Empress

I honestly just don't know what to say about Empress, except that I loved it and loathed it in equal parts. If you're thinking about reading it, just be prepared. Never have I loathed a main character so much that I questioned finishing the book - but Hekat is that character. I think I may hate her more than Umbridge. The entire book is fascinating, from the mythology and lore to the setting, characters and language, but at the same time, the whole thing just made me angry. The writing style can be a bit frustrating, though it does fit into the style of the story. All I can say is that, if you're a hardcore fantasy lover, you should definitely give Empress a try, but if books can be characterised as popcorn, hamburger or steak, Empress would be like haggis - definitely not for everyone.