This was a high fantasy with complex and unique lore/world building that was very different from anything I've ever read before. I particularly liked the simularters. That said, it is also pretty intense; I'm the kind of person who isn't really fazed by what they read, but if you are you may not like this. There's sexual violence, torture, pedophilia, self-mutilation, etc.

One thing that I did really struggle with was how incredibly sexist the culture in this world was. I almost DNF'ed it a couple times because of that, although the other reviews were good enough that I stuck with it in hopes of redemption. The sexist culture was undermined in the latter half of the book, although I would have liked slightly more emphasis on how wrong the sexism in particular was.

The writing style was also a bit dense. There were a lot of infodumps and periods where characters took some time out to tell stories of their culture's lore. The information was kind of needed, as the plot calls back to and builds upon that lore, but I think there might have been a better way to incorporate it.

Another thing about the writing that was strange to me was that sometimes it would give summaries of events that had happened earlier in the book, much in the way that a sequel would if it referred to something from Book 1. I wasn't sure if this was done because there was just so much going on that beta readers got confused and needed reminded, but to me it felt repetitive.

I also noticed an inconsistency in one scene with Sylvestris. He is in a dangerous situation and expresses concern about hurting his hands, as they're the most delicate part of him. Then, when someone approaches, he's described as putting his hands up to protect himself, which is illogical if that's the part of him that needs protecting. I'm sure it was just an oversight, but I noticed it.

In any case, it was an interesting book. It probably isn't for a lot of people, but if you like unique and complex fantasy it might be for you. Also, this might appeal to fans of horror that involves puppets (especially marionettes), but that is only a small part of the story so don't go into the book expecting it to be about that primarily. ( )

This century's "Vathek". Perverse, shocking, and edgy as a razor. ( )

Highly imaginative science fiction account of a world stratified by beings with very different powers and skills and detailed, individualized histories. The book covers a huge struggle for control of this exotic landscape. Despite the obvious imagination I grew weary of the details. ( )