now does that sound enticing to you? because it sure did to me. i found this book via youtuber xiran jay zhao who recommended it to fans of the industrialized asian aesthetic of republic city in legend of korra. and it does deliver on that in spades. the book really gives a glimpse into the inner workings of a city ravaged by gang violence and further torn apart by european colonialism. there could not be a better setting for a retelling of a shakespeare classic.

the fantasy subplot with the monster that has everyone tearing out their own throats honestly gets in the way of that more than it helps out though and while it does give the characters something to do throughout the sloggish middle of the book, it still feels like it wasn't needed after all. not to mention that it also creates a setup for a sequel that is heavily hinted at. and by "heavily hinted" i mean the book ends with the words "to be continued".

i'd still say this was a good read, if only for the breathtaking setting.