Intriguing start! I was drawn in by the atmospheric descriptions of the setting and magic. The initial action left me with a lot of questions. It would have been nice for more reveals early on or to hold back some of these references to Marlow's backstory--with her mom, with the copperheads, etc. I definitely want to know more about Marlow and the woman that rescues her; it was just a lot at once. I was a little disappointed at the occassional name-dropping with no context too. I want to know who Swift and Toad are in relationship to Marlow; without revealing too much, this would have improved my ability to full immerse myself into this world and follow Marlow on her journey. The interaction with old socialite friends at the ballet had a better balance of world-building and leaving some mystery open to develop as the story progresses. I was thoroughly hooked by the end of First Look. And I love that cover!