4.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

I want to start by saying, I don't think this is adult fiction. It definitely feels more like YA content and with the age of Oriana, our main character.

Now, on to everything I adored. I ate this book up. Oriana was such a compelling main character. I loved the way the religion was explained, m and the distinction between the Day and Night aspects of the saints. I think the world building was impeccable. Dame Lena's characterization was so interesting because it was truly uncertain whether she did what she did for her gain or for Oriana's. I liked that Oriano served as her foil throughout every stage of her life, as a child, as a scholar, as a smith. I truly found that Lucerìa came to life, as well as the Market of the Dead and the Emistuchivio's forge. I think the themes woven throughout the narrative were well executed and communicated.

I do wish that we had seen more of Oriana's last conversation with Growler, or at least, more exploration of the topic of that conversation. I did like the twist at the end but at the same time, I wish there was more. I wanted to see even more of the under-earth, even more of the Secret Market of the Dead, as they only took up a small part of the story. I really loved the world the de Feo created and I will be keeping an eye out for what he does next.