When I opened this book, I thought I was settling in for a long and comfy read, but I ended up tearing through it in just a few days! I know it's popular and beloved, but I still found it surprisingly good. It hits a few of my areas of interest:

  1. Dark Academia
  2. The power of language
  3. The effect of empire on culture and moral virtue

One dynamic that was very well-represented here, and really stuck out to me, is the complex emotions that come with being a cultural or racial minority in a setting that runs on cultural or racial hegemony. The main characters feel deeply a frustration with their difference from the dominant culture and with the friction it causes them, as well as a fierce loyalty and love for what they came from. That mix of feelings drives much of the internal conflict, and eventually helps bring the conflict of the book to bear.

The writer is definitely invested in illustrating these points about race, place, and identity within empire, but it's also just an incredibly entertaining thriller.

Folks who like Donna Tartt, Tana French, or J.K. Rowling will probably like this book. And even if you don't - it's a great read.