This was such a gripping, intense debut! The story starts off with a YA feel, but quickly moves into adult territory. I did not expect the book to go so dark and gruesome during the trials. The author didn't hold back on the intensity, and it had me on the edge of my seat because I was so invested in the characters. Ikenna is a hot-tempered, strong protagonist with a magical gift that she has to hide from her enemies. I enjoyed learning more about her gift and how it could potentially effect others around her. I was fuming at some of the characters because of their blatant racism and misogyny (which is condemned). The twists and turns were fantastic, and the characters were fleshed out very well. I wish I knew a bit more about the world and it's class system, but I think that will be addressed more in the next installment. I cannot wait for book 2!