A Mix of Familiar Fantasy Elements with a Touch of Newness

I will admit that the prologue of this excerpt felt a bit like an information dump, though this is probably pronounced by the fact that I haven't read the first book in this series. As soon as I got to the first chapter I felt relieved that there was a shift in the writing style that felt much more natural and intriguing. Being unfamiliar with the exact set up of this fantasy world, I'm super curious about the roles that women play in the story. The main character seems fun too.