Blood Over Bright Haven

This is my second M.L. Wang book, and I put it to the top of my reading list as The Sword of Kaigen was one of my favorite books in recent memory.

The main twist behind the magic system was largely predictable... but it was still a great reveal, not for the the shock of the protagonist realizing the price of magic, but rather for the insight into the mechanics of the magic that exploits and ravages the rest of the world.

It frustrating to ride behind the eyes of Sciona, as her nativity is insufferable... but it's also realistic of a sheltered academic who hasn't ever had a connection with the Krell. Sciona isn't a hero, there isn't a magical ending where everyone survives and her legacy is pristine. I do like how the naivety of Sciona allows the unmasking of her mentor, a supposedly kindly benefactor, and to a lesser extent, the council. Maybe sans the racism and mass murder she'd be likable, but that really isn't the point. You know this as you read, but it doesn't help with the frustration as you read the first portion of the book. She doesn't get much less naive, but there is some character growth, mostly via Thomil's labor.