Foundryside a dazzling new series from the author of The Divine Cities

(3.5) This was a nice book but the story did not wow me as much as I hoped it would. I don't know if I will be continuing in the series. I probably will but not in the near future.

i have many thoughts but i will have to collect them before i can write a proper review but MAN this was good

i get even a few sentences of sapphic romance and go feral.

3.5/5 this has been on my list for quite a long time now and i expected a lot from this book. but to be honest, it ended up quite a bit underwhelming for me. it's not bad, it's just short of something. i know that it's a me problem that my actual reading experience didn't reach my high expectation. but it ended up being that way. i was looking for something, but i didn't get to see it here. though if you ask me what exactly i was looking for, i don't know either. it's just i know i'll feel it when i read it. but unfortunately, i didn't find it here. this didn't give me much impact. the magic system of this world is interesting, but the execution is not solid enough, i think? i've read a more powerful execution elsewhere, but not here. while i was reading this, i kept feeling that there's something missing, but i can't point it out. the overall plot itself has so much potential, but i didn't feel that on the first part. the best part for me is the ending though. that ending part is what makes me want to pick the next two books up. and i can feel that the next two books could give me more than the first book has given me. i still have high hopes for them. i don't want to stay disappointed even after finishing this trilogy. i want to love this!

RTC but the middle kinda sucked & was full of lore dumping but the ending made it so worth & I’ll probs read the next book too!

I was drawn to this book by the description of the magic system. It sounded interesting and flexible and something I hadn't really seen much of, almost like combining magic with science and computer logic/language. But the further the book progressed the more layers were added until it became overly complicated and turned into a lingo salad whenever anything needed explaining (which happened frequently). I also didn't really connect with any of the characters. The main character is flawed and dramatic, the side characters are sort of flat and one dimensional. I didn't see much development of either the main character or the side characters honestly, and was a little let down. The dialogue between characters also felt a little stale, and the author switches frequently between using common English swear words and made up or repurposed swear words seemingly at whim. Overall I was a little let down by this book, I completed the book but likely will not continue with the series.

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3.5,, the lore in this book is so confusing like what do you mean there were these things sucking souls out of people and putting them in objects. also why does sancia and berenice’s relationship come out of nowhere, the two of them have 1 conversation on their own and then the next time they’re alone together they decide they’re in love?

It never gets easier reviewing an "IT" book of the year or even reading it. So much pressure on the book though to live up to the hype built around it. Foundryside is teeming with positive reviews and a couple of them seem to agree that it's got a definite Brandon Sanderson feel to it (I definitely did have that feeling a couple of times when reading). If you LOOOVE Sanderson well this is definitely a plus, if like me, you're no longer completely enamored with Sanderson then well this is definitely not going to be as rosy. One of the more difficult parts for me to reconcile with in this book was how world building was presented. World building as all fantasy fans can attest to, can make or break any fantasy book. Reveal too little and readers might complain about how they don't understand the world, reveal a whole lot and readers ultimately might complain about information dump (It's so hard pleasing readers. Ultimately revealing a lot or too little might not even be what breaks the reader but how the author carries the world building within the plot and Jackson actually did good (sort of) and would have been perfect if not for the repetitions. It was way way way too much. I do not want to believe that i was the only one who clued into that. Basically, Jackson was not concise enough. Why he felt the need to keep repeating everything he had already told us earlier was beyond me (Very Sanderson like and tiring). Great World really, but executing it was tiring to read. So a fantasy author has given you a top notch world, now it's time to populate it. Time to give you characters that basically make the world pop, bring it to life so to say. Jackson does this with just one character. Sancia. Our main character. Granted she's the main but you need your supporting cast. It's not like the supporting cast didn't show up but their characters were so one dimensional it was kinda boring really. Honestly, there wasn't a lot of getting to know the characters here. The one character i was sorely disappointed with was (view spoiler)[Orso, i expected so much deviousness from him and he ended up being good??? (hide spoiler)] It was a bit of a let down honestly.Basically the characters were set in their ways and noone was going to surprise you with anything. When i think back to reading this book, ive realised, i didn't love Sancia because she connected with me on some level but because she wasn't turned into a stereotypical woman in most fantasy books. She was bad ass because she just was. I was just so grateful to have a woman being the shit and excelling at it. In essence, she was efficient. Another thing i wasn't completely completely sold on, was the play on fighting social injustice especially coming from Sancia...Gregor i could totally get behind with with that line but Sancia? sorry no. While the book wasn't completely ambigious about social injustice, i just didn't feel Sancia character could really sell that fight. Foundryside is a hard book to review for me. Not because it's full out irredeemable but because too many times, it straddles the line between this "could be an awesome book and good lord this is putting me to sleep" Negatives aside, i am looking forward to book 2 if only to see Sancia back in action. 3.5 Stars

3.75 ⭐ Overall I really enjoyed the premise of this story, and the characters as well. The writing style I found a little hard to follow at times, but overall a great story! Engaging and imaginative!

Golems from Jewish folklore have always fascinated me, with their heads full of instructions written on a life-giving scroll. A golem is both the creation myth in miniature and a way to codify magic, a sort of early computer programming where the processors are clay giants. It’s strangely comforting to imagine that human beings could control the world in such a fashion, while also terrifying to imagine the many ways it could go wrong. In Foundryside, Robert Jackson Bennett takes some of those basic elements and introduces a world where craftsmen use the art of scriving to write a reality-controlling language on inanimate objects and give them a form of consciousness; everything in creation is nothing more than a golem waiting for its instructions. Then, he imagines all of the ways that this power could and would go sickeningly, catastrophically, heartbreakingly wrong. Sancia is a thief, and a damn good one, all thanks to her ability to touch any object and understand how it works. When she touches an object, understands everything about it, which comes in handy when she needs to pick a lock or avoid a trap, but makes it hard to focus when she has to tune out her own clothes. When the book opens, Sancia is about to start a seemingly mundane job for a mysterious client: steal a small wooden box from the waterfront and deliver it unopened, no questions asked. As you might imagine, the heist goes catastrophically wrong, and Sancia decides she needs to know what she went to all that trouble to get. Inside the box, she discovers a bizarre scrived key that can open any lock and that also happens to speak in a snarky voice that she can hear in her head. Sancia quickly realizes that she is in deep shit with any number of people who want to kill her, and she sets about trying to find a way to survive. This wouldn’t be a book about a thief if there wasn’t eventually a bigger, more dangerous heist in the cards. As Sancia comes to understand the true stakes of her situation, she slowly but surely builds out a crew of friends and allies while Jackson Bennett unpacks her history and reveals the horrors of her former life. Meticulous worldbuilding always feels like the “fun” of an epic fantasy novels, the part of the book that the author obsessed over, sometimes to the detriment of the story. Jackson Bennett’s worldbuilding is fun, but scriving is also the rotten core at the heart of Foundryside. Sancia’s world and its wonders exist only because of atrocities that seem like ancient history but that happened not so long ago. The worst part is the revelation that the modern-day scrivers only understand a tiny fraction of the language of their ancestors, and all the power will go to the first scriver who puts enough pieces of the language together to remake the world in their image. Foundryside is the first of Jackson Bennett’s novels that I’ve read. I had heard endless praise for his Divine Cities trilogy, and I’m sure I’ll read it before too much longer, but for whatever reason, I was more drawn to Foundryside’s fascinating premise and high-stakes magical heists. Highly recommended. Full disclosure: I received a free review copy of this book from NetGalley, but I listened to the audiobook from Audible.

An enthralling start to a story in a masterfully built world. What I loved: The approach to magic used in Foundryside was so thoughtfully detailed. Everything functioned in a way that had reason, purpose, and a connection to the overall history that we're just on the brink of diving deep into at the end of the first book. The politics, the history, the use and potential of the magic in this world, and the dynamics between the characters and their backgrounds is truly exciting. What I didn't love: Especially in the beginning, the voice of all the characters matches that of the narrator. This happens throughout the entire book, but once you're wrapped up in the story it is a lot less noticeable. The characters themselves are unique to one another, it's just their voice that is repititive. Earlier comments have mentioned that the way everyone speaks feels out of place, and I agree that it pulls you out of the story a bit to hear an unquestionably ancient character of this world say things like, "oh my god" and "oh SHIT" repeatedly. I'm anxiously waiting to get my hands on a paperback copy of Shorefall and truly can't wait to see where this trilogy ends up.

so so so good 🤯

they said i was one thing. but i have changed my mind. this novel was just as exciting, fast-paced, and innovative as i had hoped. there's just so much to love here: a diverse cast of characters (the two main characters are Black and the primary romance is sapphic), perhaps the most unique magic system i've ever encountered in a fantasy novel, and action that is as gripping as it is tragic. i absolutely love the main cast of characters (im a sucker for an ensemble cast y'all should know this by now), and i was never bored with whoever's POV i happened to be reading from. im really hoping for more time with gregor, orso, and berenice (especially berenice) in the next two books because im dying to get to know them and their personalities better. one slight complaint i have is that i wish the ensemble cast was given more page-time. i found it hard to fully connect with any of them besides sancia. i just wish we got to hear more of their thoughts rather than just dialogue––especially orso and berenice. there are hints at their backstories, but id love to know more. one other issue i had with this was the sheer amount of action. while it was all flawlessly executed and extremely well-detailed, there was just so much of it. it felt like there was a huge fight scene every 15 pages. which is fun, but personally, id love more time with the characters getting to know them. i will fully admit i am a character over plot girl so that's probably just on me but i want my found family and for that i need them to interact not just fight the bad guys <3 i have super high hopes for the next book and i can't waitttt to see how this world continues to unfold. bennett is insane at worldbuilding and his concepts/lore are outrageously smart. how he thinks of all this and keeps it all straight is beyond me but im so excited to dive back into this!!! give me corruption, give me political strife, give me newfound powers <3 <3 its kinda giving the poppy war trilogy in that sense and i love it

Wow. There is one thing that Robert Jackson Bennett excels in. And that is to up the stakes to such extremes that I can never predict how it's going to be resolved. Simply put, it was epic. It was masterful and beautifully done. The characters, the plot, heck, the magic system was shining on its own but they're also woven in together so seamlessly that it's as if you're transported to this world, despite how horrific it is, and went along the journey with Sancia and the rest of the crew. First of all, Clef. The MVP. The mystery behind a talking, scrived key, the thing that sent merchant houses after him. Everything that he and Sancia experienced was joyful and, quite honestly, sad and tragic. Also, Sancia? Badass woman. She endured unspeakable horrors and then having to live a life as such, but she survives and she thrives. I love her strength and how relentless she is, and how her character isn't one-dimensional at all. She grows into... something but that just makes her more interesting. What I want to see more, aside the plot of course, is Berenice and her genius ideas. I genuinely want her happy, and I want her happy with Sancia.

scriving works just like that one game "baba is you" anyways i found this book enjoyable and the magic system was so cool! found it weird sometimes how the book couldnt decide if it wanted to be a ya or adult book because the main character is a teenager and some scenes are written in a very ya style but then there are some scenes where it is abundantly clear that this is not a ya book. i enjoyed it tho! fun heist book with a surprise wlw couple and the wlw part of it isnt even part of the story it just happens <3

the audiobook of this is absolutely amazing, highly recommend reading the book this way.

You can find this review and more at Novel Notions. “All things have a value. Sometimes the value is paid in coin. Other times, it is pain in time and sweat. And finally, sometimes it is paid in blood. Humanity seems most eager to use this latter currency. And we never note how much of it we’re spending, unless it happens to be our own.” Foundryside is radically different from Bennett’s Divine Cities series, which served as my introduction to his work. There was an almost flippant lightness to this book, whereas the Divine Cities novels had a philosophical weight to them that gave them immense power and a lasting presence in my mind. I thoroughly enjoyed Foundryside, but it’s not a book I’ll still be mulling over weeks or months from now. “To steal a thing is not the same as freeing a thing.” The story starts with a bang as Sancia, our most prevalent protagonist, stages an elaborate one-woman heist. There was something about Sancia and her thieving abilities that reminded me a lot of Mistborn’s Vin, though Sancia seems more sure of who she is and what she’s capable of from her first appearance. But the heist turns out to be far most complicated and deadly than Sancia anticipated, which is where Gregor, our other perspective character, comes in. Gregor stands on the opposite side of the law from Sancia, doing his best to uphold justice in a city with now set guidelines to bind people together. He plans to singlehandedly change that, even if it kills him. “I think he’s broken, just like you and me. He’s just trying to fix the world because it’s the only way he knows to fix himself.” I loved the dichotomy and banter between Sancia and Gregor. We meet other characters, namely Orso, Berenice, Claudia, and Gio, who add quite a bit of sass to the story. However, my favorite secondary character is Clef, hands down. Clef is a sentient inanimate object with a very distinctive voice, and he serves a a hinge for the story as well as giving up insight into the magic system of this world. “Every innovation—technological, sociological, or otherwise—begins as a crusade, organizes itself into a practical business, and then, over time, degrades into common exploitation.” Speaking of magic system, I think Foundryside’s scriving is one of the most unique I’ve come across. It’s perfectly balanced between mystical and technological. I love when a fantasy realm finds a way to harness that which they do not understand, especially when they’re using something wild and unexplained to accomplish mundane task propelling carriages and lighting hallways. So basically, scriving is the art of convincing an object to act counter to its nature by engraving it with sigils that lie to said object and convince it that whatever action it’s been assigned really is its natural function. I found both the concept of scriving and the mechanics of the system as presented in the book fascinating, as well as how the use of this system had radically divided society. “Reality doesn’t matter. If you can change something’s mind enough, it’ll believe whatever reality you choose.” There were a couple of elements of this book that missed the mark for me. Firstly, I thought the character development was lacking. This is strange, since we got a good bit of backstory from both perspective and secondary characters, but as much as I liked them and found them entertaining, they just didn’t resonate with me. They remain acquaintances in my mind instead of friends. However, I know this book is the first in a series, so there’s room for growth there. Secondly, the cursing was a bit jarring for some reason. I have zero problem with cursing in fiction, but there was something about the language choices here that felt forced. I think Bennett was trying to go for something similar to The Lies of Locke Lamora in tone but didn’t quite hit the mark. “Pride…it’s so often an excuse for people to be weak.” Foundryside is an engrossing, entertaining heist story with a unique magic system, and it kept me engaged until the very last page. While not quite the caliber of Bennett’s Divine Cities trilogy, which is among my favorite series I’ve ever read, it’s still definitely worth reading, and I can’t wait to see where Bennett takes the series in the next installment. “Remember—move thoughtfully, give freedom to others, and you’ll rarely do wrong…”

4.5

God. Finally a book that made it difficult to put down in the past 24 hours. Finally an original and engaging magic system. Finally some fascinating worldbuilding.

➽ And the moral of this reread is: Robert Jackson Bennett, thank thee kindly ever so much. Because of you I am now in hopeless, desperate 💕lurve💕 with a key. A bloody shrimping KEY. [May 2018] 🥇🦐 Shrimpiest Book of the Year Award Nominee! 🦐🥇 Actual rating: 6.848697 stars. And a half. Okay. So this book is so bloody fishing scrumptious I don't know where to start. By foaming at the mouth maybe? Not a bad idea, actually, that usually works pretty well for me. Oh yes, I feel much more inspired now. Not to mention super sexy and irresistible and stuff. Okay. I can do this. Let's see. Where to start? Oh yes, The Divine Cities. You know, the slightly wondrous trilogy that brings instant doom and self-combustion to those Puny Barnacles who haven't yet heard about it/read it/rated it 10+ stars? Yes, that trilogy. Well it turns out the books in said trilogy are some of the very bestest I have ever read in the entirety of my entire nefarious life. And it just so happens that this little book right here was written by The Divine Cities' Divine Daddy (DD™), Robert Jackson Bennett. Imagine that! What a coincidence and stuff! Anyway, I was offered an ARC for Foundryside, and I must admit I almost didn't accept it. I mean, there are so many glorious Historical Romances waiting for me on my to-be-read shelf! How could I carelessly dismiss them in favor of a silly Fantasy book written by some moderately talented guy I've repeatedly asked to marry me I kinda sorta not completely dislike and stuff? Quite the predicament this was, I must admit. But, being the civilized, friendly, eager-to-please overlord that I am, I ended up accepting the ARC. Because it was the polite thing to do, obviously. And not because I was slightly excited at the prospect of reading this book. And certainly not because the mere thought of holding it in my undeserving little pincers made me feel a little like this: Nope nope nope. Absolutely not and stuff. Soooooo, it's time for the crap to be cut! You want to read this book because: ① I will unleash my murderous crustaceans on you if you don't. QED and stuff. ② One of the mostest originalest world-buildings in the history of mostest originalest world-buildings this is (view spoiler)[ One of the other mostest originalest world-buildings in the history of mostest originalest world-buildings being that of Divine Cities. Just so you know. You're welcome (hide spoiler)]. Believe me, my Flimsy Decapods, you've never read anything like this. Imagine a city reminiscent of Medieval Venice, ruled by power-hungry lovely merchant families bent on scheming acting benevolently 24/7. What? You think this ain't no original stuff? Ha. You clueless Arthropods you! Now imagine a city reminiscent of Medieval Venice, in a world where lexical magic is used to alter the reality perceived by objects so as to modify their behavior and confuse the fish out of, um, you know, reality and stuff. Sorry, what? You no compute? Don't you worry your little selves about it. Just read the book and thank me profusely later. Anyhoo, all you really need to know about Foundryside is: magic and science and technology, oh my! Welcome to Robert Jackson Bennett's Lusciously Delicious Industrialized Magic World (LDIMW™)! It's so beautifully complex and rich and well thought-out and amazingly detailed that this book should have been more boring than watching elderly barnacles copulate! Or than reading coma-inducing Locke Lamora and The Blade Itself back to back! But it wasn't! It was reasonably exciting and gripping and titillating and stimulating and intriguing! And a little thrilling, too! Because spoiler spoiler spoiler! And because Simon Indy says don't play with obscure artifacts! And because History and ancient, magic secrets will always bite you in the exoskeleton! You'd know this if you'd read Divine Cities and stuff! You know, it's that relatively enjoyable series I may have mentioned before! I think! Not sure though! Uh-oh! Looks like I'm suffering from a very sudden, very acute case of Severe Exclamationitis! This is most troubling indeed! Please someone fetch Dr Prawn at once! Yep, pretty much. ③ High Security Harem-worthy characters galore! I'm adopting kidnapping them all! Bloody fishing shrimp, it's getting crowded in the RBJ wing of my harem. If the man keeps this Ridiculously Amazing Characterization Business (RACB™) going much longer, I'll have to build an extension and stuff. And I fully expect him to foot the bill and stuff. I mean, is it my fault if he writes characters I just cannot resist locking up protecting? Obviously not. The man dangles some of the most mouthwatering female characters in Fantasy today and I am supposed to stoically remain stoical? Right. Glad you agree with me on that one. Long story short: I am quite innocent, and Poof Gone Kidnapped and stuff. Oh wait, I haven't told you who it is I was kidnapping! Well, apart from the whole cast, I mean. Sooooo, we have Sancia the super yummy, kick-ass, refreshingly uncontained thief who hears all the objects and things and stuff she touches (don't ask) because spoiler spoiler spoiler (I told you not to ask, didn't I?) Then we have Clef the spoiler spoiler spoiler who might be the mostest unexpectedest, awesomest, funniest sidekick in the history of mostest unexpectedest, awesomest, funniest sidekicks. Then we have Gregor the delectably reluctant hero who spoiler spoiler spoiler with his spoiler spoiler spoiler. Then we have Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler (not the character's real name, in case you were wondering) who would make both Q and Inspector Gadget proud. Then we have exquisitely grumpy Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler (not the character's real name, either) who may or may not spoiler spoiler spoiler the spoiler spoiler spoiler and vice versa. Then we have…Sorry what? You've got boring things to do and uninteresting places to visit, and want me to get a move on and stuff? Oh, fine. Such a bunch of subaquatic party poopers you Brooding Arthropods are sometimes. There's just one last thing I want to add before you resume your fascinating activities: there are deliciously evil, wonderfully treacherous bastards and bitches in this book. Yes there are. Which is definitely worth a celebratory dance, if you ask me. I recently attended Fleet Admiral DaShrimp's Smooth Moves for Undercover Crustaceans webinar. It shows, huh? ④ The story is exciting and gripping and titillating and stimulating and intriguing and a little thrilling. I've already told you as much? Are you quite sure? I don't think I did. Maybe you should stay away from drugs and alcohol for a while, my Little Barnacles. They seem to be affecting your ever-flailing mental abilities. But anyway. So the story is kinda sorta bloody shrimping fantastic. It's an action-packed adventure full of, um, you know, action and stuff. And full of suspense, too. And mystery. And twists. And surprises. And revelations. And emotional stuff that does weird, unmentionable things to my black, withered heart. And a whole lot of hahahahahaha dialogues. And fantabulicious heists. And cool (if manically happy) contraptions. And severed limbs (which are always a plus, if you ask me). And flying assholes. And keys that orgasm when they open doors (I kid you not). And pretty excited dead guys. And neurotic scrivings. And people exploding. And aggravating shackles. And the apocalypse. Or thereabout. (view spoiler)[I'm very not sorry but the following cannot be helped. Don’t blame me, blame RBJ. (hide spoiler)] ⑤ The finale will leave you feeling both like this: And like this: Robert Jackson Bennett, have you ever thought of changing your last name to Dun Dun Dun? Because you totally should, methinks. ➽ And the moral of this I Liked this Book a Little But It's Not Like It's One of My Favorite Ones Ever of Course Not Don't Be Ridiculous Now Crappy Non Review (ILtBaLBINLIOoMFOEoCNDBRNCNR™) is: RBJ, it's a good thing you've already started writing book 2 in this series. Not that I want to read it or anything, but other people might. Now if I was, say, somewhat interested in continuing with what promises to be a relatively magnificent series, I would maybe send a few platoons of murderous crustaceans to, um, you know, threaten watch over you, thus ensuring you, um, you know, wrote the sequel to this book post-bloody-shrimping-haste in the most positive, pleasant atmosphere. See? Kindness is me. Also, no pressure and stuff. Thanks so much to Kathleen Quinlan and Crown Publishing for sending me an ARC of this book! I shall forever be full of grate and stuff! · Book 2: Shorefall ★★★★★ · Book 3: Locklands - to be released June 21, 2022 [Pre-review nonsense] There is a slight chance that I might have enjoyed reading this book a teensy little bit. Maybe. Possibly. Perhaps. There is also a slight chance that this book might be one of my favorite ones ever. Maybe. Possibly. Perhaps. Not sure though. I'll have to get back to you on that one and stuff. As soon as I finish jumping up and down up like a 13-year-old fangirl on acid. What? You don't think that girl is 13? Of course she is. She looks much wiser than her years, that is all. This originally original fantastically fantastic world. This yummily yummilicious cast of High Security Harem-Worthy Characters (HSHWC™). This grippingly gripping, twistily twisty plot. This spoilerishly spoilerish spoiler spoiler spoiler. This stupendously stupendous every-bloody-shrimping-thing. ➽ Full Mr RJB You Already Rejected My Marriage Proposal Once You Do Not Want to Turn Me Down Again and Have Me Become More of a Homicidal Maniac Than I Already Am Do You Now But Hey No Pressure and Stuff Crappy Non Review (MRJBYARMMPOYDNWtTMDAaHMBMoaHMTIAADYNBHNPaSCNR™) to come. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] [April 24, 2018] Bloody shrimping hell of the slaughterish decapod!!!!! I'm getting a Robert Jackson Bennett of the Amazingly Scrumpalicious Divine Cities (RJBotASDV™) ARC!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhh and stuff!!!!! Let's daaaaaaaance and stuff!!!!! Also,

4.5 stars *kisses fingers* It's an interesting coincidence that I read this right after being so thoroughly disappointed in Guy Gavriel Kay's A Brightness Long Ago. It definitely was not intentional - just a circumstance of library holds working the way they do - but it's provided me with an interesting perspective on the genre of fantasy when an author builds from a pre-existing "template". Foundryside takes place in a city called Tevanne which is, for all intents and purposes, modelled in a fashion after Venice - a pre-modern 19th century version, unlike Kay's firmly Renaissance Italy. Tevanne is controlled by four 'campos', merchant families that wield almost unlimited power over land, people, and finance. This is where all similarities to the real world and history begin and end. Despite a number of infodumps in the first half of this book (ohhhh how I hate infodumps), Bennett just squeaks by with this tactic by using the MC thief Sancia Grado as the delivery system. She herself is relatively new to Tevanne, and is in the process of discovering the city and the scriving magic that's so prevalent to life here every day. Sancia is herself a product of the serious imbalance of wealth in Tevanne - an escaped slave, having been reduced to a thing and struggling to get by even after becoming "freed". I just appreciated her so much! Foundryside is also a continuation of the idea of divinity as a man-made construct that Bennett was experimenting with in the Divine Cities trilogy. I'm excited that he's kept with this theme because I find it so fascinating! So, on top of the theme of divinity, the historically-referenced-landscape-that-gets-totally-magical setting and the scrappy MC, the centre of this story is a totally insane heist! This is honestly like licking through the Tootsie Pop to get to the soft, chocolaty centre. The heist has all the necessary elements to be batshit and FUN and I loved it! To Mr. Kay - please understand that writing a fantasy that's based on a real historical place does not mean that it has to remain a facsimile of that place. Be like Mr. Bennett and use that place as the launchpad for creating something truly unique.

I read 70% of this book. I really tried. But I can’t do it no more.

Enjoyed it more than expected! It was a little slow at first, warming up to the characters, but I will almost definitely read the second one.