As the first arc of an expansive series, Twelve Kings is a slow build. It flips between timelines in an attempt to build Çeda's character in a sympathetic way.

However, it's not until the last 20 (or so) chapters that we really get a feel for her character or the world she inhabits. The book itself is solid with vivid descriptions and breezy prose, but I couldn't shake my personal issues with the pacing.

Still, I'm glad I read it and even now I'm entertaining the thought of picking up the next in the series.