Definitely needed a bit of trimming, but Tchaikovsky has created an absolutely fascinating world with a keen eye for characterisation. Fantasy writers love a revolution, but I've never seen anyone do it right until now. Deserves a better rating, frankly - the 3.5 stars say more about where I was at when I read this than about the book itself. I have another Tchaikovsky book on my shelf and I can't wait to read it at a better time.