I learned this wasn't a standalone on the very last page so there's that lol.

It being the first book in a series changes my enjoyment of this book somewhat. What I thought was a vaguely ambiguous open ended mystery story is actually a foundation for ongoing adventures and I think it maybe makes me like it a little less? But that I think is very much a matter of personal taste and not a flaw of the book.

The epistolary format is a little tedious in places, especially with such a flowery and formal writing style, and I'm absolutely guilty of skim reading a couple of lore related entries that I just didn't find interesting, but overall I really enjoyed the setting and the concept and it kept me engaged until the end.

I don't know if I'll read the next one because I kind of like the mystery left where it was but I did enjoy the experience overall