Initially I wasn't sure what i was getting myself into. The art style lies somewhere between the goth, manga and furry sections of deviant art, and it opens with a slave auction and quickly moves onto an extremely violent jail break. But along the way a deep and complex world is built up and i found myself getting drawn into the many mysteries surrounding the protagonist.

In a way it's reminiscent of many other epics, Naruto and Harry Potter in particular, but the predominately female cast, ornate decoration and grand spectral vistas set it apart. The stark brutality that the protagonist suffers through reminds me of The Fifth Season and The Parable of the Sower as well. Against my expectations, I'm looking forward to the next books and finding out more about this world.

Also, cats. Lots of cats.