I went into this story expecting to not like it all that much. I'd heard plenty of reviews about how much you hate the main character, and who wants to read a story all about someone you hate? I can now say, I do. 
I don't remember the last time I sat and read an entire book in only two sittings that wasn't a novella. 
Kuang's ability to immediately place you into the story as if it's being told to you, face to face, by June herself, was impressive. I found myself so torn through the book, at times rooting for June to succeed, and at other times sitting with my jaw on the floor, shocked at the audacity she showed, and hoping for her to fail at every turn. 
This is my first read from R. F. Kuang, but with her Poppy War trilogy and Babel sitting on my bookshelves as we speak, it definitely won't be the last, and I don't think it will be long before I've marked another book off of my TBR.