Mixed feelings

The main character is interesting, the rest of the characters are okay, the setting is interesting, I liked the magic layout, the first third or so is pretty solid and then things kinda get a bit slow, and there is one plot point at the end that is incredibly frustrating. So it leaves a mixed impression overall.

Conceptually it's awesome. Someone fleeing an invasion to find an army elsewhere to come back and retake their kingdom with sounds super compelling. In practice I was hoping for a lot more intrigue and political manoeuvring and less romance.

The first third or so is great. Things move along quickly and a compelling struggle is set up. Then Askia arrives in Vishir, and it becomes a very different kind of book. No specific spoilers, but there is a focus on feelings and romantic stuff in the last half of the book. Some of it was relevant to the overarching plot, but there were sub-plots in this area that felt irrelevant in my opinion. It was hard to care about various character's feelings of attraction given the serious situation set up at the beginning of the story.
Things progress and start to pick up, and then there is a massive cliffhanger ending. No specific spoilers again, but the cliffhanger would be easier to accept if the cliffhanger didn't rely on a plot point that was very dumb and overly convenient from my perspective.

The world is enjoyable. It's not groundbreakingly unique or anything but I don't think it has to be. Different factions are set up in a way that works and doesn't feel boring. Same with the magic.

The narrator is good. Initially it felt like she had too much of a pattern to her reading in a way that made me think she would be good at voicing guided meditations or similar material. But I did stop noticing that and appreciating the work she did to make characters sound distinct and add emotion in the right areas.

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