a strong 4.5!!! for all its merits. it was a wild, thrilling ride. not a 5 because i thought the ending could've been better - felt a bit too rushed, given how strong the build-up for all the characters and their behaviours were in earlier chapters. it has everything i want to read about in a sci-fic mystery novel - the discussion of ethics, reasonably-backed bad decisions (lol) and gasp-worthy moments (esp Mandy and Christopher's narrative)