This book is outright overwhelming, in every sense in the word. It is intense, brutal, grotesque, and beautiful. It's everything I want in a dark fantasy: a slow, sometimes excruciating burn (yet captivating all the way through), moral ambiguity, and plenty of introspection. By the end of the story, Kuang has cranked up the dial all the way to 11, or maybe even 12, and -- most importantly -- for very clear reasons.

This book kinda shattered me. I am absolutely in love with it.