It took me a few chapters to get completely hooked by this book, but once I did, I LOVED it. It became utterly absorbing, a genuinely addictive read. Even when I wasn't physically reading it, the characters were hanging out in my head, and I was replaying various favorite bits from the sections I'd just read.

It's one of the most unique and well-developed alternate-history fantasy novels I've ever read, with fascinating worldbuilding that's been carefully developed ever since Hannibal won against the Romans (in this version of history). The rhythms of speech and thought are all just a bit different, too, than those I'm used to, with almost the feeling of an epic saga...which perfectly matches the ambiance of the book, which has Celtic bards and trolls and mages all hanging out in this version of 1830s Europe. And I love the way ethnicities have gotten so mingled in this version of history, so that it's completely unremarkable for people of African descent and Greek descent to have intermarried frequently across the generations.

Most of all, though, I really loved the voice of the heroine, Catherine Hassi Barahal, her dynamics within her family, her adventures within the spirit world, and, mmmmm, her romance, which is completely realistic and human and down-to-earth, with a hero who is all too believably flawed, but which ends up with one scene so romantic and perfect, it literally took my breath away as I read. Loved, loved, loved it!

I feel like, objectively, I should give this 4.5 stars because of the fact it took me a couple chapters to get into the novel...but then I loved all the rest of it SO MUCH that it would be absurd not to give this book 5 stars! I cannot wait to read the second book in the trilogy.