This was so cool! I absolutely loved the world and the magic system. It was simultaneously intricate and unique, but also written in a way that made it really easy to absorb and get lost in. The characters were all super well developed and I loved following the relationships between them. There were some relationships I was expecting to go one way that didn't end up going that way and I was really grateful for that little twist. The fact that the story starts so early in the main character's life, and you follow the same cast throughout many years, just made me become very attached to everyone and watching them all develop as individuals. It was a really fascinating read overall, kept me on the edge of my seat and had a great mix of political intrigue in there. Not really what I was expecting, but in the best way possible! I recommend this book to anyone and i would kill to read it again for the first time.