Faolan Kelly -- smart, a little uncanny, troublesome and in a vulnerable spot when this book opens. There are many things I loved about this book -- from the setting (vague west), to the high intensity of the building dread, to the essential decency of many of the characters, to the diversity, to the weird twists and turns. I loved how Faolan is able to get away with a lot with surface compliance. I loved the alliances that evolve. I found the ending satisfying, and I enjoyed the various depictions of partnership and romance that happen in the book. I have complicated feelings about the Rovers and am trying to just set that aside. It's a Western-ish fantasy, with no obligation to map to either the Romani or Indigenous peoples of the Americas -- and the borrowing feels respectful to me. Altogether a very enjoyable read.

Advanced Reader's Copy Provided by Edelweiss. ( )