If you are expecting a big spy vs spy story, stop right now. That's not what this book is about.

It's more of a fantasy mystery. Think Name of the Rose with Assassins rather than monks, and focused on the assistant monk.

AoA does a lot of work setting up world building for future stories, but somehow doesn't really get bogged down in all that too much. And there is enough action and intrigue to keep you turning the pages pretty quickly.

Maybe it's not the book to set the world on fire, but it was a lot of fun.