This was an absolutely stunning read. I haven't read any of Buehlman's other books, but if they are anything like this one, we will be lucky to have them in our world.

The writing was beautiful. I have never read a book purely for the vibes, but this had the potential to be it. The prose, the structure of the chapters, the tone in which it was written is unparalleled and uncomparable. The entire book is written as if the main character is narrating or writing it. This is not the first book to have attempted such a thing, but it is the only book to have done it well and in such a way so that I believed it. It was incredibly immersive, and paired so well with the world building. This was such a complex, intricate world that we were tossed into, with layers upon layers of rich lore, heavy with stories, people, and places, against a backdrop of war, fighting, and carnage. In a land ravaged by the goblins, brief moments of respite were few and far between, and those who laid untouched by the horrors brought about from the conflict were non-existent. It felt so real, the worldbuilding was done so well, revealed to us in flashbacks, letters, and retellings, only shown where we needed it. 

Galva was a loveable character, who added a uniquely human touch to the world and the horrors going on within it. Her story, and the way she discovers herself felt vulnerable and raw. Part of an experimental regiment, she uses large corvids at her side to fight the ever pressing and important goblin threat. Her connection to these birds is tangible and so beautiful, and navigating a war within a book has never felt more gritty and heartbreaking.

I don't feel as though I missed out on any information here - if I had not been told this was a prequel, I never would have guessed it. This doesn't feel like a book just written to give an explanation for a world. It is its own tale, and it's own story. But I'm almost glad that it is a prequel. I now get to move forwards to the Blacktongue Thief, still brimming with excitement about this story, and about how much I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and  Christopher Buehlman for providing me with a copy of this book!