I don't know if I'll ever give a Samantha Shannon book anything less than 5 stars. Yes, it's a debut novel, and yes, it has its issues, but returning to this work after reading the subsequent books only serves to show how much thought and careful crafting SS has put into this story. Every sentence, every WORD, absolutely drips with meaning and foreshadowing of what is to come. Rereading this book after reading the rest of the (currently released) series is like reading an entirely new story thanks to the context that's layered onto it. This series is rapidly approaching my favourite of all time. A true masterpiece.