This is probably the best fantasy book I’ve ever read?? I don’t read a ton of fantasy, to be fair, but pretty much immediately I knew that this was a masterclass in world building, character work, and writing quality. Jemisin’s voice was clear and compelling right at the start, and I loved how the characters came together to form a unique, clever, and expansive whole. The vibes were dark and dystopian, and the world and it’s lore, culture, and politics felt very real. I ordered the next two books in the trilogy about 200 pages in to this one, which I think marks a successful, page-turning story.