Quite literally the first thing I thought was 'how joyfully uncouth this book is.' Gritty, dark, yet there's an undercurrent of self-awareness that borders on snark. The character revels in his vileness in a cathartic way for the reader.

Others have commented on how horrid some of the actions are or how unnecessary describing another character by his color is, but these critics are forgetting the setting. This society is in a dark age, women are raped, children killed, people are referred to by their physical features.

There is enough redemption dangled at the protagonist to keep us from despairing entirely, but deep within, everyone who has been a helpless victim can gain a guilty sliver of satisfaction when he amorally enacts his revenge.