I was never completely sure whether I should trust Vassa and that was one of the best things about it. The story lets her be frightening, sympathetic and unpredictable at the same time.

What surprised me most was the emotion behind the action. There are powerful characters and dangerous situations, but the story is really about identity, choice and what a person is willing to endure.

Kaya has such a strong presence. I could picture every confrontation clearly and I liked that the story gave her more than physical strength. She has pride, fear and plenty to prove.

There is a rawness to Desta that I really enjoyed. The story does not rush her development or turn every hardship into an easy lesson. She has to fight to understand who she is.

Feels like part of something huge without burying you under pages of explanation and exposition. I especially like tha freedom means something different to each character. Cohe is a character that I really warmed to.

Big characters, an unusual premise and plenty of unanswered questions. A strong opening chapter to something much larger.

Sohng won me over because he never feels like the usual flawless fantasy hero. He gets hurt, makes mistakes and keeps moving anyway. By the end I felt like I had actually travelled with him.

Desta has a quieter beginning than some of the other Arca stories, but that worked for me. It gave the character room to breathe before everything became more dangerous. Beautifully imagined.

A haunting little story with images that stayed in my mind long after reading it. I would have liked it to be longer, although the mystery is probably part of why it works so well.

What an introduction into Arca. I'm looking forward to revisiting.