Everything I had ever been told about this book, before deciding to read it myself, turned out to have been misleading.

I didn't really expect to like it.

I really didn't expect to want to read the sequels.

And yet, here we are.

The language is lush, sometimes almost distractingly so. The political intrigue is solid. The protagonist and primary side characters have depth, and they change over the course of the book. The villains are satisfying, solidly hatable without being caricatures. The sad parts are heartbreaking.

All in all, a very satisfying read.