The characterization in this book is great. The prose is also good. This is not a comedy by any means, but there are subtle puns and callbacks throughout. The Star Wars shoutout was a favorite for me (I won't spoil anything by saying where it was).

I've heard that some people don't like the way the story changes partway through the book. We spend several chapters meeting the characters and resolving some mysteries, and then it becomes all about who's going to become the next King of England. There are some aspects of this alternate history that could have been explored a lot more. I can understand these concerns, but they didn't bother me. I enjoyed the story and the way the pace picked up as it went along.