R. F. Kuang really went off about the publishing industry in this one.

Going into this book, I was worried that I would find the narrator too annoying to continue. But while I do find her actions deplorable, there are aspects of her character I actually find relatable, like her anxiety and her passion for writing. I was never rooting for her, but I could understand the motivation behind her actions. She felt like such a complex and whole human being.

The climax of the story was a bit too off the rails for my taste, but everything else was amazingly well-written and utterly gripping. R. F. Kuang did a fantastic job of clearly conveying a message without it coming off as too forced and preachy. Every outburst felt earned.