Having a story so unapologetically gender progressive, it’s the first book I’ve read with characters that genuinely feel like they would have the same thoughts as I would, and godly hardships aside, experience the same problems I would. (Minor Spoiler for chapter one) Gem and Enzo being close friends and living cities apart and getting through the day thinking of going to see one another, getting out of dodge for a better life as soon as things settle down was cathartic to read, so much so I genuinely didn’t realise how much I’d been missing that from stories I gravitate towards. Every god is ready to throw hands on transphobes and racists is the kind of fantasy I need more of.

Speaking of needing more of. Characters that are actually flawed, doing horrible things and the author understanding that they did horrible things is a masterpiece. There are several morally grey characters that you can see have motivations that they stick to, you understand every side and I died at the ending. 

There are a few points where you have to roll with the logic to get to the sweet center of the pay off, some characters absolutely dodged some accountability for their actions but that’s part of the charm and point. If you can extend that disbelief (and abide by the small setting space) this is a really fun Young Adult read that actually lets the bad characters do and say bad things.