Read for the January '25 meeting of the Guild Book Club at Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, LA. 

This was read a firmly mid read to me with a too-slow first half and an action-packed second half. I don't know if I'd say I fully liked or loved this book, but I also couldn't really put it down. 

As a Jewish reader, before I dove into this book, I took a look at some of the reviews and was surprised to find a prominent review criticizing this book's Jewishness, so I went in intrigued but came out furious at the writer of that review as I thought this book captured aspects of Judaism in fantasy beautifully, with our main character experiencing VERY realistic historical eastern European anti-semitism based around money and worsening in times of strife; there are Jewish quarters in the cities and some people are unwilling to shake Jewish moneylenders' hands. Our Jewish MC's Judaism is constantly raised, even in another realm, and the characters keep their prayers and traditions, including at highly important moments in the book. 

This book is gorgeously written even if it wasn't the perfect book to me!