I enjoyed a lot about this book, but there were things that didn't mesh as well with me.

In terms of the style of the book, it reminded me a bit of books like The Diviners and Six of Crows, but of course had it's own voice. The cast of characters was a group of marginalized individuals, each dealing with how 1899 Paris would have treated each of their racial identities. I actually quite enjoyed the characters. Some of the dialogue felt a little juvenile at times, but this is a YA book so that's just a personal preference thing and not something I'm gonna dock it points for.

My biggest gripe was that how different plot important elements were introduced to the story. They seemed to pop up at the last minute, sometimes with the characters knowing but you as the reader not. I enjoy trying to pick up on foreshadowing, but I felt like elements showed up a lot as deus ex machinas to solve how to get things from point A to point B. It wasn't entirely awful. I actually would much prefer this over constant info dumping to explain the world. I appreciated very much that Chokshi showed you how the world worked as opposed to constantly bombarding you with information about every type of forging there could be.

I thought the alchemy-like magic was very interesting and I look forward to seeing more ways it can be used in the next book. We really didn't get all that much in the way of forging in this book. Laila and Tristan did most of it, and Tristan did it mostly off screen - so to speak.

I wish the book had ended with the scene with the new ring test. I feel like the next part should have been at the start of book two. Also I hope someone punches Séverin in the face because hooooo boy does he need to get out of his own head. Or maybe he'll get some much needed therapy. Lord knows he has the money for it. Maybe I'll get lucky in book two!