Loved the beautiful imagery and character development of this book steeped in west African folklore. The compassion I have for Tarisai was so intense throughout this book. Tarisai has to carefully balance her own well-being, the threat of losing loved ones, the weight of guilt and shame, as well as the desperate need to cure an empire that doesn't protect its people. I loved learning the world of Aritsar and Songland and getting to know the different regions of this world through the characters that originated there as well as from Tarisai's travels. There were some twists in this book that I didn't expect, but were executed exquisitely. I can't wait to read Redemptor and follow along this journey to see what else Tarisai is capable of!