.