PositiveLocusFoul-mouthed Gideon is a joy to watch as she attempts to pass as a cavalier, falls for one of the competition, and basically spends a hell of a lot of time trying to figure out what’s going on – gradually learning to work with Harrowhark, and maybe even coming to appreciate her. Other characters aren’t always as well delineated, which adds to the confusion at times. This universe is fascinating and the story intense; much remains frustratingly obscure, but intriguingly so. I was seriously starting to question how an empire this decayed could possibly survive, but somehow it all manages to be truly compelling fun. Muir’s impressive first novel offers a heady and macabre mix of science, necromancy, constant danger, and a healthy dollop of Gormenghast-like weirdness like no other.
Ben Aaronovitch
PositiveLocus\"Things build to a peak with thrilling confrontations, an impressively weird final battle, and a big surprise at the end. If this were an American TV series, I’d say it was about to jump the shark, but Aaronovitch has a way with surprising developments, and I’m looking forward to seeing how things play out.\
