Rin got a little YA-romancey towards her nemesis in this book, but nothing got too crazy. Rin fulfilled a tragic destiny and the ending was satisfying. I liked the the cycle of mythic leaders tangled with Speerlies and the way Rin discovered the pattern with the Red Emporer, the Trifecta, and finally in her own story--good world building.

The setting and history was a fantastic take on the Sino-Japanese war. The author introduced a way that China might see itself differently than Europe does and how that could shape a fantasy series.