I have to admit that I was initially drawn to this book because of its gorgeous cover, and then the synopsis kept my attention. The book itself more than lived up to those high expectations, and I loved Faizal's narrative voice, immersive style, and complex worldbuilding. From the first few pages, this book draws the reader into its world and doesn't let them go, despite some POV shifts that, in lesser hands, might cause one's attention to wander or even lose interest. Here, though, each hop led (at first) to a new, awesome character, and by the middle of the book I was simultaneously desperate to stay in one perspective AND eager to see what else was happening with other characters. I loved our main character Zafira and her dauntless attitude, and the sense of menace in the story left me with bated breath for everyone's safety. (I'm also glad I read this when its sequel was already released, so I don't have to wait any longer to find out what happens next!)