I've read 4 of Martha Wells' re-releases at this point, so I've really gotten used to her fantasy writing style. The ending of this one was weirdly similar to City of Bones, which I think was my favorite of the four. I definitely felt like I was coming into the middle of a series with this one, but also appreciated that it was standalone. With the Ile-Rien books I felt my attention slipping or had to re-read a sentence a few times; luckily that didn't happen AS MUCH here. I liked the descriptions of the city, I really could feel like I was there taking a boat in the canal or feeling the humid air.