First of all: Thank you Robert Kingett for buying me a copy of this for the holidays! Read his essays and stories!

How do I describe this book....

Okay, first of all, the evil empire is a mix of Japan and western ideals. Like, the nobility wear kimonos, but having a western name is more well-regarded.

This was also the first time I understood what people were talking about with "setting as character", as the sea literally has narration.

I feel like the book understands the evils of colonialism.

It left some things open, so I won't be surprised if this gets a sequel, though I think this stands pretty well on its own.

Looking forward to seeing more from this author!