These pages do not feel like 700 but far more than a thousand. It’s an epic dark story, full of feelings, worlds colliding and social/ religious criticism. I laughed, cried, was disgusted, angry (a lot), frustrated (a lot more), but all in all I feel like I can take a lot from this book with me. Maybe the best book I‘ve ever read and I will think about it for a long time. I would love to read more about the characters and it makes me sad to never hear from them again. Before you read it check your triggers - it is very very dark, many terrible things happen, so be prepared and maybe take a day off in between reading.

Okay so I get why people lose their minds over this book. The slow-burn between Amber and Meoraq is genuinely earned, the worldbuilding is insane in the best way, and Amber is the kind of heroine who actually pulls her own weight (literally and figuratively). The alien culture interaction is easily the highlight , and the romance never feels cheap. But here’s my thing: this book is a 1,000-page behemoth that has a five-star story trapped inside it. And the dark content, multiple r*pe scenes, graphic violence, and slavery, gets genuinely exhausting, that it crosses into relentlessness. Still, if you have patience, a strong stomach, and no weekend plans for the next two weeks, Gann might just scale its way into your heart. (Sorry. Not sorry.)

I feel like this is a masterpiece. But its also disturbing enough that I cant recommend this to my rl friends and I have nobody to talk about this with. Once you start reading you cant stop. And whatever you think this is about. It isnt. Its much more. Please take note of TWs before reading. Because there are a lot. This is not easy or light.