What a polished, well-researched novel—especially for a debut. The characters and their interactions felt so real. (My favourite was Julia.) The plot and subplots were excellently done, weaving together seamlessly. The research the author incorporated—Latin and Welsh languages, Roman terminology, etc—all fit well with the story and didn't seem at all overdone. I hope this author keeps releasing more books because her passion shows in her writing and it's a pleasure to read.