This is a 700 page prequel of a story. The author needs to hire an editor or think seriously about the kill your darlings method. The attempts at humor were to make characters stupid or incompetent to the point that it was all just cringe. The author clearly feels compassionately about representation and wants it in their story, but it feels like they had a checklist for representation to include most of which was poorly done stereotypes. Characters with dark skin had the skin color described everytime they were mentioned, as if readers can't be trusted to remember a character description. Dark skin is called beautiful so much that it felt fetishized and performative. The made up Delida spieces seemed to be a stand in for African American history, except the author contradicts themselves about the spieces, saying in some parts they are so beautiful and desired by most humans, but then repeatedly having humans not know what a delida even is. 

Almost every fantasy creature or food had to be directly compared to a real or mythical creature from the real world. Again, as if the author doesn't trust their audience to comprehend what they are writing.

Dialogue is stunted for every character and that is just not how people talk, every character talks and has thoughts like they are about nine years old.

All in all, I think the author has some good ideas sprinkled throughout, but needs to take the time to build their fantasy world with out using their experiences as a crutch. The book feels like the author took a therapy journal about their feelings on discrimination and made it into a bad fan fiction.