Dnf at page ~50.
The premise and the lore is lovely, but the writing is ALL tell, no show. I can't get a sense of place or the characters. It's like a clinical retelling of events.

I think some people won't mind the writing style and will enjoy the other elements, but this book just isn't it for me.

"To Shape A Dragon's Breath" is the story of Anequs, a young girl on the island of Masquapaug whose life changes in the blink of an eye when she spots a dragon, the first dragon seen in her village in 200 years.
As Anequs retells her family about spotting the dragon, her grandmother tells her to take juniper and tobacco to Slipstone Island to the Temple, where she first saw the Nampeshiwe as an offering. However, she finds a dragon's egg when she reaches the Temple. Anequs carries the egg back to the village to show her family and await the hatching of the first Nampheshiwe in 200 years.
When her brother arrives from Vastergot with an application explaining that the Anglish will want her to attend the Dragon Academy because all dragon riders must learn to shape a dragon's breath, Anequs's grandmother is insulted by this announcement because the dragons were their people first, why should the Anglish tell them what to do. Anequs's brother explains that if she does not attend then and shape Kasaqua's breath, the Anglish will come and put him to death.
Later that day, the siblings are walking along the beach when Kasaqua accidentally releases his breath for the first time, causing injury; it is then that Anequs makes up her mind to attend Karina Kuipers Academy for Dragons.
Once Anequs arrives at Kuipers Academy for Dragons, she is not greeted with the warmest of welcomes. Instead, Anequs is treated as a second-class citizen since she is from Masquapaug and known as a Nackie; it is felt that she is undeserving of Kasaqua in the first place. Moreover, professor Ezel, the most important of her instructors that teaches skiltikraft, absolutely abhors her for no other reason than he thinks she's a savage.
But Anequs is there for one thing and one thing only; she's a girl on a mission. To save Kasaquas life and to return to her family as a proud Nampeshiweisit of Kasaqua.
Anequs journey will not be easy; along this colonizer route, she will encounter sexual harassment, extreme prejudice, physical violence to herself from other classmates, and deliberate scheming by Professor Ezel to set her up for failure.
Also, we will see how Blackgoose intertwines the beautiful relationship between Anequs and Sander, who is on the Spectrum. Who's mother is so self-absorbed that she has frightened him to the point of writing only; while Sander can speak, he would instead write than speak so as not to appear clumsy. So Anequs gives him a voice that no others have ever given him, finally helping his fiercely loving sister to stand against their mother for him.
Blackgoose uses the old adieu of telephone and how damaging it can be. How one story is passed on and on can eventually be delivered wrong.
Without the perseverance of Anequs, Theod would always be an outcast. But Anequs made him open his eyes and see beyond the trees and see the horizon.
Marta and Anequs are the only female dragon riders at the school, so they are paired to room together. The two have a lot to learn from each other. Throughout the book, the unlikely pair will form a bond while each tries to teach the other their ways.
I must admit there were times I truly wanted to knock some sense into Anequs and tell her to "ZIP IT" for a once and listen. Then I thought to myself, "why should she have to?" Why should she have to bow down to these "Colonizers?" and conform to their ways? She, A., Doesn't want to be like them. B. Has no desire to stay in their city and live amongst them when school is finished. C. She only wants to shape Kasaqua's breath, and then she wants to return to her village. So why does she need to conform to the harassment inflicted upon her? "SHE DOESN'T"
I adored Anequs for her gutsy ways; she spoke up for herself and never let people push her around. Anequs didn't let the fact that she wasn't like them make her feel "SORRY" for herself.
Blackgoose does an excellent job of teaching self-love, loving the skin that you were born in, no matter what race, class, or caste you are delivered into, be proud of who you are because no one else is going to be proud of you.
Anequs was very proud to be from Masquapaug, that whaling village of only 1000 people, and more than happy to return. So even when the insults flew, she reflected and slung them right back.
Blackgoose also teaches, "PEOPLE NEED TO WALK A MILE IN ANOTHER PERSON'S SHOES TO UNDERSTAND FULLY." People can always sympathize, but they can never understand the burden, oppression, and pain unless they truly live it.
Blackgooses word building is "Phenomenal," and the imaginative, picturesque worlds were portrayed "BRILLIANTLY."
I am thrilled that there will be a sequel to this eye-opening book; I look forward to knowing what will happen to Anequs, Theod, Sander and Marta, and especially Kasaqua.

"SPLENDIDLY DONE"
"BRAVO"
"WOMEN OF COLOR ROCK"
"INDIGENOUS WOMEN FOR THE WIN"
"BLACKGOOSE NAILED THIS ONE"

Thank you, NetGalley/Moniquill Blackgoose/Random House Publishing Group Ballantine.Del Rey
#lovethenameblackgoose
#loveballantineDelRey
#loveNetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey, and - most importantly - Moniquill Blackgoose for this eGalley copy of To Shape a Dragon's Breath.

This book was a incredible ride. It's got dragons, epic worldbuilding, biting criticism of colonial imperialism (both historic and - less blatantly - modern), genuine anguish, and relatable characters. I strongly recommend this book.

I was given the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey and to NetGalley!

I acknowledge, with respect, that the lands I live on are the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations and peoples.

To Shape a Dragon's Breath is an alternate universe story about an Indigenous woman who suddenly finds that a dragon egg has been left on Slipstone Island. She brings the egg back to her village, where it is celebrated by the whole community. They sing songs, tell stories, and care for the egg until it hatches - and Kasaqua chooses Anequs as her Nampeshiweisit. Unfortunately because her people have not had Nampeshiwei (the dragons native to their land, that were thought to all be gone) in hundreds of years, nobody can tell her what she needs to know in order to shape Kasaqua's breath. When an accident happens, Anequs chooses to follow her brother's advice and apply to a school to become a dragoneer in the Anglish manner, so she can learn what she needs to and then return to her people. This book details her first year at school, from the cultural differences, racism, educational barriers (of course the Anglish expect her to know THEIR peoples' history, when they know nothing of hers!), and more. Anequs meets all sorts of obstacles that challenge her in different ways.

I really, really enjoyed this book. It was a bit of a slow wind-up but once it got rolling, it was hard to put down! If you enjoy books about schools - the ones that focus on social, educational and political plots, then this one is for you! If you're looking for more sword fights and action, you'll be disappointed. This is not about a young woman who literally fights through her obstacles. There is, of course, some fighting because.. well, it's a school, whose almost all the students are rich older sons. There are a few exceptions - Anequs is roommates with the only other girl in the school, Marta. The only other nackie (Indigenous) person at the school is Theod, who came by his dragon egg in an even more unusual manner than Anequs. Sander is the brother of one of Marta's oldest friends - I definitely read him as autistic and I assume the society just hasn't come up with a word for it yet.

Marta, Sander and Theod experience just as much culture shock as Anequs does. Theod was raised solely by, and among, the Anglish so even though he is nackie, he knows nothing about his heritage except what the Anglish have told him.

One of the things that would occasionally take me out of the setting were the words that clearly had common root with english - for example, lood for lead or silber for silver. But I also see it as an intentional world-building choice. Some of it seemed to almost bring an experience or feeling of being an "outsider" or disconnected from the Anglish - which I almost wonder if that was also intentional, to pull white readers into a different mindset when reading. (I'm a white reader who only speaks one language, so whether it was an intentional choice or just a happy accident of the world building, I do think it gave me a different experience than I would have otherwise had.)

I love the system by which they shape a dragon's breath! It's clearly based on the periodical table of elements and chemistry. I found it intricately fascinating and can't decide if I'm head-canoning the symbols they use as similar to what we use in chemistry, or if it is also slightly different. As a science nerd, I really appreciated this extra detail, instead of a "shrug, magic". I like when magic systems have some kind of basis in the world-building that makes sense.

There is some queer rep in Anequs, who is bisexual and talks about the way her culture sees LGBT+ members of their community (it's good!) and even about polyamorous marriages (yay!). Sander is presumably autistic. Theod might be serving as an example of what being raised outside of your heritage & culture can lead to - I love seeing him slowly opening up to Anequs and questioning what he's been told his entire life.

Overall, I found this book INCREDIBLY enjoyable and I'm looking forward to the next one!

When readers are shouting for diversity in novels this is exactly what we are looking for! Many of the themes in this book are reminiscent of the Native indigenous people and their struggle against racism, colonialism, colonization, and outright whitewashing. While most of the book takes place at the academy we’re introduced to a rich and vibrant world with a cast of characters who are as diverse as the world we live in. While this feels like a cozy fantasy novel it’s laying the groundwork for what I expect to be an epic, dare I say, high fantasy series. This is the perfect novel for anyone seeking cozy fantasy, diverse representation, steampunk academia, and/or political/historical genre.

Pros
-Rich world-building
-Representation for LGBTQIA+ and Autism
-Strong Female Lead MC
-Complex Theme
-Indigenous Representation
-Fantasy
-DRAGONS!

Cons
-Some of the world-building was a little heavy-handed/information overload.

Overall a fantastic story! Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me the opportunity to get an early copy of this story.

This very appealing YA fantasy novel takes us to a different version of our world in the 19th century. Anequs is a 15-year-old indigenous woman (because once you hit puberty you are a woman in her society) who lives on an island and leads a traditional life. This world has dragons, but her people have been without dragons after the ruling class brought disease and death some time ago. One day Anequs sees a beautiful dragon leaving her island and when she goes to check that part of the island, she discovers an egg. Bringing it back to her village, it is cared for by the whole community and when it hatches it chooses Anequs as her companion.
In this society, dragons are strictly regulated by the Anglis, the ruling class, and Anequs is compelled to attend a school on the mainland if she wishes to keep her dragon. This is a story of the first year for Anequs at this school and all that entailed. An interesting part of the book is the Contents pages: each chapter has a title that when you read all of them gives you an outline/story of the book. It's an interesting concept that draws you in. Anequs also is a strong character -- she is not afraid to think for herself and question the ways of her 'betters' as just about everyone she meets does think that she and her people are uncivilized and ignorant. One criticism is that usually Anequs is always right even if she has to face consequences for those beliefs. The author calls out racism and sexism through Anequs and you are glad she does, but no one is always on the right side of every argument and belief.
This seems to be the first of a series and I'm sure a second book about Anequs will be anxiously awaited.

Premise

Anequs, an indigenous islander in this fantasy world, is forced to attend a white school away from her people after a newly-hatched dragon chooses her to be its rider.

Quick Review

Another reviewer described this as a "cozy fantasy" and I think that's a great description. With great diverse representation and an overall wholesome feel, this book takes you on a journey to a world where the main villain is politics and racism. This book is for you if you love detailed worldbuilding.

Long Review

While this book covers heavy themes like racism, xenophobia, and colonization as assimilation is forced onto our main character, it's balanced out with scenes of going to class, making friends, and taking adventures in the city. Anequs herself is a satisfying main character. She is strong-willed, forward, and open-minded. She suffers no miscommunication, she seeks people out first, she extends her hand to those who are down-trodden and speaks up in defense of herself and others.

I also appreciated that all of the characters were given breathing room. Our first impressions weren't always accurate, and we had a chance to see them grow and evolve as well. We also got some great representation in this book. The core culture revolves around indigenous people of course, but we also got to see rep for autism, LGBTQ+, polyamory, and women.

The worldbuilding was incredibly detailed and intricate. In addition to unique place names and ruling class titles, we also got new words and definitions for scientific principles. It was so fleshed out and believable--though it did take some time for me to keep everyone and everything straight in my head.

It was an overall delightful read and I'm excited for this series to continue. I will definitely be reading. This book is set to release May 2023.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dragons, commentary about racism and colonization, and a badass MC? Then you should read To Shape a Dragon's Breath. The writing was good, the story was captivating, and the commentary was on point.

I really enjoyed this novel, set in an alternate North America among Indigenous groups and settler-colonizer communities--and their dragons. The deft handling of Native lore, practices, and life is a treat to read, and while protagonist Anequs, a queer young Indigenous woman who has been chosen by a dragon to care for it, serves as a didactic mouthpiece most of the time, she is a fairly well-constructed character in her own right. The world-building tends to fall somewhere between the simple "can you line up places and things between the world of the book and our world?"--like cities and materials (lead becomes "lood," for example)--and a more thoughtful imagination of how colonization changes the world. In addition to Anequs, there are other characters who clearly serve very specific roles, including two love interests, a roommate who explains Anglish colonialist culture, a brother, who has left his family to live in an Anglish city and learn their technology so he can take it home with him and use it for Native interests, an autistic boy who is there to be Anequs's friend and teach readers about non-speaking or low-speaking autistics, the racist, elitist instructor at the academy Anequs attends, and a few others, all of whom fulfill various other archetypes. But despite the characters being stereotypes, they generally don't grate--author Blackgoose has fleshed them out at least a little bit. The pacing is a little jerky, and the end feels rushed. Despite the obvious doors left open for sequels, I'm kind of hoping this remains a standalone, so that readers can imagine what happens next.

A fantasy/sci-fi/steampunk based story of a young indigenous girl who finds a dragon egg and is bonded with the dragon when it has hatched. She must leave her quaint island home and go to an academy where she and the dragon can be trained. The academy is in the city and the attendees are mostly young men from families of high social standing. She has no idea how to fit in with these people.
The book chronicles Anequs and her dragon's first year at the academy. The year is an eventful one, with death threats, social blunders, an assassination attempt and lots of studying.
I enjoyed reading this and look forward to the sequel.

Most fantasy books ignore the issues of race and colonization. Many of them assume that European culture is somehow superior within fantasy. This book questions those assumptions and tells a tale of empowerment, struggle and culture that many people have been waiting to hear for a long time.

To Shape a Dragon's Breath is about a teenage girl from an indiginous(and recently colonized) American east coastal island. She stumbles upon a dragon egg and has to struggle through what it means to be a Dragoneer at a prestigious academy, how important her culture is, and how incredibly dismissive the colonizers are of it. All this while finding friends, keeping family and fostering her new relationship with her adorable new dragon companion.

Mythology, and its intricacies are a forefront of this story. This is an honest to goodness fantasy book with species names, magic systems, complex social etiquette, and a very deep collection of world lore.

Would absolutely recommend this book to people who love:
- Harry potter and other fantasy academia
- Political dramas
- Folklore and mythology
- Academia vibes
- Diverse representation
- Historical fiction
- Adorable animal companions

Anequs's life changes one day when she sees a dragon, long thought to be gone from the island of Masquapuag where she lives, fly over. The next day she returns and finds an egg, which, upon hatching, produces a dragon that bonds to her. Realizing that she must learn to guide the dragon to prevent it from becoming dangerous, Anequs leaves her island and way of life to learn among the Anglish, who have colonized the area, and who have very different ideas about how the world should be run and how dragons should be raised than Anequs does.

Anequs is a brave and forthright young woman, and as she steps out into the Anglish world with her dragon at her side, the friends she meets and the way she interacts with society is informed more by her upbringing than by Anglish rules. Of course, this causes unrest and fear among the Anglish, who see Anequs and her dragon as a possibility of power for the indigenous people of the area.

The strength of this book is in its carefully drawn cast of characters and in its world that parallels our own but is, in itself, unique. If you liked the Temeraire series, you'll like this.

A strong boarding school novel set in colonial, loosely New England geography, with an equally strong and compelling heroine. Excellent option for readers seeking indigenous representation with nuance and complexity. The first novel dwells on world-building and exposition that may offer a stronger payoff in the sequel. A strong historical fantasy option for fans of Rebecca Roanhorse, and a palate cleanser for those who struggled with the protagonist’s POV in The Black Witch.

An impressive work of anti-colonial fantasy melded with a classic magic academy novel. This novel has gorgeous representation, with a protagonist who is bisexual and indigenous, as well as a lovely depiction of a non-verbal autistic character through Sander. I loved Anequas as a character, and found her journey to remain true to herself and her culture while being pressured to assimilate to Anglish society very poignant. Her and her friends are a wonderful, genuine example of the found family that results from marginalized individuals clustering together around their shared differences in a society that rejects them for being who they are. Contrary to other reviewers, I actually liked the world-building and the gaslamp fantasy setting, which I felt like did a good job of contrasting Anequas' traditional indigenous culture with the occupying colonial society. The plot did move surprisingly slowly up until the end, which had the consequence of making stakes that were actually quite high feel less dire.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)

Spoiler Free Summary: Anequs, a young woman from an indigenous community on the outskirts of Anglish country, becomes Nampeshiweisit when she is gifted a dragon egg by one of the indigenous dragon species thought to be extinct by her community. Faced by the threat of prosecution by local Anglish laws, Anequs must take Kasaqua, her dragon, to an Anglish dragoneering school in order to properly master Kasaqua's breath, a powerful force when unshaped. In the course of her first year at the school, she makes friends, falls for two different people at the school, and deals with racism and bigotry. In the end, this is a character-driven novel that investigates the relationship marginalized communities have within this fictionalized 19th century America.

I really enjoyed this book. The relationship Anequs has with her friends was constantly touching, and I was thoroughly impressed by the author's ability to fit so many important discussions on racism, homophobia, ableism, and colonialism in a very digestible yet meaningful format. I've seen other reviews speaking of the book as though it was boring; I was never bored. But I did not know what to expect coming into this book- if you're looking for a fantasy adventure this is not one. The book focuses on Anequs in her attempt to figure out how she can exist genuinely in her indigenous identity in a society that wishes she would assimilate. If you're looking for a story of a brave young woman struggling to assert herself in a world that's trying to put her down, while uplifting other marginalized people who she befriends along the way, this is a feel-good, hopeful story that shows how strong we can be when we are together.

I have to say that the plot struggles at some points near the end. The culminating action that takes place in the last couple chapters feels extremely rushed and I wished that some major plot points weren't glossed over, as they would have not only been extremely exciting bits of action to read, but they also would have been great instances to interact with what all the characters who are introduced think and feel as the story wraps up. As it is, I think that the author leaves a lot unsaid, where throughout the rest of the story we are entrenched in the characters' thoughts and feelings.

At times I also struggled with the intense academic nature of the story- there was one chapter near the beginning of Anequs' story that was incredibly difficult to read and digest. Later in the book it became clear that this was intentional to highlight how difficult it was for Anequs to understand, also an outsider to the germanic technical terms used throughout.

I recommend this book and give it 4 stars! I am very excited for this series to continue as I can imagine many ways that the story might progress now that Anequs has grown into a mature and determined young woman.

Thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse Publishing Group for providing a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, I thought I was going to love this book but it wasn't quite what I expected.

I was excited to read this book based on the blurb: a Native American take on a dragon rider/magic academy story with a girl as the dragon rider? Sign me up! So many dragon rider stories have male riders as the central character, I really wanted to see where a Native American writer would take this story.

It's about a 15-year-old girl called Anequs who lives on the isolated island of Masquapaug with her people. One day she sees a type of dragon thought extinct, a Nampeshiwe. The next day, she finds a dragon egg. After it hatches, she bonds with it but they discover that unregistered dragons are against the law and could be destroyed. Dragon riders are required to attend licensed dragon rider academies. So, she registers the dragon and is reluctantly admitted to the Anglish dragon rider school on the mainland.

Anequs's people were conquered centuries before by the Anglish and they are subject to the laws and customs of their Anglish rulers. Their culture is very different from the Anglish one: it's a matriarchal society where houses & other property are passed from mother to daughter, not from father to son. Anequs's introduction to Anglish society, rules and educational system is a tough adjustment for her and is pretty rough going at times. Her struggle to fit into that Anglish society really pulled me into the story and that's what kept me reading it.

I enjoyed the story & I really liked the characters. The world-building was the best part: it's a fantastic blend of Victorian-era style manners with a steampunk aesthetic. It's set in a world where Norse explorers or Vikings settled North America first and had a greater impact on the colonial society than the English who came later.

I really enjoyed the story, but it wasn't quite a 5 star read for me.

Pros:

Victorian/gas-lamp style world with cool steampunk aesthetics and technology

Cool dragon-based magic

Great 1st person narrative with an interesting & likeable narrator

Baby dragon

Cons that kept this from being a 5 star read for me:

Everyone sounded the same: they all spoke very proper English with great vocabulary and almost always in complete sentences. People don't talk like that. From scullery maids to the jarl who rules the country, everyone seemed to have the same voice. Having 16-year-olds using words like "liminally" and "boorish" just didn't sound right. I know the vocabulary used by modern day teens isn't nearly as good as well-educated Victorian-era teens, but even back then, I imagine teens spoke much more informally among themselves and with family members than they did with teachers & other authority figures. But, in this book, everyone sounded the same. This made the dialogue seem very stiff and way too formal.

I was into the strong anti-colonial theme of the story, but I think it was often laid on a bit thick. In every aspect of society, it was: Anglish bad/Masquapaug good. Where the colonial people were patriarchal, classist, racist, ableist, misogynistic, transphobic and homophobic, indigenous society was matriarchal, egalitarian and very accepting of different sexual orientations.

Anequs was a bit of a Mary Sue. That combined with her very stiff, formal way of speaking kept her from being more likeable than she otherwise would have been.

Conclusion:

I did enjoy the story and, for the reasons give above, it wasn't quite a 5 star read for me. But, I loved the world created by Moniquill Blackgoose and I'm eager to read the next book in the series.

I would recommend this book for anyone looking for fantasy inspired by indigenous culture or dragon rider stories. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for my ARC copy.
In this story we follow Anequs, and indigenous young person living on the island of Masquapaug. We first meet Anequs as she lives on the island amongst her people and specifically with her family. That all changes when she finds a dragon egg. Her people have not had dragons amongst them in some time and the training required to harness a dragon’s breath has all but left their teaching. There’s not a Nampeshiwesit (person bonded to a dragon) among them and there hasn’t been for a very long time.
This leads Anequs to apply to attend a nearby Anglish school for dragoneers. There, Anequs is put through trials and tribulation as she just attempts to learn the art of shaping a dragon’s breath with the goal of returning to her people. Anequs is smart and very self-aware for her age. Though there were times when I thought she might be a bit mature for her age, it didn’t take away from the story and I found myself supporting her every move.
Strong themes found in this book are racism and xenophobia, and I felt the otherness of the character in the Anglish environment particularly strongly. Even amongst those who were friendly with the MC, there still existed a distance because of the Anglish person’s ignorance or unwillingness to understand Anequs’ perspective. It’s taken for granted that Anequs comes from an uncivilized life and would, of course, desire to leave her family and culture behind to stay in the Anglish world.
That being said, the side characters do have charm and I was happy to find representation for autism, bisexuality, and polyamory. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and am excited to see where the author takes these characters next. There’s so much in this world that could be developed and I’m along for the ride! 😊

A very solid and compelling story with great side characters. So much depth to the characters but the world building was a little lacking for my taste. An overall great read!

In this story, we follow Anequs and her dragon, Kasaqua, as they attend an Anglish school for dragoneering. Anque is a young indigenous woman, and she travels from her island of Masquapaug to attend the school. At the school she is met with hardships and difficulties from classmates, professors, and the Anglish community alike. There are a few heavy themes explored in this novel, such as racism, xenophobia, and bullying. This is a slower paced novel, very “vibe exploration” if you will. You learn a lot about world building. Overall, I rated this story a 5/5 stars.

I rated this story as five stars because I fell in love with the characters. We learn pretty quickly that Anequs is highly adaptable, intelligent, stubborn, and completely ignorant of Anglish customs and social practices. This makes for numerous challenging encounters for Anequs throughout the novel, oftentimes getting her into trouble without her realizing. Following Anequs’s story as she learns to engage with people in a way that does not compromise who she is and what she stands for was something I was grateful for.

I loved the side cast of this novel. Sander has my heart, and Theod became a favorite by the end of the novel. I adore Liberty, and Marta is growing on me. All the little ones were pleasant to read about as well.

In addition, I loved the representation in this novel. Without naming specific characters, I appreciated the representation of LGBTQ+ people, indigenous people, polyamorous people, women, and autistic people. The portrayals were extremely well done. I was also excited by the politics of the story. I find the political intrigue fascinating and the author wrote it very well.

Lastly, I’m eager to see where any sequels will go with this novel. This novel had a lot of world building and was a slower pace, and I’m hoping that we will see more action in the coming novels. I am looking forward to more from this author!

I mean....it was aiiight. This book was good, but it didn't do much else than other books in the same genre. The characters were a bit of a stain between the actual story which wasn't the entire focus. It was indeed enjoyable but I'm going through a bit of a reading slump and pushed myself to finish this (as always) and didn't regret reading it. I recommend reading it but it's nothing outstanding. It's enough to entertain and keep you busy though. My overall rating is a 3.5/5.

Extended Breakdown:
Characters: 2/5
Story: 3.5/5
Pace: 3/5

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